Climate Change Solutions - March 2, 2021 | Newsletter

Welcome to another edition of Climate Change Solutions!

Today, read how Washington state is tackling solar panel waste, get a recap of recent key House and Senate climate hearings, have all of your frequently-asked climate questions answered in our latest fact sheet, and learn how two history-making committee chairs are approaching climate! Also, catch up with one of EESI's previous interns all the way in the wildlands of Utah!

As always, we've brought you a brand new podcast episode! This week, we recapped our second Congressional Climate Camp and distilled the two-hour event into 20 minutes. If you like our podcast, please consider rating, reviewing, and subscribing to stay up to date with every episode on either Apple or Google podcasts.

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

Join team EESI! We're now accepting applications for a Communications Associate--read more about the position and how to apply here (Deadline: March 14).

Headlines Washington State Tackles Solar Panel Waste to Make Clean Tech Even Cleaner [5 min. read] Every year there are more solar panels, generating more electricity. Currently, the United States has the solar capacity to power 16 million homes, and the share of solar in renewable electricity generation is expected to triple by 2050. However, this boost in carbon-free energy has begun a countdown to a major problem: what happens to solar panels at the end of their 20- to 30-year lifespans? An estimated 10 million metric tons of solar panels will need to be uninstalled and disposed of by 2050 in the United States. Without proper regulations or recycling technology in place, much of this solar waste could end up in landfills around the country. Washington state may offer a solution to the impending solar panel disposal crisis. The Washington Photovoltaic (PV) Module Stewardship and Takeback Program, passed in 2017, requires solar PV manufacturers to finance the takeback and recycling of panels at no cost to their owners. [click for more]
Headlines
	Climate Change Is a Priority for First Black Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committee Chairs [3 min. read] In this moment of colliding crises — COVID-19, racial injustice, and climate change — two representatives are making history as the first Black lawmakers to lead key House committees. Rep. David Scott (D-Ga.) and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.) were recently selected to be Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and the House Foreign Affairs Committee, respectively. Congressional climate action will reflect the unique perspectives of these two trailblazers, who are set to make climate change a national priority from the agricultural fields in the Midwest to diplomatic negotiations stretching across the globe. This reflects and reinforces the “whole-of-government” approach President Biden laid out in his January 27 executive order to combat the climate crisis. Read more about their approach to climate here. [click for more]
	117th Congress Kickstarts Discussions to Spur Federal Climate Action [9 min. read] The new Congress kickstarted discussions to spur federal climate action with two hearings in early February—among the first hearings held in the 117th Congress. The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to examine global trends and progress in addressing climate change. In the House, the Energy and Commerce Committee explored how multifaceted federal policies can support energy industries, promote American workforce opportunities, and drive decarbonization. [click for more]

On the Hill

From February 15 to 26, Congress introduced a total of 83 bills and resolutions related to environmental and energy topics. Of these, 20 were in the Senate and 63 in the House. The House passed a total of two bills (H.R.803 and H.R.1319) and agreed to one resolution (H.Res.147) during this period. Several relevant committee hearings were held in both chambers as well.

Highlights

Many of the bills introduced during this period dealt with agriculture, including S.486, which seeks to establish funding programs to invest in rural and agricultural innovation. H.R.1363 seeks to direct the Agriculture Advanced Research and Development Authority to address sustainable solutions from the agricultural sector.

Two bills related to environmental and energy topics were passed in the House. The Colorado Wilderness Act (H.R.803) designates lands in Colorado as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (H.R.1319), a $1.9 trillion package for economic and public health recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and includes provisions to address the climate crisis and environmental injustice in post-pandemic recovery efforts.

Numerous committee hearings during the last two weeks engaged environmental and energy topics. The House Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship and Capital Markets held a hearing entitled “Climate Change and Social Responsibility: Helping Corporate Boards and Investors Make Decisions for a Sustainable World,” during which witnesses and policymakers discussed Environmental and Social Governance principles and disclosure mandates. The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works held a hearing entitled “Building Back Better: Investing in Transportation while Addressing Climate Change, Improving Equity, and Fostering Economic Growth and Innovation” to discuss investments in transportation infrastructure.

See EESI's full environmental legislative tracker for February 15 to 26 here.

EESI News, Briefings and Fact Sheets

	Fact sheet - Climate Change FAQ Have a climate change question? You'll probably find its answer in our new fact sheet, Climate Change FAQ! This fact sheet covers 22 frequently asked climate questions with graphics and citations. [click for more]
	Podcast - ICYMI: Congressional Climate Camp 2: Federal Policies for High Emitting Sectors [18 min. listen] This episode reflected on EESI’s most recent Congressional Climate Camp! Dan and Sydney brought in a special guest to review the briefing and featured key takeaways from each speaker, condensing the 2-hour briefing into just 20 minutes. Perfect for people who missed the briefing but still want to catch up with it on the go! [click for more]
	Reflection - EESI Internship Leads to… the Wildlands of Utah! [2 min. read] Former EESI intern, Danielle Calacino discusses her time after her internship and has her eyes on the future. "The internship grew my love of non-profit work, and strengthened my motivation to pursue a career in the non-profit world," Danielle writes. [click for more]

EESI Around Town

Clean Technica cited EESI's fossil fuel subsides fact sheet in a recent article.

Rep. Julia Brownley introduced the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Act and cited EESI's aviation fact sheet and briefing.

EESI's fossil fuel subsidies fact sheet was cited by The Free Press in a recent article.

Upcoming Events

Energy Efficiency Means Business:
Learn How Energy Efficiency Programs Deliver Benefits to Your Constituents
Friday, March 5
12:00 pm - 1:30 pm EST
Online
RSVP Here

EESI invites you to a briefing to hear from a panel of experts about how federal energy efficiency programs create jobs and deliver direct meaningful savings to constituent homeowners, consumers, and businesses—all while reducing the stresses and strains on our energy system. Making investments in energy efficiency also encourages productive public-private partnerships and collaboration, improves the sustainability and resilience of our communities, and contributes to meaningful, near-term reductions in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

ACORE Policy Forum
March 10-11
Online

The ACORE Policy Forum will convene leaders from across the U.S. government and the renewable energy industry. Use our code: EESI20 to receive 20% off your registration!

With a new Administration focused as never before on climate, a changing Congress, and the ongoing pandemic – it will be critical for renewable energy companies to understand the outlook for executive, regulatory and legislative action over the coming year. The ACORE Policy Forum will convene leaders for a deep dive on climate policy, grid advocacy, and their expectations for progress at the federal and state levels.

2021 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook
March 12
2:00 pm - 3:30 pm EST
Online
RSVP Here

The ninth edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, published by BloombergNEF and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), was released on February 18, 2021, and is available to download at www.bcse.org/factbook.

This edition will look back on year-on-year dynamics, with a focus on how COVID-19 business conditions impacted U.S. energy markets as well as the trends of the past several years. The speakers will assess several core benchmarks—deployment, technology innovation, policy, emissions, and jobs. Despite a very volatile period, the clean energy sectors demonstrated the resilience of the energy system overall.

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

Table Of Contents

Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions: