Climate Change Solutions - August 18, 2020

Welcome to another edition of Climate Change Solutions!

We're pleased to announce EESI's upcoming September briefing series: Workforce Wednesdays! Tune in every Wednesday in September for a one hour panel exploring a different aspect of the green workforce. RSVP here.

Today, we take a look into a student-oriented wind energy program and discuss why cultural heritage sites must not be ignored in the fight against climate change.

On the Hill, we break down 2020 energy and environmental hearings as well as a bipartisan agricultural bill aimed at bringing land owners into the climate conversation. 

Also featured are resilience in EESI's Clean Energy EXPO, comments on the proposed framework of the Fifth National Climate Assessment, and challenges and solutions to fast fashion.

And now for a recap of the latest environmental and energy news:

• Amazon pledges $2 billion to invest in clean energy
• The Vatican urges Catholics to drop investments in fossil fuels
• Major oil companies, like BP and Shell, oppose the latest methane emission reduction rollbacks
• A recent solar panel breakthrough in the United Kingdom could result in the world's most efficient panels by 2021.
• The Trump administration finalizes a plan to open the Arctic refuge to drilling
• Colorado is currently experiencing widespread drought and Canada's last fully-intact ice shelf collapsed
• Scientists used satellites to discover eleven new emperor penguin colonies in Antarctica!

Love our work? Forward this newsletter to a friend! Have a climate solution? Reach out to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff with tips and gossip... and be sure to follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for great climate content!

Video Short: Charles Lester Discusses Resilience along the West Coast Charles Lester, Director of the Ocean & Coastal Policy Center in the Marine Science Institute of the University of California Santa Barbara, discusses the climate change challenges impacting the West Coast and the resilience efforts in place to combat them. Headlines The Wind at their Backs: Program Teaches Kids about Clean Energy Opportunities [6 min. read] Jaidyn Ramirez, a rising sophomore at Sonoma State University, first learned about renewable energy during her junior year of high school. Now, she’s studying physics and plans on entering the clean energy workforce upon graduation, all thanks to KidWind.   Founded in 2003, KidWind aims to bring renewable energy education to all students. Click to learn more about Jaidyn, KidWind, and how the program is opening doors for students across the nation. [click for more] Check out EESI's upcoming briefing on high school career and technical education for a deeper dive into this issue!   Cultural Heritage Is a Necessary Component of Climate Solutions [9 min. read] As communities face the impacts of climate change, meaningful and valuable cultural heritage sites and traditions are also at risk. While climate impacts on cultural heritage sites are often underrepresented in climate policy and research, they must be addressed in order to ensure the preservation of heritage and tradition.  Click to learn more about the people and programs working to solve this issue. [click for more]

On the Hill It's quiet on the Hill this month, but committees in both chambers are holding occasional hearings such as this forum on dam removal from the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans and Wildlife and this hearing on carbon capture from the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. The House was scheduled to resume legislative activities September 14, but this week Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi announced members must come back to Washington, D.C., to vote on legislation regarding U.S. Postal Service (USPS) funding. The Senate is scheduled to return September 8. Senate leadership have not indicated members would be returning early, however the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs will be holding an oversight hearing with testimony from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Friday.   A Breakdown of Climate and Environmental Congressional Hearings from January to July, 2020 [3 min. read] From January to July 2020, Congress convened 50 standing committee hearings on topics related to climate, energy, and the environment, according to EESI’s review of committee websites. These hearings reflect Congress’s interest in building a greener America through environmental policy. [click for more]   Bipartisan Bill Would “Grow” Sustainable Agricultural Practices through Carbon Offset Markets [3 min. read] A bipartisan bill seeks to connect corporate interest in greenhouse gas mitigation with individual interest in efficient and sustainable land management. The bill would promote sustainable land use and farming practices by lowering barriers to entry into voluntary carbon offset markets for farmers and forest owners. [click for more]

EESI Briefings, News and Fact Sheets   News: EESI Comments on Proposed Framework and Themes of the Fifth National Climate Assessment [1 min. read] This summer, the U.S. Global Change Research Program requested public input on the proposed themes and framework of the Fifth National Climate Assessment (NCA5). EESI submitted comments in order to draw attention to case studies, issue areas, and academic disciplines that NCA5 authors should consider while drafting and researching the report. [click for more]   News: Resilience Takeaways from the 2020 Clean Energy EXPO [7 min. read] Resilience was a strong, underlying theme during the 23rd Annual Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO on July 30. Speakers addressed the intersection of sustainability, climate resilience, and environmental justice. [click for more]   Perspective: Exploring Solutions to Fast Fashion and Excess Clothes [4 min. read] When clothes are donated to a charity, approximately 20 percent of them are resold. The other 80 percent are either sold to textile recycling companies or discarded. EESI summer intern Grace Linhares wanted to make sure her used clothes didn't end up in a landfill, so she organized an innovative solution. Click to learn more! [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI's executive director, Daniel Bresette, was interviewed by Carbonfreeda's Power Up podcast.   EESI's fossil fuel subsidies fact sheet was cited in an article by the Solar Tribune.   EESI was cited by Bloomberg Law in a recent article on clean building laws. Upcoming Events   EESI is pleased to announce our September briefing series, Workforce Wednesdays! Every Wednesday in September, EESI will hold a free virtual panel on policies and programs promoting a low-carbon workforce, including: September 2: High School Career & Technical Training September 9: A New Spin on Conservation Corps September 16: Western Coal Communities & the Energy Transition September 23: Growing Green Industry and Innovation September 30: Small Businesses & COVID Recovery Read the speaker line-up and RSVP here! 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