Literary Warrant [26]

• Robert Esworthy, Specialist in Environmental Policy, Resources, Science, and Industry Division, Congressional Research Service (CRS), Federal Pollution Control Laws: How Are They Enforced? (CRS Report for Congress, Order Code RL34384) (February 20, 2008)
  
  "This report provides an overview of the statutory framework, key players, infrastructure, resources, tools, and operations associated with enforcement and compliance of the major pollution control laws and regulations administered by EPA. It also outlines the roles of federal (including regional offices) and state regulators, as well as the regulated community. Understanding the many facets of how all federal pollution control laws are enforced, and the responsible parties involved, can be challenging. Enforcement of the considerable body of these laws involves a complex framework and organizational setting."—Summary.


• Kelly Sims Gallagher & Erich Muehlegger, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Giving Green to Get Green: Incentives and Consumer Adoption of Hybrid Vehicle Technology (Faculty Research Working Paper Series, RWP08-009) (February 2008)
  
  "Federal, state and local governments use a variety of incentives to induce consumer adoption of hybrid-electric vehicles. We study the relative efficacy of state sales tax waivers, income tax credits and non-tax incentives and find that the type of tax incentive offered is as important as the value of the tax incentive. Conditional on value, we find that sales tax waivers are associated a seven-fold greater increase in hybrid sales than income tax credits. In addition, we estimate the extent to which consumer adoption of hybrid-electric vehicles (HEV) in the United States from 2000-2006 can be attributed to government incentives, changing gasoline prices, or consumer preferences for environmental quality or energy security. After controlling for model specific state and time trends, we find that rising gasoline prices are associated with higher hybrid sales, although the effect operates entirely through sales of the hybrid models with the highest fuel economy. In total, we find that tax incentives, rising gasoline prices and social preferences are associated with 6, 27 and 36 percent of high economy hybrid sales from 2000-2006."—Abstract.

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• National Governors Association, Governors Highlight Role of States in Securing a Clean Energy Future (January 25, 2008)
  
  "The National Governors Association 2008 Winter Meeting concluded today with a closing plenary session reinforcing the role of states in advancing a clean energy future for America and highlighting the recent successes of NGA's Securing a Clean Energy Future Initiative (SCEF Initiative)."—News release.


• Christian Nellemann, Stefan Hain, Jackie Alder, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), In Dead Water: Merging of Climate Change with Pollution, Over-harvest, and Infestations in the World’s Fishing Grounds (Rapid Response Assessment) (February 2008)
  
  "In this report, the locations of the most productive fishing grounds in the World—from shallow, coastal waters to the deep and high seas—are compared to projected scenarios of climate change, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, intensity of fisheries, land-based pollution, increase of invasive species infestations and growth in coastal development."—Summary.


• Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), Changing the Climate: Ethanol Industry Outlook 2008 (February 2008)
  
  "The Outlook provides historical statistical information about the U.S. ethanol industry from gallons produced to bushels of corn utilized. In addition, the Outlook provides easy-to-read charts and graphs highlighting the critical facts about American ethanol production, including water usage, distillers grains production and consumption, economic contributions, and environmental benefits of ethanol use."—Press release (February 25, 2008)


• Nic Rivers, M.K. Jaccard & Assocs. & Dave Sawyer, Enviroeconomics, Pricing Carbon:
  Saving Green—A Carbon Price to Lower Emissions, Taxes and Barriers to Green Technology (2008)
  

  "Pricing Carbon: Saving Green—A Carbon Price to Lower Emissions, Taxes and Barriers to Green Technology offers solutions to government for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining a robust economy.

  "The report provides a detailed economic analysis of how a strong and consistent carbon price across the entire Canadian economy can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions with minimal damage to the economy."—David Suzuki Foundation.


• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Climate Neutral Network
  
  "The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) launched Climate Neutral Network, a web-based project to federate the growing wave of nations, local authorities and companies who are pledging to significantly reduce emissions en route to zero emission economies, communities and businesses. According to the site, 'Small changes in our daily life may contribute positively in reducing our climate footprint without necessarily compromising the world.'"—UN Pulse (February 21, 2008)


• United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), International Labour Organisation (ILO) & International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Green Jobs: Towards Sustainable Work in a Low-Carbon World (Preliminary Report) (December 21, 2007)
  
  "The present report assembles evidencemdash;quantitative and conceptualmdash;for currently existing green jobs in sectors such as renewable energy, energy efficiency in buildings and vehicles, sustainable transportation, and organic agriculture, and presents various estimates for future green employment. (A future version will provide expanded coverage in additional parts of the economy.)"—Executive Summary.


• United Nations, International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (ISDR), Disaster Figures for 2007: Asia Continues to Be Hit Hardest by Disasters (UN/ISDR 2008/01) (January 18, 2008)
  
  "2007 saw a marked increase in the number of floods compared with the average of the last seven years, and Asia was the continent hit hardest by disasters according to figures released today by the Belgian WHO collaborating Center for Research on Epidemiology of Disasters (CRED). The yearly figures were released today in a press conference coorganized by the secretariat of the International Strategy for Disaster reduction (UN/ISDR) in Geneva."—Press release.


• United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Inspector General (OIG), DHS OIG Reviews: FEMA's Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Unit, Pine Electric Power Association (February 25, 2008)
  
  "Starting in fiscal year 2005, and continuing through early 2007, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials used funds received from the sale of used travel trailers and mobile homes to partially finance the operations of a dozen Emergency Housing Unit (EHU) sites in seven states. However, more than $13.5 million of the sales proceeds were expended for ineligible purchases. This occurred because FEMA program officials failed to ensure that the EHU expenditures met General Services Administration (GSA) regulations on the use of sales proceeds."—Executive Summary, Review of FEMA’s Use of Proceeds From the Sales of Emergency Housing Units (OIF-08-23) (February 2008)


• United States House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Climate Change Legislation Design White Paper: Appropriate Roles for Different Levels of Government (February 2008)
  
  "Addressing climate change will require employing a variety of tools. The primary tool at the Federal level will be a national, economy-wide cap-and-trade program that reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 60 to 80 percent by 2050. Other tools that could be used include appliance efficiency standards, building codes, land use decisions, performance standards, public transit, and incentives to increase efficiency. Some tools will be more effective and appropriate in the hands of State, Tribal, or local governments; others will work better in Federal hands."—Executive Summary.