This working paper outlines three principles that can inform debate on an equitable phase-out of U.S. fossil fuel extraction. In order to avert the most extreme harms of climate change, the world must reduce net carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from all sources — especially fossil fuels — to zero by mid-century.
This guide for local governments describes when and how to use a consumption-based emissions inventory, known as a CBEI. Numerous cities around the world have been exploring their carbon footprint using consumption-based emissions inventories (CBEIs).
This report is the first to bring together an overview of policy options available to national governments as well as guidance on how to design national urban policies around low-carbon, inclusive, sustainable development goals.
Reducing fossil fuel supply is necessary to meet the Paris Agreement goal to keep warming “well below 2°C”. Yet, the Paris Agreement is silent on the topic of fossil fuels.
The United States now produces as much crude oil as ever – over 3.4 billion barrels in 2015, just shy of the 3.5 billion record set in 1970. Indeed, the U.S. has become the world’s No. 1 oil and gas producer.
This paper examines the implications for U.S. fossil fuel production and global CO2 emissions of ceasing to issue new federal leases for fossil fuel extraction and not renewing existing leases for resources that are not yet producing. Avoiding dangerous climate change will require a rapid transition away from fossil fuels.
This working paper examines the ideal role of city governments under a vertically integrated climate governance system designed to maximize urban mitigation potential. Action by city governments is essential for achieving deep reductions in global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
This paper examines carbon ‘lock-in’ risks from an urban planning perspective, comparing two scenarios of urban development over the next 15 years to gauge the emissions implications of different choices.
The term 'carbon lock-in' refers to the tendency for certain carbon-intensive technological systems to persist over time, 'locking out' lower-carbon alternatives, and owing to a combination of linked technical, economic, and institutional factors. These technologies may be costly to build, but relatively inexpensive to operate and, over time, they reinforce political, market, and social factors that make it difficult to move away from, or 'unlock' them.
