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Category Archives: Climate Change

GAO Reports – InfoTech Acquisitions, K-12 Education, DoD and Sexual Assault, Aviation Security, 2020 Census, Climate Change, Medicaid, TARP

Information Technology: Implementation of Reform Legislation Needed to Improve Acquisitions and Operations, GAO-16-204T: Published: Nov 4, 2015. Publicly Released: Nov 4, 2015. K-12 Education: Internal Controls for Program Management and Oversight Can Help Ensure the Success of School Choice Programs, GAO-16-212T: Published: Nov 4, 2015. Publicly Released: Nov 4, 2015. Sexual Assault: Actions Needed to… Continue Reading

Vehicle standards around the world aim to improve fuel economy and reduce emissions

“Nine countries and regions, which together account for 75% of global fuel consumption by light-duty vehicles, have adopted mandatory or voluntary standards for increasing fuel economy and reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The intent and structure of these emissions policies vary widely around the world. Because fuel economy and GHG emissions policies have large effects… Continue Reading

OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2015

Governments should do more to improve the design and delivery of new laws, as even small efforts to fix regulatory shortcomings can have a tangible positive impact on economic activity and well-being, according to a new OECD report. The OECD Regulatory Policy Outlook 2015 – the first effort to track how OECD countries develop, implement… Continue Reading

GAO Reports – SBA, VA Mental Health, Combating Nuclear Smuggling, Electronic Health Records, Federal Supply Chains

Amphibious Combat Vehicle: Some Acquisition Activities Demonstrate Best Practices; Attainment of Amphibious Capability to be Determined, GAO-16-22: Published: Oct 28, 2015. Publicly Released: Oct 28, 2015. Small Business Administration: Leadership Attention Needed to Overcome Management Challenges, GAO-15-347: Published: Sep 22, 2015. Publicly Released: Oct 28, 2015. Small Business Administration: Views on the Operational Effects of… Continue Reading

Climate Risks to the Financial System

Covington, Howard, Climate Risks to the Financial System (October 27, 2015). Available for download at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2681153 “An estimate is made of the specific risk to the fossil fuel sector from wind and solar generation and from electric vehicles. The systemic risk to investment portfolios from climate change is then analysed.” Continue Reading

Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress

CRS – Changes in the Arctic: Background and Issues for Congress. Ronald O’Rourke, Coordinator Specialist in Naval Affairs, October 2, 2015. “The diminishment of Arctic sea ice has led to increased human activities in the Arctic, and has  heightened interest in, and concerns about, the region’s future. The United States, by virtue of Alaska, is an Arctic country and has… Continue Reading

VW issues statement on emission violations

Follow up to EPA, California Notify Volkswagen of Clean Air Act Violations – see Dissemination of an Ad hoc announcement according to § 15 WpHG: Volkswagen AG has issued the following information, September 22, 2015: “Volkswagen is working at full speed to clarify irregularities concerning a particular software used in diesel engines. New vehicles from… Continue Reading

EPA, California Notify Volkswagen of Clean Air Act Violations

News release: “[September 19, 2015], EPA is issuing a notice of violation (NOV) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG, and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (collectively referred to as Volkswagen). The NOV alleges that four-cylinder Volkswagen and Audi diesel cars from model years 2009-2015 include software that circumvents EPA emissions… Continue Reading

USDA Seeks Input on New Report on Climate Change and Food Security

“On Tuesday, September 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) published a draft of the interagency assessment report, “Climate Change, Global Food Security, and the U.S. Food System” in the Federal Register. USDA is requesting input from the public through October 8, and will publish the final report online when it becomes available. While the… Continue Reading

OECD Development Co-operation Report 2015

“With the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, the question of how to finance, implement and monitor these goals moves to the centre of the debate. Today, international development co-operation takes place in an increasingly complex environment, with an ever growing number of actors, policies and instruments involved. This complexity raises the stakes for achieving… Continue Reading

Impact of urbanization on US surface climate or why we need trees

Impact of urbanization on US surface climate – Lahouari Bounoua, Ping Zhang, Georgy Mostovoy, Kurtis Thome, Jeffrey Masek, Marc Imhoff, Marshall Shepherd, Dale Quattrochi, Joseph Santanello, Julie Silva, Robert Wolfe and Ally Mounirou Toure – Published 12 August 2015 • 2015 IOP Publishing Ltd • Environmental Research Letters, Volume 10, Number 8. “We combine Landsat… Continue Reading