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Archive for the ‘Sustainability’ Category

Come Heat and High Water: Climate Risk in the Southeastern U.S. and Texas

Friday, July 31st, 2015
ALABAMA: AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURE

RISKY BUSINESS
The Southeast U.S. and Texas are experiencing an economic boom, mostly due to manufacturing and energy industry growth. But that boom is at risk from unchecked climate change, which could render this region—already one of the hottest and most weather-vulnerable of the country—at significant economic risk. However, if policymakers and business leaders act aggressively to adapt to the changing climate and to mitigate future impacts by reducing their carbon emissions, this region can lead in responding to climate risk. The Southeast can demonstrate to national and global political leaders the kind of strong response necessary to ensure a strong economic future.

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Guest on The Infra Blog: Geoffrey Anderson, President and CEO, Smart Growth America

Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
Geoffrey Anderson - Photo by Aimee Custis, www.aimeecustis.com

Geoffrey Anderson is the President and CEO of Smart Growth America. Named by Partners for Livable Communities as “One of the 100 Most Influential Leaders in Sustainable Community Planning and Development,” Geoff came to his current position after eight years heading the Smart Growth Program at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

“It is amazing to see what local governments and states have done, and how much they have responded. Some of that is amazing in terms of their pro-activeness, and then some is less amazing because it’s become so desperate that they really had to do something, and unlike Congress, they didn’t have the luxury of kicking the issue off another two years without thinking about the longer term.”

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A Funding Compromise Can Set Transportation on Path Toward Sustainability

Friday, July 24th, 2015

NATIONAL CENTER FOR SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION
Against the backdrop of continuing uncertainty around Congressional passage of a new federal transportation bill, a number of proposals have been circulated in the past year to address aspects of securing or reforming state and federal transportation funding. This white paper assembles the most prominent of these proposals and reviews them in the context of sustainable transportation, in particular, these three dimensions: funding sustainability, environmental sustainability, and social justice.

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Communications Infrastructure: Enabling the Clean Energy Economy

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015
Communications Infrastructure - BlueGreen Alliance Infographic

BLUEGREEN ALLIANCE

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Northeast & Mid-Atlantic: Economic Impacts of a Greenhouse Gas Initiative

Friday, July 17th, 2015
Figure ES-1 Actual CO2 Emissions in the RGGI States, Relative to the Emissions Caps in Different Periods

ANALYSIS GROUP
This Report analyzes the economic impacts of RGGI’s most recent three years, covering the years 2012 through 2014. This analysis follows on our prior November 2011 Report (hereafter “AG 2011 Report”) that assessed the economic impacts of RGGI’s first three years (2009-2011). Since the time of our last economic review, the electric industry has experienced changes in power plant economics, emission-control requirements, and wholesale market structures in the RGGI region. In addition, the RGGI states completed a comprehensive program review during 2012, and modified elements of the program including, most importantly, adopting a significantly lower overall cap on CO2 emissions in the RGGI region.

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2015 State of the Cities Report

Thursday, July 16th, 2015
Table 3: Key research findings

NATIONAL LEAGUE OF CITIES
Mayors are the leaders who shoulder many of our nation’s most critical problems and from whom solutions can arise. NLC stands ready to support city leaders in their efforts to help mend the nation, and through this annual analysis of mayoral priorities, spotlight challenges, opportunities, and progress in our cities. Whether through their roles in economic development, public safety or education, this year’s report highlights ways local governments are providing the leadership needed to create more equitable communities.

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Seizing the Global Opportunity: Emissions Reduction & Economic Prosperity

Tuesday, July 14th, 2015

Stronger cooperation between governments, businesses, investors, cities and communities can drive economic growth in the emerging low-carbon economy.

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Clean Power Plan: Markets Drive Innovation

Monday, July 13th, 2015
Figure 1. Lead Permits Traded as Percent of All Lead Emissions, 1983-1987

ADVANCED ENERGY ECONOMY INSTITUTE (AEE INSTITUTE)
On June 2, 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the Clean Power Plan (CPP) to implement section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act (CAA). While the proposed rule does not mandate a market-based approach to compliance, ample evidence from previous CAA rules suggests that market-based mechanisms are likely to develop under the CPP, and that these mechanisms will spark an industry response that will make available a wide array of cost-effective compliance options.

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It’s Smart To Be Dense

Thursday, July 9th, 2015

Urban density is fundamental principle of sustainable development. Density supports economic and creative vibrancy, social integration, and a healthy, environmental sustainable development model. As the world’s population continues to urbanize, our cities have two options for growth: densify or sprawl. The private-car dependent sprawl model of the 20th century must change, and move away from a reliance on private cars, to accommodate a more populous, and more prosperous world.

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2015 U.S. Clean Tech Leadership Index

Thursday, July 9th, 2015
2015 TOP 10 STATES (INCLUDING HISTORICAL RANKINGS)

CLEAN EDGE
The United States has seen a significant shift in its energy landscape since Clean Edge began publishing its clean-tech leadership index five years ago. The transition to a clean tech and energy efficiency-based economy, based on the many indicators we track, is well underway. Solar and wind power, along with natural gas and energy efficiency, are now the mainstream choices for meeting the nation’s electricity needs; coal-fired and nuclear power, the dominant choices of the 20th century, have become the marginalized “alternatives.”

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