Climate Change Solutions - March 3, 2020

Hello and welcome to another edition of Climate Change Solutions!

Since our last issue, February 18:

• Congress is set to consider legislation that would help lower emissions! But the Senate could be leaving the biggest source of savings on the table.
• New research shows climate change threatens sandy beaches, children, the Colorado River, coral reefs, winter sports, Mexican-grown corn, European transportation infrastructure, and one in three species of plants and animals
• Study shows methane emissions could be 25-40% more than previously thought
• UK’s Heathrow airport expansion ruled unlawful over Paris Agreement commitments
• Climate change is shown to be an increasing concern for Western and Democratic primary voters
• New York State bans single-use plastic bags
• “Doomsday vault” adds 60,000 extra food seeds
• Newly discovered soil bacteria could help fight climate change and pollution

Send your environmental tips, greetings, and gossip to Climate Change Solutions editor Amber Todoroff

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Video Short: The Impact of Climate Change on Ojibwe Tribes (Great Lakes) Rob Croll, Climate Change Program Coordinator for the Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission (GLIFWC), discusses GLIFWC’s work to understand how climate change is impacting off-reservation communities and ecosystems critical to its member Ojibwe tribes, and tools used to develop comprehensive plans to manage these impacts in culturally appropriate ways.   Headlines Forestry Experts Outline Role for Markets in Enhancing Forest Carbon Sequestration Resources for the Future hosted a panel of forestry experts to discuss the carbon sequestration potential of both living forests and wood products, and made recommendations for financial incentives to improve forest productivity. [click for more]   Nation’s Largest Mass Timber Building Opens at University of Arkansas Mass timber building materials can provide a more environmentally friendly alternative to concrete and steel, yet the industry has struggled to find a foothold in the U.S. The University of Arkansas can show the rest of the nation how it's done.  [click for more]   New Jersey Is at the Forefront of Climate Change Adaptation The newly-released New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJ PACT) regulatory reform initiative will update the state’s Energy Master Plan with provisions that protect the environment, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and increase resilience. [click for more]

On the Hill From February 18 to February 28, 2020, 13 bills were referred to committee to address environmental and energy issues. In addition to the introduction of environmentally relevant legislation, the House passed three bills. Highlights Congress is considering the American Energy Innovation Act (S. 2657) on March 3--today! This is the biggest energy bill in a decade and has tremendous potential to lower emissions, however, opportunities are being missed because the bill lacks provisions for energy efficient building codes. So far 18 amendments have been added to the bill.  Since last issue, Congress also focused on environmental justice issues. H.R.5986 would expand environmental justice protections throughout the federal government, and S.3364/H.R.6025 would focus on the health of students in highly polluted areas. Be sure to read through the rest of the round-up. EESI has curated bills most relevant to energy, environment, and climate topics. See EESI's full environmental legislative tracker for February 18-28 here.   Major Energy Bill is Missing Key Provisions to Reduce Emissions: Energy Efficient Building Codes  If enacted, the American Energy Innovation Act (S. 2657), introduced this week, will be the first major energy policy bill in more than a decade. The Act contains important clean energy provisions, but lacks two building code provisions key to maximizing emission reductions. [click for more]   CLEAN Future Act: A Cross-Sectoral Plan to Combat Climate Change Earlier this year, Democratic leaders on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce released a draft of the Climate Leadership and Environmental Action for our Nation’s (CLEAN) Future Act. Committee leaders described the bill as “a set of comprehensive, specific steps for achieving net-zero greenhouse gas pollution.” [click for more]   House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Explores Public Health Impacts and Solutions  Last month, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing on climate and public health. The hearing’s witnesses detailed how climate change is already impacting public health and recommended actions to improve near-term public health outcomes while addressing the root causes of climate change. [click for more]

EESI Briefings, News and Fact Sheets   Briefing: Coastal Resilience Series: Great Lakes  Expert panelists described the collaborative process between federal, state, and local stakeholders in collecting, sharing, and acting on scientific data to inform policy decisions around adaptation and help communities define and achieve their resilience goals. [click for more]   Briefing: 2020 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook Experts discussed findings from the eighth edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, published in partnership by BloombergNEF and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy. The Factbook provides updates on industry information and trends for the U.S. energy economy. [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette was quoted in Yale Climate Connections on the climate consequences of China's Belt and Road initiative.    EESI's recent briefing with the Center for Climate and Security on climate impacts on national security was highlighted by YubaNet.   EESI's fact sheet on fossil fuel subsidies was quoted in an op-ed by a U.S. Congressional candidate in Inside Indiana Business.   Upcoming Events Coastal Resilience Series: Southeast March 13 2:00-3:30 Rayburn HOB Room 2168 (Gold Room) Expert panelists will discuss restoring land-based and off-shore habitat for nature-based adaptation and the federal tools and policy that help advance these climate solutions. Biogas: Driving the U.S. Circular Economy March 18th 2:00-3:30 Rayburn HOB Room 2168 (Gold Room) Held in conjunction with the American Biogas Council, experts will discuss the role biogas systems play in industrial models that "repurpose, reuse, and recycle."   Coastal Resilience Series: Hawaii March 20 1:30-3:00 Russell SOB Room 385 This briefing is on innovative efforts to finance and implement climate change mitigation and resilience projects. Featuring a panel from Hawaii, the briefing will explore steps the state is taking to reach carbon neutrality and run on 100 percent renewable energy by 2045.   Electrification 2020: International Conference and Exposition April 6-9 Charlotte, North Carolina EESI is proud to be a Supporting Organization of the Electric Power Research Institute's Electrification 2020. Attendees will gain access to industry influencers and compelling content to help advance electrification initiatives and create sustainable solutions.   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