The OurEnergyLibrary aggregates and indexes publicly available fact sheets, journal articles, reports, studies, and other publications on U.S. energy topics. It is updated every week to include the most recent energy resources from academia, government, industry, non-profits, think tanks, and trade associations. Suggest a resource by emailing us at info@ourenergypolicy.org.
Resource Library
171 to 180 of 342 item(s) were returned.
This report estimates the health benefits associated with reducing air pollutant emissions from fossil fuel combustion. The report finds that eliminating fossil fuel emissions from buildings and transportation, for example through electrification, would yield monetized health benefits of $44 billion per year, based on detailed air quality modeling by UC Irvine, and that eliminating emissions from natural gas generators would yield benefits of $1 billion per year. The benefits are due to improved health and the avoidance of 4,950 premature deaths per year (across all sectors modeled). Much of these benefits would accrue in disadvantaged communities, which have historically borne …
View Full ResourceIn this whitepaper, Sustainable Real Estate Solutions, Inc. (SRS) analyzes the ambitious goal to reduce U.S. commercial and multifamily buildings’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 50% by 2030. The report describes the market for energy-consuming equipment replacement and the potential for GHG emissions reduction by sector. It also explores the barriers to energy efficiency upgrades in small and medium-sized buildings (SMB) which are responsible for an estimated 41% of GHG emissions from commercial and multifamily buildings – a sector that is mission critical if the U.S. is to achieve its GHG emissions reduction goal. Finally, the report discusses policy implications …
View Full ResourceThe report finds total greenhouse gas emissions dropped 1.6 percent between 2018 and 2019—the second largest percentage decrease since 2010—but far short of what is needed to comply with California’s mandate to cut emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. California must now sustain a 4.3 percent annual decrease through 2030—a reduction that is more than 2.5 times greater than was achieved in 2019. While California’s vibrant clean energy economy is supporting strong job numbers, it is failing to deliver the necessary annual emissions reductions, as slowing renewable energy growth, underwhelming transportation sector gains, and a worrisome cross-sector over-dependence …
View Full ResourceEnergy Efficiency 2021 is the IEA’s annual update on global developments in energy efficiency. This year’s edition explores recent trends in energy efficiency markets at the economy-wide and sectoral levels, including developments in policy and investment.
The report also focuses on the role of energy efficiency in achieving net zero emissions in the energy sector by 2050, including an examination of the crucial role of efficient appliances and equipment, as well as all major energy efficiency net zero milestones in buildings, transport and industry.
In addition, the report analyses recent trends in digital innovation, examining how digitalization is expanding the …
View Full ResourceNYU researchers released the first study to rigorously assess the predicted impacts of Local Law 97 of 2019 (LL97), the City of New York’s signature climate law. The law caps the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that large buildings can release, starting in 2024.
The study assessed the impact that adding an emissions trading program would have on environmental justice communities and proposes ways to increase investment and emissions reductions in those areas. The study offers two options for trading programs designed to improve outcomes under LL97. Both options would benefit the City as a whole, and environmental justice communities …
View Full ResourceReport commissioned by NRDC exploring the relationship between getting fossil fuels out of buildings, and creating and preserving affordable housing in Los Angeles. Mitigating GHG emissions and actively protecting existing affordable housing are two urgent needs for the City of Los Angeles with a complex relationship with one another. New approaches are needed to not only include affordable housing in decarbonization efforts but also to leverage decarbonization investments in ways that support and preserve affordable housing.
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View Full ResourceResearch using the Louisiana Energy Policy Simulator developed by Energy Innovation and RMI evaluates Louisiana’s current emissions trajectory, finding the state’s economy-wide emissions will increase 30 percent by 2050 compared to 2020 under a business-as-usual scenario, not including proposed industrial facilities. But, the modeling shows implementing stronger climate policies across the buildings, power, industrial, land use, and transportation sectors could establish Louisiana as America’s clean energy innovation hub. An ambitious climate policy pathway could reduce emissions 97 percent by 2050, create 111,000 new job-years in 2030, avoid approximately 2,300 premature deaths by 2050, and align the state with the United …
View Full ResourceIn the lead up to the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26), media channels are full of content highlighting both the issues and the challenges surrounding climate change. Agencies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warn that global warming will exceed 2°C during the 21st century. They believe achieving the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement will soon be “beyond reach” unless rapid and deep emissions reductions in CO2 and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) occur in the next decade.
One of the largest carbon-emitting industries is the building sector. Building construction and operations accounted for 39% …
View Full ResourceLimiting global warming to 1.5°C requires far-reaching transformations across power generation, buildings, industry, transport, land use, coastal zone management, and agriculture, as well as the immediate scale-up of technological carbon removal and climate finance. This report translates these transitions into 40 targets for 2030 and 2050, with measurable indicators.
Transformations, particularly those driven by new technology adoption, often unfold slowly before accelerating after crossing a tipping point. Nearly a quarter of indicators assessed new technology adoption, with some already growing exponentially. This report considers such nonlinear change in its methodology.
The transitions required to avoid the worst climate impacts are …
View Full ResourceCalifornia, like most state and local governments, finances a significant portion of its long–term infrastructure investments through the issuance of general obligation bonds. The funds generated by the sale of these bonds – exceeding $70 billion outstanding in each of the past three years, compared to annual state budget expenditures of approximately $200 billion – is used to pay for a wide range of state investments, including investments in state buildings, transportation infrastructure, and natural resource management.
Financial regulators have begun to recognize the connection between public bond issuance and climate change–related …