Climate Change Solutions - April 27, 2021

Welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

EESI welcomed the Biden-Harris Administration's announcement to cut carbon emissions 50% by 2030, revising U.S.'s nationally determined contribution under the Paris Agreement: "Meeting this new goal will make a significant contribution to the global fight against climate change...But we still have a lot of work to do. 2030 sounds far off, but it's only nine years away."

We will host an online briefing on May 12 to break down the NDC, explain why it matters, and discuss a path forward for the policies needed to help us meet this goal.

In keeping with this news, we dialed in on policies supporting decarbonization. Our latest podcast episode examines how collaborative action makes decarbonization possible across different industries. We spoke with the leaders of the national Decarbonization Dialogue about how to engage stakeholders in agriculture, power, and transportation to achieve broad climate and economic wins.

We also highlighted work being done in Juneau, Alaska to achieve the city's decarbonization goals through electrification programs, and how a green affordable housing program in Detroit, Michigan is working to achieve social and environmental goals.

Another topic covered this week is improving national infrastructure though integrating climate and disaster predictions into building decisions. We also heard from a former intern and his road from EESI to the DOE.

Have a climate solution? Send tips to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff!

Headlines  How Juneau’s Climate Action Plan Inspired City-Wide Building Decarbonization [5 min. read] In Juneau, Alaska, about 75 percent of all buildings rely on oil for heat, and electricity only accounts for 20 percent of the total energy consumed in the city. The remaining 80 percent of energy usage is attributable to fossil fuel consumption. A local non-profit, Renewable Juneau, is playing a key role in helping the community achieve its decarbonization goals through its involvement in numerous beneficial electrification-focused programs that offer low-cost electric space- and water-heating equipment for homes and businesses. [click for more]   Building Green: How Affordable Housing Can Tackle Justice and Sustainability [5 min. read] Over 62 percent of low-income renters spend more than half of their income on rent, leaving residents with little money to pay for other necessities. These residents not only face high costs of living but also higher rates of air pollution. However, in cities across the U.S., the green affordable housing movement is seeking to close equity gaps and increase community sustainability simultaneously.  Click to read how one neighborhood in Detroit is ensuring green affordable housing for all. [click for more]   Improving National Infrastructure Through Resilience and Pre-Disaster Mitigation [4 min. read] As climate change continues to alter weather patterns, communities throughout the United States are increasingly vulnerable to weather-related disasters. Improving national infrastructure with federal commitments to pre-disaster mitigation and resilience efforts is a necessary step towards mitigating climate impacts. Against this background, the Subcommittee on Economic Development, Public Buildings, and Emergency Management of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure held a hearing entitled Building Smarter: The Benefits of Investing in Resilience and Mitigation. Read about the hearing and its findings here. [click for more]   Podcast: Episode 12: Saying Goodbye to Carbon Emissions: The Decarbonization Dialogue [23 min. listen] A coordinated approach between sectors is the only way to say goodbye to carbon emissions for good. This week, Dan and Syd met with the leaders of the Decarbonization Dialogue, which convened experts from three different sectors to develop policy recommendations for economy-wide and equitable decarbonization. Read the full Decarbonization Dialogue report here. [click for more]

On the Hill   From April 12-23, Congress introduced a total of 162 bills, resolutions, and amendments related to environmental and energy topics. Of these, 105 were in the House and 57 were in the Senate. Additionally, both chambers held several relevant hearings during this period.   Highlights   Much of the legislation introduced during the past two weeks in Congress focused on agriculture. For example, S.1337 and H.R.2803 seek to address climate impacts to the agricultural sector. Other bills propose the creation of new programs. S.1244 and H.R.2670 seek to establish a Civilian Conservation Corps with the amendment of the National and Community Service Act of 1990 with the goal of helping communities adapt to climate change while transitioning to clean economies.   Last week House Republicans held an Energy Innovation Agenda, highlighting dozens of bills in three priority areas: innovation, clean energy infrastructure, and natural solutions and conservation.   Many hearings held during this period handled topics relevant to energy and the environment. Among these, several centered jobs, including the House Committee on Natural Resources hearing entitled “Building Back Better: Reducing Pollution and Creating Jobs Through Offshore Wind” and the Senate Committee on Appropriations hearing to examine the American Jobs Plan. See EESI's Senate environmental legislative tracker for April 12-23 here and the House environmental legislative tracker for April 12-23 here

EESI News, Briefings, and Fact Sheets   Reflections: From D.C. Newbie to Native: How EESI’s Internship Jump-Started My Communications Career [4 min. read] Carlos Villacis was EESI's communications intern in 2014. Today, he leads strategic communications at the Department of Energy. "EESI helped me navigate the intersection between policy and communications, and showed me the best ways to ensure that the latest news and developments concerning climate change were effectively delivered to difference-making stakeholders." [click for more]   Briefing: Toward an Evidence-Based Nuclear Energy Policy EESI held a briefing on nuclear energy issues, including 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. The briefing assessed the impacts of extending the licenses of existing nuclear plants and pursuing “advanced reactors” as a way to fight climate change. Click to catch up with the briefing! [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI's fossil fuel subsidies fact sheet was cited by USA Today.   Politico featured EESI's COP26 briefing in their Morning Energy newsletter.   Executive Director Daniel Bresette was quoted extensively in an article about green jobs by PolitiFact.  Upcoming Events   Federal Policy for Mitigation and Adaptation Win-Wins April 30 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm EST Online Lowering greenhouse gas emissions is critical to mitigating the effects of climate change over the long term, but communities are already experiencing the impacts of a changing climate. This briefing, the fourth in EESI's Congressional Climate Camp Series, will discuss federal policy to support strategies that advance mitigation and adaptation goals to maximize climate responsiveness and preparedness while promoting equity and environmental justice. RSVP here! Natural Climate Solutions: A Win-Win Solution for Our Environment and Economy May 7 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm EST Online EESI and U.S. Nature4Climate (USN4C) invite you to a briefing on the role natural climate solutions can play in both mitigating climate change and stimulating the economy. Panelists will provide 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 will also discuss the many economic benefits—from jobs to increased land productivity to new income for landowners—that can be derived by implementing natural climate solutions.  RSVP here! Ambition and Opportunity in America's New Climate Commitments May 12 2:00pm - 3:30 pm EST Online On April 22, the Biden-Harris Administration announced America’s new greenhouse gas emission reduction commitments in the context of the Paris Agreement. The new U.S. Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) sets a goal of reducing emissions by 50-52 percent based on a 2005 baseline by 2030.  During this briefing, experts will discuss 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 will also explain how the U.S. NDC fits into the overall architecture of international efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate impacts. RSVP here! Electrification 2021 Virtual forum series This summer, the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) is holding a series of virtual forums to enable comprehensive collaboration and informative exchanges on electrification solutions. Building to Zero (May 17-20) Frontiers of e-Mobility (June 7-10) A Net-Zero Energy System for All (June 28-30) Register here! EESI is a supporting organization for this series. Reuters Transform USA 2021 May 4-5 Online Sustainability is no longer at the fringes of business strategy; it is intrinsic to any successful business’s future. We know what we need to do, and why, the question now is "how." The world’s most forward-thinking leaders will bring their passion, experience, and expertise to guide you through the most business-critical issues so that you can forge a robust and achievable roadmap to make your business clean, resilient, and just. RSVP here! EESI is a media partner for this event.  Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions: Sydney O'Shaughnessy - Layout, Design, and Content Editor Amaury Laporte - Communications Director As well as all EESI Staff, Interns, and Fellows who write and review content!   Environmental and Energy Study Institute  Daniel Bresette, Executive Director   EESI is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan Congressional caucus to provide timely information and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.   www.eesi.org                 CFC #10627