Briefing Series: Rural Communities, Climate, and COVID-19 Recovery

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a series of one-hour online briefings about rural communities, climate change, and COVID-19 recovery. The briefings explored the challenges rural communities face, including high energy costs, a struggling agriculture industry, which makes them more vulnerable to the impacts of extreme weather and other hazards. The briefings also explored solutions rural communities have developed in the face of these multiple stressors.

Implementing Energy Efficiency Programs in Rural America
See the video   See the summary	Santee Electric Cooperative, based in South Carolina, got involved in the Help My House program to help members who couldn’t afford major energy improvements to their homes. Help My House uses an on-bill financing model that allows members to receive a low-cost loan, made available by the utility, to pay for their energy efficiency upgrades. This loan is then paid back by the member as a line item on their utility bill over the span of several years. Rural electric co-ops, like Santee Electric, power 20 million homes, businesses, and schools across the United States. The COVID-19 crisis demonstrates how co-ops have been an integral part of supporting rural communities. Cooperatives help build an inclusive, equitable, and sustainable economy, which makes communities more resilient during economic downturns.

The Bioeconomy’s Role in COVID-19 Recovery and Climate Solutions

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Rural areas face many economic challenges: farm income is down by almost half of what it was in 2013; it is difficult to attract and retain good jobs; key infrastructure such as hospitals and schools are crumbling. COVID-19 has led to increased rural vulnerability. The biofuels industry has provided good jobs with benefits to rural America, supporting rural towns and economies. Ethanol facilities add monetary value to rural communities, leading to greater economic and social stability. Biofuels play an important role in emission reduction strategies for both greenhouse gas emissions as well as conventional air pollutants. Corn ethanol greenhouse gas emissions are 50 percent less than petroleum gasoline emissions. There are many options for greenhouse gas reductions in rural America, including low-carbon fuels, electric vehicles, manure and waste utilization, no-and low-till farming, and land restoration projects.

Rural Communities Rise to the Challenge of Dual Disasters

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There are challenges for rural communities planning for and responding to natural disasters. Rural populations are more spread out, so the per-capita cost of infrastructure and services is higher than in densely-populated areas. Smaller tax bases also limit rural governments’ administrative, analysis, and planning capacities. Rural communities will face new kinds of challenges as they deal with climate change. Political polarization often prevents necessary changes and perpetuates underinvestments in government. We must implement “no-regrets” policies that will strengthen communities even if climate change does not affect them. Small, rural towns have trouble qualifying for federal aid: they often don't have flood maps, don't meet minimum requirements for dollars of damage, or struggle to draw up required cost-benefit analyses. Rural towns typically have limited staff with people working multiple roles. Staff have had to step away from some roles, including flood planning, to respond to COVID-19. Small towns do not have enough resources to prepare for disasters on their own.