Climate Change Solutions - October 27, 2020

Welcome to another edition of Climate Change Solutions!

EESI is pleased to present our new report: A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: Federal Policy Recommendations from Solutions in Practice.

This report—designed as a practical resource for Congress, federal agencies, and the public—features 30 policy recommendations to support community resilience to sea level rise and other coastal hazards.

These recommendations are distilled from EESI's 16-part Coastal Resilience Briefing Series, which included 42 expert speakers from every U.S. coast, including the Great Lakes. Suggestions include:

• The federal government should develop a comprehensive approach to managing public lands facing erosion due to sea level rise and storm surge.
• Congress should facilitate and provide funding to buy-out high-risk or repeatedly damaged homes and other property.
• Cultural heritage considerations should be integrated into federal requests for proposals for climate adaptation and resilience work.
• Federal agencies should encourage, through funding and program design, scientists and tribes to co-produce climate adaptation and resilience knowledge.

Each recommendation includes a summary and one or more examples of the policy in practice, and the report also includes every relevant federal agency program or funding source cited by panelists over the course of the briefing series.

The rest of this edition is dedicated to issues in coastal resilience and adaptation. Check out our stories on financing soft shorelines on the Puget Sound and Special Ops Veterans using their diving skills to save coral reefs.

On the Hill, we cover a hearing on hurdles coastal communities face when accessing federal grants, a forum on Arctic climate adaptation issues, and a new, 300-page bill addressing ocean and coastal concerns.

Last but not least, we are pleased to announce our brand-new podcast, Climate Conversations! Check out our first episode discussing our coastal resilience report here.

Know a great climate solution in your community? Reach out to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff with any tips or comments.

Video Short: A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities EESI's new report, A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: Federal Policy Recommendations from Solutions in Practice, lists six principles federal policymakers should incorporate into future climate resilience legislation. Click here for the video outlining these principles.   Headlines Shore Friendly: Financing Coastal Resilience on the Puget Sound Hard armor has been placed on 29 percent of the Puget Sound's shorelines, threatening ecosystems and accelerating erosion. The Shore Friendly program is helping homeowners take down this armor and replace it with environmentally friendly 'soft shore' alternatives. And now, program managers are designing a new financing mechanism to expand access to this climate adaptation solution. [click for more]   Special Operation Veterans Take on a New Mission: Marine Conservation FORCE BLUE is an organization addressing two seemingly unrelated problems—the hardships veterans encounter during the transition out of military service and ocean conservation needs. Teams of special operation veterans and marine scientists are deployed on discrete missions spanning a number of objectives, from rebuilding hurricane-damaged coral reefs to preventing disease spread to surveying sea turtles. Now, a new project with the National Football League will be helping veterans and coral reefs in time for the next Super Bowl. [click for more]

On the Hill From October 13 to 22, 16 bills on environmental and energy topics were referred to committees: eight in the Senate and eight in the House. Highlights The most significant piece of legislation to emerge from this period is the Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act (H.R.8632), introduced in the House on October 20 by Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and 13 original Democratic cosponsors. The bill would enact a comprehensive suite of programs to improve ocean health and conservation, build resilience along America’s coastlines, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through ocean-based tools like offshore wind deployment and the restoration of blue carbon ecosystems. See EESI's full environmental legislative tracker for October 13-22 here.   Major Oceans Bill Puts Coastal Resilience at the Forefront The Ocean-Based Climate Solutions Act (H.R.8632) is an ambitious climate bill aimed at improving ocean health and the well-being of coastal communities. We break down the major provisions for coastal resilience in this 300-page bill. [click for more]   Arctic Voices Bring Attention to the Climate Crisis, Need for Inclusive Federal Adaptation Policy in Alaska The Arctic is experiencing faster and more dramatic temperature changes than anywhere else on Earth.   House Natural Resource Committee Democrats held a forum in October with four Alaskan Indigenous leaders to discuss these changes and how policymakers can help Native peoples adapt. [click for more] Federal Grant Process Is Another Hurdle for Communities Facing Coastal Threats On October 15, the House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Water, Oceans, and Wildlife held a hearing titled Environmental Justice for Coastal Communities: Examining Inequities in Federal Grantmaking. Witnesses discussed the obstacles communities face when applying for federal funding for pre-disaster and disaster recovery projects, and how those obstacles can deepen inequality in historically underserved areas. [click for more]

EESI Briefings and Fact Sheets   New Report Highlights 30 Recommendations to Make Coastal Communities More Resilient Coastal communities are at the frontlines of climate change, and 40 percent of Americans—130 million people—live along our ocean and Great Lakes shorelines. The report's 30 recommendations are organized into six major sections: Community at the Forefront, Land Use and Development, Cultural Heritage, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Data, Disaster Preparedness, and Financing Adaptation and Resilience. [click for more]   Coastal Ecosystems and Communities Take Center Stage at National Coastal and Estuarine 2020 Virtual Summit During panel sessions and virtual roundtables, participants covered topics from coastal zone management to working waterfronts.   At EESI’s virtual roundtable, participants explored key areas of development for coastal climate adaptation and resilience policy. [click for more] Regional Coastal Resilience Briefing Series Did you miss the 16-part, 42-expert-strong Regional Coastal Resilience briefing series EESI conducted over 2019-2020? Never fear! All briefings and related fact sheets are available on our webpage here! [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI's aviation emissions fact sheet was cited in an article in The Hill titled "Microsoft to buy jet fuel made with waste oil for Alaska Airlines in climate pledge."   EESI's fossil fuel subsidies fact sheet was cited by Washington State news outlet K5 in an article titled "VERIFY: Fact-checking the second presidential debate."   Upcoming Events   Federal Action for Resilient Coasts: New EESI Report Provides Blueprint October 29 Online at www.eesi.org/livecast Join us for the launch of our new report, A Resilient Future for Coastal Communities: Federal Policy Recommendations from Solutions in Practice, and a discussion of federal actions that can improve coastal resilience along our ocean and Great Lakes shorelines. The discussion will include specific case studies of solutions currently working to build community resilience to coastal hazards, along with policies and programs Congress or federal agencies can support or expand to replicate these success stories.       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