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October 13, 2021
Hello and welcome to Climate Change Solutions!
Last week, EESI kicked off our five-part Congressional briefing series What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up to COP26 with an inspiring conversation with Sir Robert Watson, Christiana Figueres, EESI board member Rosina Bierbaum, and EESI executive director Daniel Bresette. Check out the briefing recording with written highlights to come soon.
Ahead of this Friday's briefing, Momentum on Adaptation, we have an article on the launch of the Adaptation Research Alliance.
Climate solutions abound from the city to the countryside. This issue, learn how urban forestry programs can keep people cool and how innovative financing can help manufactured home residents access solar power.
We also have a brand new issue brief diving into why rural broadband is an important component of social and climate justice. And if you want to learn more, listen to the latest episode of The Climate Conversation podcast, which explores rural broadband in the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
We are also launching a new article series this week on federal resilience programs! This series highlights key information on existing federal programs that are advancing national climate adaptation and resilience, starting with the North American Wetlands Conservation Act and the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.
To finish off, former intern Katie Schneer, who currently works on subnational climate policy for the Environmental Defense Fund, reflects on her time at EESI. Perhaps her story will provide inspiration to apply to EESI's Spring 2022 Internship by October 24!
COP26 is fast approaching! Want to stay in the know about all the goings-on in Glasgow and how it relates to U.S. climate policy? Our new newsletter, the Glasgow Dispatch - What Congress Needs to Know About COP26, will deliver daily insights and information on COP happenings throughout the proceedings. Subscribe today!
Have a climate solution? Send tips to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff.
Improving Equity by Installing Solar on Manufactured Homes [5 min. read]
Installing solar energy and energy efficiency on manufactured homes presents an opportunity to lower greenhouse gas emissions and reduce cost of living for low- and moderate-income families. The Clean Energy States Alliance recently released the Solar for Manufactured Homes report on how to accelerate solar development for LMI households. [click for more]
[3 min. read]
Climate change adaptation needs to be integrated into how we live, work, and govern. And, if done effectively, it can help communities thrive. But, how do we know what is effective? Thirty organizations came together with support from the United Kingdom COP26 Presidency to co-develop the Adaptation Research Alliance to address this question. [click for more]
Series: Federal Programs Advancing Climate Resilience
The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) was passed in 1989 to protect, enhance, and restore wetlands and waterfowl in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The NAWCA is the “only federal grant program dedicated to the conservation of wetland habitats for migratory birds” and is “considered by many to be the most important piece of legislation and funding mechanism to conserve wetlands in the U.S. today.” [click for more]
The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative is an interagency collaboration to protect and restore the Great Lakes. Established in 2010, the program aims to provide safe water for drinking and recreation, ensure fish are safe for consumption, prevent new and control existing invasive species, mitigate harmful algal blooms, protect native habitat, and delist all Areas of Concern, which are EPA-designated environmentally damaged areas. [click for more]
From September 27 to October 8, two bills, S.558 and S.2923 passed the Senate. S.558 aims to improve forecasting for floods, tornadoes, and hurricanes, and S.2923 aims to improve the Fishery Disaster Relief Program. Additionally, the House Small Business Committee held a hearing, Sustainable Forestry’s Role in Climate Solutions, to examine how sustainable forestry can help climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Congress also introduced several bills related to forestry and public lands. H.R.5508 and S.2950 would prohibit the importation of products produced on illegally deforested land. Two other bills introduced last week, S.2960 and H.R.5533, would encourage the reduction of plastic products at national parks. Finally, the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing to examine the drought in the western United States.
See EESI's full environmental and climate legislative trackers for September 27 - October 1 and October 4 - October 8.
Issue Brief | Closing the Digital Divide: How Rural Broadband Benefits Communities and the Climate [18 min. read]
This issue brief explores the current state of U.S. internet access, how expanded broadband deployment could improve the equity and well-being of communities, the potential for broadband to unlock greater energy efficiency, and what the United States has accomplished so far in closing the digital divide. [click for more]
From EESI Intern to State Climate Advocate
[2 min. read]
In 2019, Katie Schneer was a policy and development intern for EESI. She now works on subnational climate policy for the Environmental Defense Fund. Read how interning at EESI helped set her on her path. [click for more]
[23 min. listen]
Rural broadband may not seem like a climate issue, but as more and more energy efficiency devices like smart thermostats and water heaters are connected to the internet, having access to broadband is critical. Dan and Emma take listeners to the San Juan Islands in Washington State to learn why installing broadband there was so necessary to support residents and strengthen communities. [click for more]
An EESI graphic explaining on-bill financing was used in a piece from Environmental Health News about climate justice.
EESI provided background information and fact checking for a National Geographic article on lowering air travel emissions.
Upcoming Events
Briefing Series: What Congress Needs to Know in the Lead Up to COP26
Join us for a briefing series on what Congress needs to know before and after the 26th Conference of the Parties (COP26) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
Momentum on Climate Adaptation
Friday, October 15 1:00pm - 2:30pm
Climate adaptation is one of the priority work areas for COP26. This briefing will focus on the initiatives launched or scaled up in recent years that underpin the momentum on adaptation and resilience and that will inform conversations at COP26.
The Role of International Climate Finance
Wednesday, October 20 1:00pm - 2:30pm
International climate finance is a critical tool to increase access to climate mitigation and adaptation resources to address the growing threat of climate change. The briefing will discuss the current state of international climate finance, the role and status of the Green Climate Fund and other funding mechanisms, and Congress’s role in meeting U.S. climate finance commitments.
The Negotiations: What’s on the Table
Friday, October 22 1:00pm - 2:30pm
COP26 is set to cover a wide range of topics, from negotiations on carbon markets to discussions on loss and damage, climate finance, and updated emission reduction goals in countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs). This briefing will bring together experts to explain the key areas of negotiation expected to be at play at COP26, review possible outcomes, and explore what it all means for Congress.
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.
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