Climate Change Solutions - November 9, 2021

Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions! There was a lot of climate action in Congress last week as the House passed the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.3684) with bipartisan support. According to a White House fact sheet on the bill, funding will include: $89.9 billion for new infrastructure funding and reauthorizations $66 billion for Amtrak maintenance and development $65 billion to expand access to reliable high-speed internet $65 billion for clean energy transmission and power infrastructure upgrades $40 billion for bridge repair, replacement, and rehabilitation $21 billion for environmental remediation President Biden called the bill's passage "a monumental step forward" and said he will sign the bill "soon." EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette released a statement welcoming the bipartisan bill, which will help reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. On the international stage, the United Nations climate negotiations (COP26) are now into their second week, and just like last week, EESI has you covered for all things COP. Subscribe to our daily newsletter Glasgow Dispatch: What Congress Needs to Know about COP26! And catch up on all the past issues here. Last week during COP26, the United States and European Union announced a partnership to limit methane emissions by 30 percent compared to 2020 levels. More than 100 countries have signed up to the initiative. EESI sat down with Lara Owens from RMI to discuss why quantifying methane emissions is critical for reaching emission reduction goals and holding fossil fuel companies accountable. This issue also features articles on Illinois's new sweeping climate legislation and a House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis hearing about international climate action at COP26. The next two articles in our new Federal Resilience Programs series are also now up! Read about two coastal programs: the NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science and a National Science Foundation program called Coastlines and People. EESI is also pleased to announce the launch of a new Future Climate Leaders Scholarship for undergraduate students at regional historically-Black colleges and universities. Read more and apply here! And check out the latest episode of The Climate Conversation podcast, which dove into federal resilience work happening in the Great Lakes and the people and organizations working to better prepare that region for the effects of climate change.  Have a climate solution? Send tips to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff!

Headlines Reducing Methane Emissions through Certification Systems: A Q&A with Lara Owens [4 min. read] Quantifying methane emissions is important to understand the extent of the problem and subsequently target emissions reduction. EESI sat down with Lara Owens, manager of climate intelligence at RMI, to discuss the role of certification systems in reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry. [click for more]   House Hearing Explores Importance of International Climate Action Ahead of U.N. Climate Talks (COP26) [3 min. read] Ahead of COP26, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held a hearing titled International Climate Challenges and Opportunities. Witnesses highlighted how the United States can lead on international climate action during COP26 and defined what successful negotiations might look like. [click for more]   Illinois Passes a Comprehensive Climate Solutions Bill [3 min. read] On September 15, 2021, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act into law, setting a goal that Illinois will be 100 percent carbon-free by 2050. Other focus areas include investing in workforce development, financing green banks, and supporting rural areas. [click for more] Series: Federal Programs Advancing Climate Resilience   NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science [3 min. read] NOAA created the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) in 1999 to deliver “ecosystem science solutions for stewardship of the Nation’s ocean and coastal resources to sustain thriving coastal communities and economies.” NCCOS aims to help address many challenges facing coastlines. [click for more]   Coastlines and People [3 min. read] The Coastlines and People program, administered by the National Science Foundation, funds innovative research seeking to make communities more sustainable in the face of changing environments and establishes Coastal Research Hubs to carry out this work.  [click for more]

On the Hill Between October 25 and November 5, the House passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (H.R.3684), a $1.2 trillion infrastructure package that will deliver new investments in American infrastructure over the next five years. Funding will go towards projects such as bridge repair, climate change mitigation, public transit modernization, and expanding broadband access. Disaster mitigation was a major focus in the House, with bills being introduced that affect disaster assistance (H.R.5782, H.R.5774), wildfire risk mitigation (H.R.5781), and invasive species management (H.R.5692). Other Congressional actions aimed towards lowering emissions in the transportation sector, such as S.3125, which would establish an alternative fuel and low-emission aviation technology program, and H.R.5896, which would, among other things, establish innovative transportation corridors to reduce carbon and GHG emissions. See EESI's full environmental and climate legislative trackers for October 25-29 and November 1-5.

EESI News, Briefings, and Fact Sheets   Speakers Sir Robert Watson (bottom left) and Christiana Figueres (top left), joined EESI's briefing on global sustainable development. EESI Board member Rosina Bierbaum (bottom right) co-moderated with Executive Director Daniel Bresette (top right). Announcement: Future Climate Leaders Scholarship As part of its commitment to promote and advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, EESI launched a new scholarship for Future Climate Leaders. EESI is awarding up to $5,000 each academic year to an undergraduate student pursuing studies relevant to environmental, clean energy, and climate policy at a historically-Black college or university in the mid-Atlantic or southern region. Learn more and apply here! Briefings: What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up to COP26 All briefing highlights are now available for EESI's four-part series leading up to the start of COP26.   Creating Policies, Coalitions, and Actions for Global Sustainable Development: A Conversation with Sir Robert Watson and Christiana Figueres Momentum on Climate Adaptation The Role of International Climate Finance The Negotiations: What's on the Table The final briefing in the series, Recap of COP26: Key Outcomes and What Comes Next, will be held November 18. RSVP here!   New Podcast Episode! Building Resilience in the Great Lakes through Partnership and Action [28 min. listen] The Great Lakes comprise a diverse region of tremendous natural, economic, and social importance, providing millions with water, contributing billions to the economy, and supporting the continuation of Indigenous ways of life for the approximately 20 tribal nations within the basin. Climate change and other environmental threats could upend all of that, but federally-funded climate resilience work is protecting this valuable area. [click for more]

Want to be in the know about COP26? Sign up for EESI's daily update! The U.N. climate change negotiations, COP26, are currently ongoing in Glasgow, Scotland! EESI is here to keep you in the loop and highlight how the international negotiations intersect with U.S. policy. Sign up for our daily newsletter, Glasgow Dispatch - What Congress Needs to Know About COP26, that is running for the duration of COP. Subscribe today!     EESI Around Town   EESI Executive Director Daniel Bresette and Communications Director Amaury Laporte were quoted in a piece from Vice News about the importance of talking about climate change to people in your life.   Daniel Bresette was also quoted in a piece from the Christian Science Monitor about the current progress of climate legislation on Capital Hill. Upcoming Events   Briefing Series: What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up to COP26 Missed our briefing series on what Congress needs to know before the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change? Find the first four briefings here.   Recap of COP26: Key Outcomes and What Comes Next Thursday, November 18 10:30am - 12:00pm With dozens of events and negotiating sessions happening at any one time during the two weeks of COP, it can be challenging to keep up with all the details. This briefing will review the key outcomes of COP26 and provide context and nuance to the main headlines coming out of the meeting. Panelists will then dive into takeaways from international, private sector, and local government perspectives.    Electrification 2022: Collaborating for a Clean-Energy Future March 14 - 17, 2022 Charlotte, North Carolina EESI is proud to be a supporting organization for the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) upcoming Electrification 2022 conference. Join us in person March 14-17 in Charlotte, N.C., to share what’s new in the electrification of buildings, vehicles and industry, spend time with your colleagues, and explore efficient, equitable solutions for a net-zero economy.           Stay at the forefront of our decarbonizing society with immersive pre-conference workshops, expert-led agenda sessions, an all-inclusive exposition, and extensive networking including a closing party at the NASCAR Hall of Fame.         Register now! #ElectricTogether  Thank You to EESI Team Members for Their Contributions to Climate Change Solutions: Emma Johnson - 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