Center for Clean Air Policy : Climate Change
Blog Post

Earth Day Insight: On the ground tilling new economic growth to reduce emissions

Today is Earth Day 2014. What better day to reflect on the direction of efforts around the world to reduce air pollution? A slew of environmentally focused articles and opinion pieces have sprouted recently, as is the usual pattern for this time of year, and a theme – one that you’ve heard CCAP expound a... continue reading »

Blog Post

Colombia Transit Oriented Development NAMA Selected for Funding

Today at the UNFCCC 19th Conference of Parties (COP) in Warsaw, the joint Germany-UK NAMA Facility announced the funding of the world’s first Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) NAMA in Colombia. CCAP will partner with Colombian Development bank FINDETER to deliver $20 million (USD) in technical and financial resources to catalyze the building of TOD neighborhoods in... continue reading »

Resource

Effective, Cost-effective Outcomes via a System-Based Approach

CCAP Senior Program Manager Stacey Davis testified before an EPA “public listening session” regarding the regulation of carbon emissions from existing power plants under the Clean Air Act. The session, held November 7,2013 at EPA’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., is just one of eleven such sessions held around the country to gather ideas and perspectives about... continue reading »

Blog Post

The Potential Contribution of Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions in a 2015 Climate Agreement

In the next two years, negotiators and experts will need to work out how to configure a comprehensive 2015 international climate agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. At the 17th conference of the parties in Durban, climate diplomats agreed to chart out a work plan (i.e. the Durban platform for enhanced... continue reading »

Blog Post

Building local capacity to reduce short-lived climate pollutants from the waste sector: CCAP and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition

Recognizing the need to mitigate climate change in the near-term, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition was launched in February 2012 to leverage political will in an effort to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as methane, black carbon and other air pollutants. One of the Coalition’s key initiatives works directly with city and national... continue reading »

Blog Post

Building Partnerships to Reduce Emissions from the Municipal Solid Waste Sector

Sweden – and Stockholm in particular – are renowned for their sustainable waste management practices.  Bolstered by a landfill-tax and ban on organic waste, the city sends just four percent of its solid waste to landfills.  In comparison, OECD countries dump an average of 40 percent of waste in landfills, according to a 2012 World... continue reading »

Blog Post

Advancing Smart Greenhouse Gas Standards for Existing Power Plants under the Clean Air Act

Through smart regulatory design at both the federal and state levels, Section 111(d) of the Clean Air Act can be used to achieve meaningful and cost-effective greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions from existing power plants. Prior to issuing 111(d) regulations, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will set a standard for regulating GHGs from new power... continue reading »

Resource

Combined Heat and Power for Industrial Revitalization

This paper highlights the advantages of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) in improving industrial competitiveness and environmental quality. It examines current and potential levels of CHP deployment in the industrial sector along with key economic and policy drivers, discusses barriers to greater CHP penetration, and identifies a number of policy actions that can mitigate these barriers. In... continue reading »

Resource

The President’s Climate Action Plan: Right on the Money

On July 26, 2013 President Obama announced a far-reaching Climate Action Plan that will support achievement of the U.S. commitment to reduce national carbon pollution in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 while redirecting our international development aid to foster clean energy choices in other countries. With the promised expeditious implementation... continue reading »

Program

Future Actions Dialogue

An International Climate Treaty for Post-2012 As international climate change negotiations center on a post-2012 framework, CCAP continues to participate in the discussion through its Future Actions Dialogue (FAD). This program brings together senior climate change negotiators worldwide from 30-40 developed and developing countries for an open and inclusive discussion of producing practical options for... continue reading »

Program

Industrial and Municipal Waste NAMA in Chile

By targeting methane produced in landfills, solid waste management strategies aim to reduce emissions of this very potent gas and contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. Working on the Ground with Chile In line with Chile’s national waste strategy, CCAP helped to design an organic waste NAMA that aims to divert organic industrial waste from landfills,... continue reading »

Program

CCAP at Doha COP18

COP18 in Doha, Qatar CCAP participated at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) 18th Conference of the Parties (COP), held in Doha, Qatar from Nov. 26 through Dec. 7, 2012. As part of these international climate change negotiations, CCAP hosted a side event to showcase progress made on nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) throughout... continue reading »

Program

CCAP-Europe

The Center for Clean Air Policy-Europe (CCAP-Europe) is the sister non-profit organization of CCAP located in Brussels, Belgium. Established in January 2008, the purpose of CCAP-Europe is to significantly advance cost-effective and pragmatic air quality and climate policy through research, analysis, dialogue and public education. CCAP Europe actively educates and involves a broad range of stakeholders worldwide in... continue reading »

Program

Developing Countries Project

As the UNFCCC moves forward with international climate change negotiations, it is critical that developing countries are ready and able to make significant progress toward reducing greenhouse gas emissions and growing in a sustainable way. CCAP has helped developing countries prepare for and participate in UNFCCC negotiations through its Developing Country Project. Serving as the... continue reading »

Program

U.S. Climate Policy Initiative

Moving a National Climate Policy Forward CCAP works with a range of stakeholders through our U.S. Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) to identify and support cost-effective policies in the United States that can win the support necessary for implementation. CPI builds upon CCAP’s almost 30-year history of constructive behind-the-scenes dialogues and in-depth analyses that led to the... continue reading »

Program

Mitigation Action Implementation Network (MAIN)

Supporting Ambitious Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Actions CCAP is working to support the design and implementation of nationally appropriate mitigation actions (NAMAs) and Low-Emissions Development Strategies (LEDS) in developing countries through regionally-based dialogues, web-based exchanges, and practitioner networks. Recent UNFCCC negotiations have made it clear that climate protection will depend on actions on the ground in... continue reading »

Program

Weathering Climate Risks

Advancing Corporate and Community Resilience As the annual costs of severe weather events in the U.S. grow into the billions of dollars, companies and communities are examining how best to plan ahead to protect their assets and bolster their bottom line. CCAP encourages companies, communities and policymakers to: “Ask the Climate Question” How will infrastructure,... continue reading »

Blog Post

BP & UK Companies: Preparing for Climate Change Impacts is Good Business

As part of CCAP’s Weathering Climate Risks program, we are examining public, private, and public-private efforts on preparedness for extreme weather and a changing climate. Today’s blog considers recent private sector activity. A 2011 report from Mercer concluded the cost of climate change impacts could exceed $4 trillion by 2030, and contribute up to 10%... continue reading »

Blog Post

Is 20 the new 100?

Extreme weather trends and climate forecasts suggest so Welcome to spring and to the official launch of CCAP’s new blog, Weathering Climate Risks! We will focus on corporate and urban preparedness for extreme weather and climate change, emphasizing risk management, critical infrastructure and the economics of preparedness. On with today’s installment. It’s said that 60... continue reading »

Blog Post

The Year of the Dragon: How China will Move Ahead on Climate Action in 2012 and Beyond

The impressive gigantic Chinese pavilion at COP17 in Durban might have been a coincidence but it may actually be a sign of the times. One thing is clear, the Chinese government’s confidence in implementing climate and energy legislation seems to be growing. In the coming years we expect the implementation of a new five-year economic... continue reading »

Blog Post

Landing on the Durban Platform: CCAP’s Role

Ned Helme, founder and president of CCAP, emphasizes the importance of “Learning by Doing” – a key component of the Mitigation Action Implementation Network (MAIN) – in this last post in a series of six Q&As. Q: How do you envision CCAP’s role in facilitating the process to arrive at a global agreement under the... continue reading »

Blog Post

Landing on the Durban Platform: Shifting to Adaptation

Vulnerability to natural disasters due to climate change have created a greater need for policy solutions. Ned Helme, founder and president of CCAP, discusses how support for adaptation projects in developing countries will be very beneficial in this fourth post in a series of six Q&As. Q:  Were there any other surprising shifts at Durban?... continue reading »

Blog Post

The Durban Climate Summit and What it Means for Developing Countries

Last week delegates returned from the most recent international negotiations on climate change, held in Durban, South Africa.  CCAP was actively engaged with negotiators during the Conference of Parties (COP) and hosted several events on the sidelines.  After two weeks of negotiations, which ultimately ended 36 hours over schedule, the Parties to the UNFCCC were... continue reading »

Blog Post

First Stop: Health. Next Stop: Carbon?

EPA should be congratulated on issuing the final mercury and air toxics standards (MATS) for utilities. These rules are more than 20 years in the making and establish for the first time federal regulations to control mercury and other toxic emissions from power plants. EPA estimates that the rule will reduce mercury emissions from coal-burning... continue reading »

Blog Post

Strengthening EPA’s Hand In Addressing Climate Change

Yesterday’s Supreme Court decision in American Electric Power v. Connecticut resoundingly affirms the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to address global warming and regulate greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. In 2004, several environmental groups and eight states, including Connecticut, California, and New York sued five large electric utilities to get them to... continue reading »