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by - To rebuild the economy from the coronavirus fallout, the United States must consider low-carbon and resilient investments, including energy retrofits, electric buses and reforestation.
us policy
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by James Mulligan, Kelly Levin, Alex Rudee and Katie Lebling - January 31, 2020To prevent the most dangerous impacts of climate change, greenhouse gas emissions will have to reach net zero by 2050. That will require both deep cuts in emissions and the removal of remaining emissions directly from the atmosphere. Making that happen will take concerted U.S. innovation akin to a moonshot. In this case, it's a CarbonShot.
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by James Mulligan, Alex Rudee, Katie Lebling, Kelly Levin, James Anderson and Ben Christensen - January 2020New WRI research finds that the United States needs to make large-scale investments in carbon removal in the coming years if the country is to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. This working paper identifies a consolidated set of high-priority, near-term, federal policy options for advancing carbon removal pathways.
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by Tom Cyrs, Joel Jaeger and Kevin Kennedy - December 09, 2019A new report finds that U.S. states, cities and businesses are already on pace to reduce emissions 25% below 2005 levels by 2030, and could cut emissions further just by scaling up existing actions.
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by Devashree Saha - July 08, 2019Decisions from utility commissions across the country suggest natural gas' time as a "bridge fuel" may be short—renewables are already often preferred and cheaper.
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by Dan Lashof - February 04, 2019Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Senator Ed Markey (D-MA) are reportedly teaming up on a Green New Deal proposal.There are five questions legislators will need to consider before developing a zero-carbon economy plan.
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by Kelly Levin and Andrew Light - November 25, 2018The new National Climate Assessment provides an unprecedented look at the climate impacts the United States is already experiencing and those it is on track for in the future. Here are four important findings.
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by Christina DeConcini and Kevin Kennedy - July 23, 2018Congressman Curbelo's Market Choice Act, which would charge for carbon emissions from fuel combustion and large industrial sources, could bring U.S. greenhouse gas emissions down 27 to 32 percent below 2005 levels by 2025, with minimal effect on GDP and benefits for the lowest-income households.
publication
by Noah Kaufman, Eleanor Krause and Kehan DeSousa - June 2018This issue brief provides insight on how incorporating emissions target mechanism into a strong national carbon tax can help ensure the intended emission reductions are delivered. It is part of a series of WRI research devoted to designing a national carbon price in the United States.
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by Andrew Light - May 30, 2018President Trump announced one year ago that he would pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement. Meanwhile, other countries and U.S. states, cities and businesses have moved forward with climate action.
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by Leonardo Martinez-Diaz and Joe Thwaites - April 24, 2018Governments will meet Wednesday in Stockholm to decide how to replenish the Global Environment Facility (GEF), a fund that helps developing nations meet international environmental agreements. GEF grants finance everything from toxic chemical clean-up to biodiversity protection to anti-wildlife trafficking efforts.
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by Sarah Parsons - January 16, 2018Toxic air pollution. Plastic-filled oceans. Sucking carbon from the skies. These are just a few of the stories that will shape 2018's legacy.
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by Kristin Igusky and Kevin Kennedy - November 11, 2017According to new analysis, more than 2,500 non-federal actors representing more than half the U.S. economy—including cities, counties, states, businesses and more—have pledged their support for the Paris Agreement goals. If these actors were their own country, they’d be the world’s third-largest economy.
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by Daniel Melling, Alex Perera and Debbie Weyl - June 05, 2017Representatives from countries accounting for 90 percent of the world’s clean energy investment and 75 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions will gather in Beijing this week for the 8th Clean Energy Ministerial. Will they advance renewable energy and efficiency, or will the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement set the talks back?
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by Frances Seymour - June 02, 2017The Paris Agreement is the best instrument for addressing threats to development posed by climate change, such as forest fires, extreme weather and more. The U.S. withdrawal from the agreement is reckless.
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by Sam Adams, Kristin Igusky and Tyler Clevenger - May 18, 2017The Trump administration's "skinny" budget is poised to make the nation’s infrastructure even less sustainable. Will the full budget, expected to be released next week, reverse course?
news item
The U.S. Senate today rejected a Congressional Review Act resolution to revoke a regulation limiting methane emissions from oil and gas production on federal lands. A 51-49 vote against advancing the resolution was reached, letting the Bureau of Land Management methane waste prevention rule continue.
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by Rebecca Gasper - April 26, 2017In the 100 days since President Donald Trump took office, his administration has embarked on an all-out assault on the environment. A new timeline documents rollbacks, budget cuts and more.
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by Noah Kaufman, Rebecca Gasper and Kristin Igusky - April 26, 2017A recent article from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Institute for 21st Century Energy uses a NERA Economic Consulting study as evidence that meeting U.S. climate change commitments will cause economic hardship, particularly in the manufacturing sector. WRI researchers found that the Chamber’s conclusions are based on a decarbonization pathway that is unrealistic and unnecessarily costly.