EESI Briefings Saw 114 Experts, 8 Elected Officials Showcase Climate Solutions in 2021 | Article

One of EESI’s primary educational tools is the Congressional briefing, where we invite policy experts and practitioners from around the country to discuss climate solutions in action and the policies and programs that make those solutions possible.

Briefings were historically held in person on Capitol Hill and streamed online, but EESI transitioned to an online-only format in March 2020, a practice we continued throughout 2021. Check out the 28 briefings we held this year, organized chronologically with separate sections for series and for stand-alone briefings.

Briefing Series:

Congressional Climate Camp

January-May 2021

During our five-part Climate Camp briefing series at the start of the 116th Congress, experts covered the basics of the legislative process and highlighted key areas and opportunities for achieving near- and long-term carbon reductions through policy. Topics included appropriations, federal policy for mitigation and adaptation, and budget reconciliation.

Modernizing the U.S. Energy System: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Path Forward

June 2021

This three-part briefing series covered the current state of the U.S. energy system and key opportunities for low-carbon, high-tech modernization. Major topics included integrating smart building technologies, electric vehicles, and distributed energy generation with the grid as well as improving America’s transmission network to improve resilience and better accommodate renewable energy.

2021 Congressional Clean Energy EXPO and Policy Forum

Held with the House and Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (REEE) Caucuses as honorary co-hosts, the 24th annual Clean Energy EXPO hosted clean energy leaders showcasing technology and policy solutions to today’s climate and energy use challenges.

This year’s half-day conference featured a session on jobs and economic development and another on national security and resilience. Senate Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Caucus Co-Chairs, Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) and Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), discussed why they champion these technologies in the Senate.

Senate REEE Caucus Deputy Co-Chairs Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and House REEE Co-Chair Rep. Ron Kind (D-Wisc.) also provided remarks.

What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up to COP26

October-November 2021

Clockwise starting from the top left: Christiana Figueres, EESI Exexutive Director Daniel Bresette, EESI Board Member Dr. Rosina Bierbaum, and Sir Robert Watson.

Four briefings in this five-part series covered key issues for Congress to follow in the lead-up to November’s international climate negotiations in Glasgow (COP26). The first briefing panel featured distinguished speakers Sir Robert Watson, lead author of the U.N. Environment Programme’s report Making Peace with Nature: A scientific blueprint to tackle the climate, biodiversity, and pollution emergencies, and Christiana Figueres, former U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary. The subsequent briefings covered climate adaptation, international climate finance, and what was at stake during the negotiations.

The fifth briefing in the series was held after COP26 had concluded, and covered key outcomes and takeaways for Congress.

Reduce and Reuse: How to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Building Materials, Plastics, and Food

December 2021

Our final series of 2021 covered the climate impacts of producing building materials, plastics, and food over three briefings. Panelists explained the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discussed solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale.

Stand-alone Congressional briefings:

Relief and Housing Assistance for COVID-Impacted Communities

February 2021

A briefing hosted in coordination with the National Housing Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council (national partners of the Energy Efficiency for All project) discussed the costs and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting economic downturn for housing and energy services. Panelists explored issues faced by communities, especially in the South and Midwest, hard-hit by the health and economic crises, including mounting utility bill arrearages; electric, gas and water shutoffs; and evictions.

Energy Efficiency Means Business: Learn How Energy Efficiency Programs Deliver Benefits to Your Constituents

March 2021

Representatives Marcy Kaptur (left) and Jeff Fortenberry (right)

Experts came together to discuss how federal energy efficiency programs create jobs and deliver meaningful savings directly to constituent homeowners, consumers, and businesses—all while reducing the stresses and strains on our energy system. Representatives Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) provided opening remarks.

2021 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook: Get a Comprehensive Look at the Impacts of COVID-19 on the Energy Sector

March 2021

This briefing featured a panel discussion on the ninth edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE). The Factbook provides updates on industry information and trends for the U.S. energy economy, with an in-depth look at the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy sectors, as well as emerging areas such as digitalization, microgrids, offshore wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas.

Towards an Evidence-Based Nuclear Energy Policy: What Congress Needs to Know About Nuclear Decommissioning, Radioactive Waste, and Nuclear Energy as a Climate Strategy

March 2021

This briefing on nuclear energy issues covered the current economics of the U.S. nuclear power industry, how to approach decommissioning as more civilian reactors shut down, and what to do with their high-level radioactive waste. In particular, the briefing assessed the impacts of extending the licenses of existing nuclear plants and pursuing “advanced reactors” as a way to fight climate change.

Protecting Vulnerable Communities from Climate Impacts

April 2021

Hosted in coordination with the National Housing Trust and the Natural Resources Defense Council (national partners of the Energy Efficiency for All project), panelists in this briefing discussed the challenges and opportunities involved in protecting physically and socially vulnerable communities from the worst impacts of climate change.

Climate Adaptation and Resilience: The Road to COP26

Raising Global Ambition to Address Climate Impacts

April 2021

During Earth Week 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration hosted the Leaders Summit on Climate and unveiled its new greenhouse gas reduction goal under the Paris Agreement—the U.S. nationally determined contribution.

This briefing highlighted the complementary global efforts to advance climate adaptation and resilience in the lead-up to COP26, the U.N. climate summit in Glasgow. These efforts sought to share best practices, develop metrics, and mobilize countries and subnational actors dedicated to protecting people and nature.

Rethinking Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle: Policies and Programs to Address Waste

April 2021

Experts held a discussion focused on local, state, and federal policies and programs as well as new technologies that will make you rethink waste management, who is responsible for waste, and whether waste is worthless. This briefing featured speakers from cities, states, and the private sector working to reduce and reuse a variety of waste types.

Natural Climate Solutions: A Win-Win Solution for Our Environment and Our Economy

May 2021

This panel, held with U.S. Nature4Climate, discussed the role natural climate solutions such as sustainable forestry and regenerative agriculture can play in both mitigating climate change and stimulating the economy. Panelists provided an overview of the diverse range of climate-sensitive strategies that can be implemented in America’s farms and ranches, forests, grasslands and urban communities. They also discussed the many economic benefits—from jobs to increased land productivity to new income for landowners—that can be derived from implementing natural climate solutions.

Ambition and Opportunity in America’s New Climate Commitments

May 2021

In April, the United States set a goal of reducing its emissions by 50-52 percent by 2030 (from a 2005 baseline) as part of its nationally determined contribution (NDC) to the Paris Agreement. This briefing discussed the new emissions reduction goal, why it matters, and how it can be used as a guide for domestic federal policy development and design. The briefing also explained how the U.S. NDC fits into the overall architecture of international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate impacts.

Unlocking Capital for Climate Solutions: The Benefits of a National Climate Bank

June 2021

This briefing explored the climate mitigation and adaptation benefits that would be unlocked by a national climate bank, building upon the experiences of successful green banks across the country. Panelists discussed how these investments would also create jobs and make climate solutions more affordable, accessible, and equitable.

The Growing Climate Workforce: How Policies Today Could Shape the Jobs of Tomorrow

September 2021

Panelists in this briefing focused on the current state of the climate workforce and the job creation potential of key climate policies. Climate policies that were being considered in Congress—including a clean energy standard, tax policies for renewable energy, and the Civilian Climate Corps—have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, build resilience to a changing climate, strengthen environmental justice, and contribute to job creation. Panelists discussed the state-of-play for climate jobs and explored the benefits that could come with well-designed and durable climate policies.

All briefing series materials can be found here: www.eesi.org/briefing-series.

Materials for all briefings can be found here: www.eesi.org/briefings.

Compiled by Amber Todoroff