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General
The United States must play a lead role and begin to cut its heat-trapping emissions today—and aim for at least an 80 percent drop from 2005 levels by 2050. Blueprint policies lower U.S. heat-trapping emissions to meet a cap set at 26 percent below 2005 levels in 2020, and 56 percent below 2005 levels in 2030. The nation achieves these deep cuts in carbon emissions while saving consumers and businesses $464 billion annually by 2030 View the executive summary and download the full report.
Cool It! is the new card game from UCS that teaches kids about the choices we have when it comes to climate change—and how policy and technology decisions made today will matter. The game enables teachers and parents to talk about global warming in a fun and hopeful way. Kids, meanwhile, will learn that all of us make choices that determine whether the world warms a little or a lot, and which of those choices reduce global warming emissions.
Click here to download the teacher's guide. The game is science teacher-tested and student approved. Cost: $7.95
In Science Idol: Celebrity Edition, twelve proven artists created editorial cartoons for the 2010 Scientific Integrity Calendar. The cartoons poke fun at the not-so-humorous issue of political interference in federal government science. They also highlight the need for the new administration and Congress to create a thriving federal scientific enterprise.
Click here to see the 12 winning cartoons featured in the calendar.
This new anthology from the Union of Concerned Scientists and Penguin Classics brings together established writers and fresh voices to inspire us with personal stories and reflections on global warming. The 67 pieces of writing and art included within are drawn from nearly a thousand submissions about beloved places, animals, plants, people, and activities at risk from a changing climate, and the personal efforts people are making to save what they love. A foreword on global warming from author Barbara Kingsolver helps to set the context. This limited edition hardcover is based on the interactive version of the book found at www.ucsusa.org/americanstories. Penguin Classics, 2009. 160 pages, color. $24.95.
The first comprehensive look at the full range of modern consumer activities, identifying those that cause the most environmental damage and those that cause the least. By Michael Brower and Warren Leon. Three Rivers Press, 1999. 304 pp. $15.00. Read Chapter 1 [PDF].
By Richard Hayes and Daniel Grossman. Rutgers University Press, 2006. 200 pp. $18.95. Read excerpts from the book.
 Keeping the Earth: Religious and Scientific Perspectives on the Environment
Inspirational video with prominent scientists and religious leaders calling on Americans to protect our environment and the diverse species that share it. UCS, 1996. 27 minutes, DVD. $14.95.
Global Warming
Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest: Science, Impacts and Solutions A new series of reports by Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and leading climate scientists provides an in-depth look at the potential consequences of climate change in the U.S. Midwest. The Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Midwest series shows that without strong action to reduce heat-trapping emissions, midwestern states could face dramatic changes including increases in the number of extreme heat days, heavier rains in the spring causing delays in agricultural planting, and an expansion of the range for crop-damaging pests. However, the report also shows that with strong action in the Midwest, and the nation, many of these worst consequences of climate changes could be avoided. Many opportunities to reduce heat-trapping emissions are ready and available today and would help put the region on the path to a clean energy future and be an example to the nation. Indiana - 12 pages, PDF [download] Minnesota- 12 pages, PDF [download] Missouri- 12 pages, PDF [download] Ohio- 12 pages, PDF [download]
A new report by Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and a group of independent scientists and economists provides an in-depth look at the potential consequences of climate change in Pennsylvania and the opportunities available today to reduce heat-trapping emissions in the state. Climate Change in Pennsylvania: Impacts and Solutions for the Keystone State shows that without strong action to reduce heat-trapping emissions, Pennsylvania could face dramatic changes from increases in the number of extreme heat days to a decline in economically important trees species. However, the report also shows that with strong action in Pennsylvania, and the nation, many of the worst consequences of climate changes could be avoided. Many opportunities to reduce heat-trapping emissions are ready and available today and would help put the state on the path to a clean energy future and be an example to the nation. Download the full report [PDF]. Print copy: $15.00
A new UCS report draws upon the best available science to set a long-term target for reductions in U.S. global warming pollution that will give us a reasonable chance of avoiding dangerous climate change. Our analysis shows that aggressive reductions will be required by all nations, including U.S. reductions of at least 80 percent below 2000 levels by 2050, and a limit on total cumulative U.S. emissions for the period 2000-2050 of no more than 160 to 265 gigatons CO2eq. The report also assesses which of the bills currently under consideration in Congress could meet the proposed target. Download the full report [PDF]. Print copy: $15.00
Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts and Solutions
This peer-reviewed report incorporates and builds on the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment's (NECIA) 2006 study. NECIA is a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists and at team of more than 50 scientists and economists. The report uses state-of-the-art tools to assess how global warming will affect nine states in the Northeast United States following two different paths: A higher emissions path with continued rapid growth in global warming pollution, and a lower emissions path with greatly reduced heat trapping emissions. It also details what individuals, businesses and governments can do today to reduce emissions. The goal of the assessment is to provide opinion leaders, policymakers, and the public with the best available science as we make informed choices about reducing our heat-trapping emissions and managing the changes we cannot avoid. NECIA, UCS, 2007. 140 pp. Download the full report [PDF, 7.0MB]. Download state summaries. Based on Confronting Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: Science, Impacts, and Solutions, each state summary highlights key impacts and solutions. [PDF] Available as PDF only.
This report uncovers the many tactics the oil giant has used to fuel doubt about global warming and delay federal action on climate solutions. By Seth Shulman. UCS, 2007. 63 pp. Download the full report [PDF].Available as PDF only.
The Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (NECIA) is a collaboration between the Union of Concerned Scientists and a team of independent experts using state-of-the-art tools to assess how global warming will affect the Northeast United States following two different paths: A higher emissions path with continued rapid growth in global warming pollution, and a lower emissions path with greatly reduced heat trapping emissions. The goal of the assessment is to provide opinion leaders, policymakers, and the public with the best available science as we make informed choices about reducing our heat-trapping emissions and managing the changes we cannot avoid. NECIA, UCS, 2006. 35 pp. PDF Downloads:
Available as PDF only.
This summary report, produced by the CaliforniaClimateChangeCenter in collaboration with Union of Concerned Scientists, highlights the latest scientific projections for how a global warming-induced warmer climate may impact California. These projections, based on state-of-the-art climate models, indicate that if global warming emissions proceed at a medium to high rate, temperatures are expected to rise 4.7 to 10.5 degrees F by the end of the century. In contrast, a lower emissions rate would keep the projected warming to 3 to 5.6 degrees F. The growing severity of the consequences as temperature rises underscores the importance of reducing emissions to minimize further warming. California Global Warming Fact Sheets [PDF]: Available as PDF only
Climate change will magnify the human stresses already degrading Great Lakes ecosystems. This report identifies the ecological consequences—those already under way and those likely to occur over the next century—so that policymakers and the public can act now to safeguard the region's natural heritage and its economy. By George W. Kling et al. UCS, 2003. 92 pp. Visit the Great Lakes homepage for PDF downloads .Available as PDF only.
Climate change will magnify the human stresses already degrading Gulf Coast ecosystems. This report identifies the ecological consequences—those already under way and those likely to occur over the next century—so that policymakers and the public can act now to safeguard the region's natural heritage and its economy. Robert Twilley et al. UCS, 2001. 75 pp. Visit the Gulf Coast homepage for PDF downloads .Available as PDF only.
Created especially for teachers and educators this guide is designed to complement the report and to make its findings accessible to younger residents of the Gulf Coast states. Helps transform climate change from an abstract concept to a real phenomenon with tangible effects on peoples' lives. Report download currently unavailable Please contact Jean Sideris at ssi@ucsusa.org or at (617) 547-5552 for more information, or to place an order for a CD-ROM or a set of paper copies.
Linking Solutions to Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss through the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism Challenges and opportunities for projects to support climate stability, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development objectives in developing countries By Peter C. Frumhoff, Darren Goetze, and Jared Hardner. UCS, 1998. 14 pp. Report download currently unavailable
Proof that meeting the seven percent reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions mandated by the Kyoto Protocol will cost the United States little. By UCS and Tellus Institute. UCS, 1998. 17 pp. Report download currently unavailable
Scientific Integrity
Fredom to Speak? A Report Card on Federal Agency Media Policies UCS conducted an investigation of 15 federal regulatory and science agencies to assess the degree of freedom with which science is communicated at federal agencies. The report found significant inconsistencies and confusion among agency media policies and their implementation. Too often, an agency's desire to "control the message" has led to the suppression of information and the censorship of the government's own experts. Available online only.
Interference at the EPA: Science and Politics at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency A UCS survey of scientists at the EPA reveals that challenges from industry lobbyists and some political leaders have led to the suppression and distortion of EPA scientific findings—to the detriment of both science and the health of our nation. 2008, 80 pp. View the full report and executive summary. Print copy: $20.00
This report presents the results of two complementary investigations into the state of federal climate science, which show that scientific findings are being tailored to reflect political goals rather than scientific fact. By Timothy Donaghy et al. UCS and Government Accountability Project, 2007. 80 pp.View executive summary and full report. Print copy: $20.00
Clean Energy
With potentially 1.6 trillion dollars in risk exposure, both industry and Wall Street consider nuclear power plants too risky to finance. Our latest report urges Congress to be cautious about committing public funds to new nuclear plants, and identifies several critical steps the federal government must take before shifting the financial risks of new nuclear plant construction onto the taxpayer Download the full report [PDF]. Available as PDF only.
UCS's new report, Coal Power in a Warming World, examines the pros and cons of a proposed technology that would capture coal plant carbon dioxide emissions and store them underground. UCS supports construction of five to 10 full-scale demonstration projects to test carbon-capture-and-storage technology's ability to cut emissions. The report also says no new coal plants should be built that do not capture and store carbon emissions. Download the full report [PDF]. Available as PDF only.
This report identifies common themes among extended nuclear power reactor outages and outlines steps the Nuclear Regulatory Commission should take to avoid a catastrophic (and avoidable) nuclear accident. By David Lochbaum. UCS, 2006. 39 pp. Print copy: $10.00
This report shows that aging U.S. nuclear power plants have an increased risk of serious accidents and that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission must adapt its regulatory regime to monitor plants at all points during their lifecycles. By David Lochbaum. UCS, 2004. 27 pp. Available as PDF only.
This newly revised and updated teacher's guide provides an ideal background for teaching a unit on renewable energy. It can be used to illustrate basic scientific principles and includes hands-on activities, games, action projects, and a resource guide. UCS, 2003. 89 pp. Download the table of contents [PDF] or the full guide [PDF]. Print copy: $10.00 ($5.00/ea for orders of 10 or more).
This report assigns grades to each of the 50 states based on their commitment to supporting wind, solar, and other renewable energy sources. We measure commitment by the projected results of renewable electricity standards for electric companies and dedicated renewable electricity funds. UCS, 2003. 52 pp. Viee the executive summary or download the full report [PDF]. Available online only.
The events of September 11, 2001, point unmistakably toward a new national priority: building a secure energy future. Clean and efficient technologies can cut oil dependence and reduce infrastructure vulnerability while saving consumers money and protecting the environment. Strong government action today will ensure that these technologies fulfill their promise of a safer, cheaper, and cleaner energy future. UCS, 2002. 19 pp. Report download currently unavailable Available as PDF only
How consumers could save more than $440 billion between 2002 amd 2020, if a series of energy-efficiency and renewable energy policies recommended in the report were to become law. By Steven Clemmer, Deborah Donovan, Alan Nogee, and Jeff Deyette. UCS, 2001. 52 pp. Report download currently unavailable Available as PDF only.
Clean Power Surge: Ranking the States Many states have made recent commitments to renewable energy. This report identifies which states have taken the strongest measures. By Steven Clemmer, Bentham Paulos, and Alan Nogee. UCS, 2000. 24 pp. Report download currently unavailable. Available as PDF only.
Nuclear Plant Risk Studies: Failing the Grade Describes the flaws that riddle assessments of risk at nuclear power plants. By David Lochbaum. UCS, 2000. 25 pp. View the executive summary or Download the full report [PDF]. Available as PDF only.
Seven practical measures to switch America to renewable electricity sources: renewable portfolio standards, public benefits funding, net metering, fair transmission and distribution rules, fair pollution rules, consumer information, and putting green customer demand to work. By Alan Nogee, Steven Clemmer, Bentham Paulos, and Brent Haddad. UCS, 1999. 53 pp. View the table of contents or download the full report[PDF]. Avialable as PDF only.
An examination of safety margins at 10 representative nuclear power plants. By David Lochbaum. UCS, 1998. 20 pp. Download currently unavailable Available as PDF only.
Renewing our Neighborhoods: Opportunities for Distributed Renewable Energy Technologies in the Boston Edison Service Area How placing small renewable power systems on buildings in urban Boston would bring economic and environmental benefits. By Michael W. Tennis, Alan Nogee, Paul Jefferiss, and Ben Paulos. UCS, 1995. Report currently unavailable
Recipe for an Effective Campus Energy-Conservation Program Description of the author's energy-conservation experiences at SUNY Buffalo with practical guidelines for establishing similar programs at colleges and other large institutions. By Walter Simpson. UCS, 1991. 17 pp. Report currently unavailable
Clean Vehicles
Technology available today can help reduce harmful emissions from tractor-trailers that cause global warming and smog. These off-the-shelf technologies have the added benefit of saving truckers money at the pump according to a new report, Delivering the Green, by UCS. Considering only products that are commercially available today, tractor-trailers can be equipped with aerodynamic devices and high-performance tires and wheels yielding a greater-than-12-percent reduction in fuel consumption. Available as PDF only.
The federal agency writing regulations for vehicle fuel economy standards could lay the groundwork for a new vehicle fleetwide average of more than 50 miles per gallon by 2030, according to a 2008 report from the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). The regulations mark the first phase of implementing standards passed by Congress in the energy bill in December 2007. Download the Full Report.Available as PDF only.
Biofuels: An Important Part of a Low-Carbon Diet Expanded use of biofuels could cut global warming pollution, enhance our energy security, and strengthen local economies, but a new report by the Union of Concerned Scientists shows that not all biofuels are created equal. Any expansion of alternative fuel production must be accompanied by standards that account for each fuel's full global warming impact—in other words, the total heat-trapping emissions associated with a fuel over its entire life cycle (from the oil well, coal mine, or farm to the vehicle engine). Download the full report [PDF].Print copy: $10.00
A state-by-state assessment of school bus pollution and cleanup efforts around the country. By Patricia Monahan. UCS, 2006. 69 pp. View the executive summary and the full report. Available as PDF only.
Automaker Rankings 2007: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies This report helps consumers and investors separate hype from reality by using government data to quantitatively determine which automakers truly are the greenest when the rubber meets the road. View the executive summary and the full report. Available as PDF only.
View the executive summary and the full report. Available as PDF only.
This report highlights the impact of diesel pollution on public health in California and its potential impact during the next two decades. Existing "clean diesel" incentive programs and cost-effective retrofit technology on existing diesel engines could save thousands of lives and billions of dollars over the next 15 years. By Don Anair and Patricia Monahan. UCS, 2004. 54 pp. View the executive summary and the full report. Available as PDF only.
Global warming emissions from California's vehicle fleet could be cut by 20 percent using existing technologies, with little additional cost to consumers. By Louise Bedsworth. UCS, 2004. pp. 48. View the executive summary and the full report. Available as PDF only.
This report presents a new “apples-to-apples” comparison of diesel and gasoline technologies, applying each to the five major classes of passenger vehicles (small cars, larger “family” cars, sport utility vehicles, minivans, and pickup trucks). By Patricia Monahan and David Friedman. UCS, 2004. 68 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
This report shows how existing technologies can be used to offer consumers an SUV that is safer, cleaner, and more cost-effective, while retaining the size and performance SUV drivers have today. By David Friedman. UCS, 2003. 38 pp. View the special features and read the report. Available as PDF only.
This report shows how diesel engines in construction and farm equipment are a major source of air pollution. It also discusses the lagging emissions standards for these engines and describes how cost-effective technologies could be implemented as part of a comprehensive cleanup plan. By Patricia Monahan. UCS, 2003. 65 pp. Report download currently unavailable. Available as PDF only.
This report provides consumers and policy-makers with the tools they will need to sort out the many technological, financial, and environmental differences among the hybrids that will be brought to market in the coming years. By David Friedman. UCS, 2003. 70 pp. Report download currently unavailable Available as PDF only.
This report helps separate the hype from the hardware by using government data to quantitatively determine which automakers are the greenest based on the vehicles they actually sell in their showrooms. By Jason Mark. UCS, 2002. 36 pp. Report download currently unavailable. Available as PDF only.
This report calculates which of the nation's most popular cars will be the most expensive to drive in 2002. It also determines how much car owners could save at the pump if off-the-shelf technology—which is capable of improving fuel economy by 30 percent for light trucks and by 27 percent for cars—were put to work. By David Friedman. UCS, 2002. 62 pp. Report download not currently available Available as PDF only.
This report assesses the pollution performance of state school bus fleets and gives them clean-air grades, ranging from "outstanding" to "failure." While the distribution of grades varies across the country, no states score as high as they might have because all of them rely upon high-polluting school buses, fueled primarily by diesel, to transport children. Cleaner alternatives exist today that can provide for our nation's children transportation that is both safe and clean. By Patricia Monahan. UCS, 2002. 67 pp. Report download not currently available Available as PDF only.
A comprehensive exposition of the economic and environmental benefits of achieving a fuel-efficient fleet. By David Friedman et al. UCS, 2001. 117 pp. View the executive summary and download the report Available as PDF only.
Over a Barrel: How to Avoid California's Second Energy Crisis Explores the potential for a second energy crisis in California while offering potential solutions. By Julia Levin and Patricia Monahan UCS, 2001. 33pp. Report download currently unavailable Available as PDF only.
Diesel engines on our highways, and the promise of new technologies to help clear the air. By Jason Mark and Candace Morey UCS, 2000. 68 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report Available as PDF only.
How automakers stack up on pollution and what they can do to improve their standing. By Candace Morey, Roland Hwang, Jim Kliesch, and John DeCicco. UCS, 2000. 22 pp. Report download currently unavailable Available as PDF only.
Diesel Passenger Vehicles and the Environment A detailed review of public-health and technological issues related to diesel passenger vehicles, including a critical perspective on the reintroduction of diesel into US markets for cars and light trucks. By Jason Mark and Candace Morey. UCS, 1999. Report download currently unavailable. For a print copy of the report, contact our Berkeley office
Greener SUVs: A Blueprint for Cleaner, More Efficient Light Trucks How UCS engineers used affordable, existing technology to design a Ford Explorer that achieves 50 percent better mileage, pollutes 75 percent less and has a lower total cost. By Jason Mark. UCS, 1999. 28 pp. Report download currently unavailable. Available as PDF only.
How electric, hybrid, and fuel-cell buses can take the market with a little help from policymakers. By Jason Mark and Laurence R. Davis. UCS, 1998. 37 pp.
An Equity Analysis of Pay-As-You-Drive Insurance in California Analysis of the economic and environmental benefits of a pay-at-the-pump automobile insurance plan.
By Jeff Allen, Roland Hwang, and Jane Kelly. UCS, 1994. 47 pp.
Steering a New Course: Transportation, Energy, and the Environment Definitive analysis of transportation in America and its contribution to energy problems, including recommendations for a comprehensive transportation policy to reduce congestion, pollution, and oil dependence. By Deborah Gordon. Island Press, 1991. 244 pp.
Global Security
Toward True Security: Ten Steps the Next President Should Take to Transform U.S. Nuclear Weapons Policy To prevent more nations—and eventually terrorists—from acquiring nuclear weapons, the United States should drastically reduce the role that nuclear weapons play in its security policies. Toward True Security outlines 10 steps the next president should take to transform U.S. nuclear policy. UCS, 2008. 31 pp.
View the executive summary and the full report. Print Copy: $10.00
Because nuclear energy results in few heat-trapping emissions, an expansion of the nuclear industry could help curtail global warming. But a new report by UCS shows that safety and security risks—including a massive release of radiation due to an accident or terrorist attack—would also accompany an expansion of nuclear power unless the industry, regulators, and Congress adopt reforms. Download the full report [PDF]. Print copy: $15.00
This AAAS report (written by UCS scientists) discusses the technical requirements for launching and maneuvering weapons in space and assesses the vulnerability of satellite components to interference or destruction. Its analysis provides the facts needed to make an informed evaluation of space policy choices. By David Wright, Laura Grego, and Lisbeth Gronlund. American Academy of Arts & Sciences, 2005. 177 pp. View an exerpt and download the full report.
This report shows that the planned deployment of the U.S. national missile defense will provide no real protection in an actual attack due to the lack of realistic testing. By Lisbeth Gronlund, David Wright, George Lewis, Philip Coyle III. UCS, 2004. 76 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
A detailed analysis of how the proposed national missile defense system could be defeated by missiles equipped with simple countermeasures. Demonstrates that any state technically capable of constructing missiles would also be able to construct effective countermeasures. By Andrew M. Sessler et al. UCS, 2000. 200 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
Beyond Safeguards: A Program for More Comprehensive Control of Weapon-Usable Fissile Material Overview of international efforts to control access to highly enriched uranium and separated plutonium examines the adequacy of existing controls and proposes new measures that would strengthen the nonproliferation regime. By Lisbeth Gronlund and David Wright. UCS, 1994. 86 pp.
Food and Agriculture
Agricultural operations currently apply massive amounts of synthetic nitrogen fertilizer to crops—more than what the plants can actually use. Genetic engineering (GE) that would enable crops to use nitrogen more efficiently has been proposed as a way of reducing nitrogen pollution while maintaining or increasing the productivity needed to feed an increasing global population. However, in No Sure Fix, the Union of Concerned Scientists finds that GE has yet to produce any crops capable of achieving this goal, despite increasing research efforts over the past decade. Preliminary results for several genes show some promise, but the prospects for their commercial use are uncertain due to the complexity of nitrogen metabolism and genetics in crops. View the executive summary and download the full report.
For years the biotechnology industry has trumpeted that it will feed the world, promising that its genetically engineered crops will produce higher yields. 2009's Failure to Yield is the first report to closely evaluate the overall effect genetic engineering has had on crop yields in relation to other agricultural technologies and found that, over the past 15 years, traditional crop breeding and improved agricultural practices account for most gains in U.S. crop production. View the executive summary and download the full report .Available as PDF only.
CAFOs Uncovered: The High Cost of Confined Animal Operations CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) dominate U.S. meat and dairy production and causing major health and environmental problems. But current policies actually promote them at taxpayer expense. 2008's CAFOs Uncovered explores these issues and recommends new policies. View the executive summary and full report.Print copy: $15.00
This report confirms that grass-fed beef is often leaner than the beef found on most supermarket shelves. In addition, beef and milk from animals raised entirely on pasture have higher levels than conventionally raised beef and dairy cattle of beneficial fats that may prevent heart disease and strengthen the immune system. By Kate Clancy. 87 pp. View the executive summary and download full report.Available as PDF only.
This report is the first analysis by a land-grant university economist of potential economic benefits and risks of pharmaceutical crops to farmers and rural America. UCS scientists conclude that proponents of pharmaceutical crops have inflated the rewards and downplayed the risks. Robert Wisner (technical report) and Margaret Mellon and Jane Rissler (UCS preface). UCS, 2005. 29 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
This report presents the findings of a 2003 expert workshop on protecting the U.S. food supply from contamination by crops engineered to produce pharmaceuticals and industrial chemicals. The report includes an executive summary of UCS's conclusions and policy recommendations. By David Andow et al. (Technical Report) and Margaret Mellon and Jane Rissler (UCS Executive Summary). 125 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report.Available as PDF only.
Seeds of traditional crops are contaminated with DNA from genetically engineered (GE) crops according to Gone to Seed, a new UCS report. Laboratory testing of traditional (non-GE) seeds of corn, soybeans, and canola commissioned by UCS documents the presence of DNA commonly used in commercial GE crops. These findings suggest inadequate federal standards to protect our seed supply and our food from harmful contaminants like those originating in pharmaceutical (pharm) and industrial crops. By Margaret Mellon and Jane Rissler. UCS, 2004. 80 pp. View the web feature and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
The use of antimicrobials in animal agriculture is eroding physicians' ability to treat infectious disease in humans. This report provides the first estimate based on a transparent methodology of the amount of antimicrobials given to animals for nontherapeutic purposes, such as promoting growth. The amount is enormous, dwarfing the quantity of antimicrobials in human medicine. By Margaret Mellon, Charles Benbrook, and Karen Lutz Benbrook. UCS, 2001. 110 pp. View the executive summary and download the full report. Available as PDF only.
Biodiversity
A new UCS report finds that invasive species such as the emerald ash borer and zebra mussel already are causing significant damage in the state of Ohio. While the total cost of these non-native species is currently estimated at hundreds of millions of dollars a year, preventive legislation could significantly limit their economic and environmental impact. View the summary and download the full report Available as PDF only.
Valuable tools for scientists and others engaged in informing the public and policy-makers about the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems and protecting our biological resources. Each tool kit provides background information—such as factsheets, case studies, and a policy overview—and tips for effective communication with the public, the media, and legislators. Available from the project website. UCS, ESA, 2000. Water Purification 52 pp. Pollination 49 pp.
Linking Solutions to Climate Change and Biodiversity Loss through the Kyoto Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism Challenges and opportunities for projects to support climate stability, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development objectives in developing countries. By Peter C. Frumhoff, Darren Goetze, and Jared Hardner. UCS, 1998. 14 pp. Report download currently unavailable
Logging Off: Mechanisms to Stop or Prevent Industrial Logging in Forests of High Conservation Value The first broad assessment of the potential tools available for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), governments, and other stakeholders to reduce or eliminate industrial logging in high conservation value forests. By Ted Gullison, Mary Melnyk, and Carmen Wong. UCS, 2001. 96 pp. Report download currently unavailable
Setting Priorities for Conserving Biological Diversity in Tropical Timber Production Forests Alternative vision of how to protect the extraordinarily rich biological diversity of tropical timber forests. By Peter C. Frumhoff and Elizabeth C. Losos. UCS, 1998. 14 pp.Report download currently unavailable
Meeting the Challenges of Population, Environment, and Resources—The Cost of Inaction Collection of essays by highly respected scientists on the major environmental, resource, and population issues facing humanity. The World Bank, 1996. 46 pp.
Population Complications In-depth discussion of alternative viewpoints in the debate over the social and environmental impacts of population growth, with strategies for reducing population growth rates. By Michael Brower. UCS, 1994. 20 pp.
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Climate 2030: A National Blueprint for a Clean Energy Economy
Cool It! Solve Global Warming and Save the Planet
2010 Scientific Integrity Calendar
Thoreau's Legacy: American Stories About Global Warming
The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice from the Union of Concerned Scientists
A Scientist's Guide to Talking with the Media
Climate Change in Pennsylvania: Impacts and Solutions for the Keystone State
How to Avoid Dangerous Climate Change
Smoke, Mirrors and Hot Air: How ExxonMobil Uses Big Tobacco's Tactics to Manufacture Uncertainty on Climate Science
Climate Change in the U.S. Northeast: A Report of the Northeast Climate Impacts Assessment (2006)
Our Changing Climate: Assessing the Risks to California (2006)
Confronting Climate Change in the Great Lakes Region
Confronting Climate Change in the Gulf Coast Region: Prospects for Sustaining our Ecological Heritage
Climate Change in the Gulf Coast Region—Curriculum Guide
A Small Price to Pay: US Action to Curb Global Warming Is Feasible and Affordable
Atmosphere of Pressure: Political Interference in Federal Climate Science
Nuclear Power Loan Guarantees: Another Taxpayer Bailout Ahead?
Coal Power in a Warming World
Walking a Nuclear Tightrope: Unlearned Lessons of Year-plus Reactor Outages
U.S. Nuclear Plants in the 21st Century: The Risk of a Lifetime
Renewables Are Ready: A Guide to Teaching Renewable Energy in Junior and Senior High School Classrooms
Plugging in Renewable Energy: Grading the States
Energy Security: Solutions to Protect America's Power Supply and Reduce Oil Dependence
Clean Energy Blueprint: A Smarter National Energy Policy for Today and the Future
Powerful Solutions: Seven Ways to Switch America to Renewable Electricity
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Report on Safety in America's Nuclear Power Industry
Delivering the Green: Reducing Trucks' Climate Impacts While Saving at the Pump
Setting the Standard: How Cost-Effective Technology Can Increase Vehicle Fuel Economy
School Bus Pollution Report Card 2006: Grading the States
Automaker Rankings 2004: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies
Sick of Soot: Reducing the Health Impacts of Diesel Pollution in California
Climate Control: Global Warming Solutions for California Cars
The Diesel Dilemma: Diesel's Role in the Race for Clean Cars
Building a Better SUV: A Blueprint for Saving Lives, Money, and Gasoline
Cleaning Up Diesel Pollution: Emissions from Off-Highway Engines by State
A New Road: The Technology and Potential of Hybrid Vehicles
Automaker Rankings: The Environmental Performance of Car Companies
Paying at the Pump: 2002 Analysis of Vehicles and Gasoline Costs
Pollution Report Card: Grading America's School Bus Fleets
Drilling in Detroit: Tapping the Ingenuity of the Automaker Industry to Build Safe and Efficient Automobiles
Rolling Smokestacks: Cleaning Up America's Trucks and Buses
Pollution Lineup
Shifting Gears: Advanced Technologies and Cleaner Fuels for Transit Buses
Nuclear Power in a Warming World
The Physics of Space Security: A Reference Manual
Technical Realities: An Analysis of the 2004 Deployment of a U.S. National Missile Defense System
Countermeasures: A Technical Evaluation of the Operational Effectiveness of the Planned US National Missile Defense System
Failure to Yield: Evaluating the Performace of Genetically Engineered Crops
Greener Pastures: How Grass-fed Beef and Milk Contribute to Healthy Eating
The Economics of Pharmaceutical Crops: Potential Benefits and Risks for Farmers and Rural Communities
A Growing Concern: Protecting the Food Supply in an Era of Pharmaceutical and Industrial Crops
Gone to Seed: Transgenic Contaminants in the Traditional Seed Supply
Hogging It: Estimates of Antimicrobial Abuse in Livestock
Invasive Species in Ohio
Communicating Ecosystem Services: Tools for Scientists to Engage the Public
