Climate Change Solutions - October 11, 2022 | Newsletter

Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!

This week's newsletter is focused on natural resource management with articles on addressing drought in the Colorado River Basin, protecting the Gila River in New Mexico, and elevating Indigenous knowledge in Alaska.

In other news, COP-tober is here! We have four upcoming briefings on what Congress needs to know about the U.N. Climate Conference in Egypt—COP27. Sign up for all of them here.

Plus, we will publish a daily newsletter during COP27 on happenings relevant to Congress. Sign up here.

EESI is hiring three paid interns for spring 2023. Applications are open until October 23.

Have a climate solution? Send tips to Savannah Bertrand!

New Data Tools May Reduce Impacts of Colorado River Basin Drought
[12 min read]

The Colorado River Basin covers 246,000 square miles and provides water to about 40 million people. A two-decade-long drought and low snowpack conditions threaten water supplies for people, agriculture, and hydropower generation. By working to optimize the efficiency of water resource allocation, digital tools that integrate data into decision-making processes are key allies in the fight against water scarcity and drought. [click for more]

Keeping the Gila River Wild for People and the Planet
[8 min read]

The Gila River is home to thousands of years of human history, hundreds of species of birds, and one of the largest roadless areas in the United States. Preserving the Gila as a Wild and Scenic River would protect an environment that is an important place for Hispanic and Latino communities. [click for more]

Q&A: Supporting Alaska's Next Generation of Indigenous Scientists
[9 min read]

Alaska Native peoples are patently underrepresented in their state's resource management agencies, academia, and other institutions. EESI spoke with Dr. Jessica Black and Dr. Courtney Carothers about how the Tamamta program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks is trying to change that. [click for more]

2023 Farm Bill Congressional Hearings
[4 min read]

EESI is tracking the climate, environmental, and clean energy highlights of Congressional hearings leading up to the 2023 Farm Bill. Check out the highlights for September hearings that covered Farm Bill programs focused on broadband access and conservation. All Farm Bill hearing highlights can be found here. [click for more]

Energy Efficiency Brings Blessings to Delaware Houses of Faith
[31 min listen]

Many faith buildings across the country are old and inefficient, racking up huge energy bills that faith groups sometimes cannot afford to pay. In Delaware, two state nonprofits have formed a partnership to help address this problem, running energy audits and providing educational outreach to faith communities across the state. [click for more]

Hill Headline—Resilience: The Community Disaster Resilience Zones Act (S.3875/H.R.7242) passed the Senate and would codify the National Risk Index, a tool used to assess communities' natural disaster vulnerabilities. The bill requires that the tool's data be used to designate highly vulnerable communities as community disaster resilience zones and increases the federal cost share for Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants provided in those areas.

Wildfire Legislation on the Move: The FIRE Act (S.3092/H.R.5782) unanimously passed the Senate and would update the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA's) approach to wildfire preparedness and response. For more on wildfire policy, check out EESI's briefing, Living with Climate Change: Wildfires.

IRA Hearing: The House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis held the hearing, A Big Climate Deal: Lowering Costs, Creating Jobs, and Reducing Pollution with the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). To learn more about the climate benefits of the IRA, check out this recent edition of Climate Change Solutions.

We track all environmental, energy, and climate legislation and hearings happening on Capitol Hill. See the full legislative trackers for September 26-30 and October 3-7.

What Congress Needs to Know About COP27

Our briefing series in the lead up to the 2022 U.N. Climate Conference—COP27—is coming up! RSVP for all of them here.

Key Findings from the Newest Global Assessment Report on Climate Change on October 12 at 1:00 pm EDT
Climate Change Loss and Damage on October 20 at 11:00 am EDT
Natural Climate Solutions on October 28 at 1:00 pm EDT
What’s on the Table for the Negotiations? on November 2 at 11:00 am EDT
Climate Summit Recap: Key Outcomes and What Comes Next, date and time TBD

EESI will publish a daily newsletter during COP27, COP27 Dispatch: What Congress Needs to Know From Sharm El-Sheikh. Sign up for the newsletter here.

Q&A: What Is the Future for New Jersey’s Coastal Marshes?

EESI sat down with Judith Weis—a marine biologist, coastal marsh expert, and former Congressional American Association for the Advancement of Science fellow—to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing coastal marshes. [click for more]

A Lasting Legacy for Our Climate

Horace Tillard “Till” Jones Jr., who passed away in September 2020, named EESI a beneficiary for his IRA and provided a donation through his will. Till’s legacy gifts are already playing a large role in helping EESI advance climate solutions. [click for more]

Recent Briefing Video Recording

Did you miss our briefing, Back to School: Catalyzing Climate Action in K-12 Schools, last week? A recording of the briefing can be found here.

Latest Media Coverage

CBC News quoted EESI's Executive Director Daniel Bresette and cited EESI's aviation issue brief in an article about the growth of airline emissions.
The Irish Times cited EESI's issue brief on the growth of greenhouse gas emissions from commercial aviation.

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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.

Climate Change Solutions - October 11, 2022

Featuring content on the Colorado River Basin, Indigenous science in Alaska, and energy efficiency in Delaware

Table Of Contents

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