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Ask a Scientist: Gas Plants Disproportionately Harm Marginalized Communities

Union of Concerned Scientists

But in fact, gas power plants are unreliable in extreme temperatures, which—thanks to climate change—have been occurring more frequently. Gas plants and infrastructure emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) during combustion, which degrade local air quality. First, there’s air pollution.

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Ask a Scientist: The US Has to Do More to Meet Its Carbon Emissions Reduction Goals

Union of Concerned Scientists

Last year, Congress passed the most ambitious climate bill ever enacted, the Inflation Reduction Act. The legislation committed nearly $400 billion to support, among other things, wind and solar power, battery storage, electric vehicles, and other clean energy technologies that will make a significant dent in US heat-trapping emissions.

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Good News—and Bad—about Fossil Fuel Power Plants in 2023 

Union of Concerned Scientists

With the clean energy transition already under way, the US electricity mix is set to continue changing this year. Solar power is expected to make up about half of all additions of US electric generating capacity in 2023, according to data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). GW record from 2021.

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Ohioans Stuck Burning Coal, Burning Cash

Union of Concerned Scientists

Although the nuclear bailout was repealed and refunded in 2021, some of the law’s other egregious provisions requiring ratepayers across the state to subsidize money-losing coal plants and gutting renewable energy and energy efficiency standards are still in place today. The Union of Concerned Scientists opposed H.B. Since H.B.

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Ask a Scientist: Two Dozen States Can Meet 100 Percent of Electricity Demand with Renewables by 2035

Union of Concerned Scientists

To help avoid the worst possible consequences of climate change, however, the alliance states need to reach that 100-percent objective much more quickly. Emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from power plants in alliance states drop 88 percent and 77 percent respectively by 2040.

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Stepping Up to the Challenge: US Can Meet Climate Goals if Policymakers Take Immediate, Concerted Action

Union of Concerned Scientists

There is so much bad news about climate change these days. Global temperature records are being shattered, climate impacts are worsening rapidly around the world, and the latest IPCC report makes clear that critical global climate goals are on the verge of slipping from our grasp.

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If the US Meets Its Climate Goals, We Can Save Money and Lives

Union of Concerned Scientists

Communities and ecosystems continue to suffer the consequences of human-caused climate change , primarily from the burning of fossil fuels across our economy. The case for phasing out of fossil fuels and making a just and equitable transition to clean energy has never been more clear. These sources of PM 2.5