Climate Change Solutions - September 3, 2019

Welcome to Climate Change Solutions for September 3rd!

Hurricane Dorian, which devastated the Bahamas over the weekend, is creeping towards the Southeast coast. Studies suggest Category 3 (and above) hurricanes are not only more frequent, but are also moving more slowly—and dumping more rain—because of a changing climate. Perhaps ancient Arabic water retainment techniques used in Spain could help.   

Swedish activist Greta Thunburg finished her own very slow (15-day) journey to the U.S. Atlantic Coast in time for the United Nations Climate Action Summit in New York City. Thunburg took a 0-emission boat to raise awareness of air travel greenhouse gas emissions.

The EPA rolled back Obama-era methane-emissions caps, saying it lacked authority to regulate the powerful greenhouse gas. Across the ocean, Nordic prime ministers signed a joint agreement with business leaders to promote public-private partnerships that lower emissions in line with the Paris Agreement.   

The UN Biodiversity Chief warned of ecosystem collapse in light extensive development-related fires in the Amazon, a point echoed by world leaders at the G7 summit. It’s not just an Amazonia problem—new studies show geese changing migration patterns due to climate change, while bananas might be the next big climate loser. At least beer might be safe thanks to a drought-resistant gene scientists recently discovered in barley.

Read more headlines on our Climate News Round-Up for September 3rd here.

Tips? Comments? Reach out to Solutions editor Amber Todoroff.

Video Short: The Gulf of Mexico Alliance—State and Federal Partnerships for a Resilient Coast Rhonda Price, Mississippi Coastal Resilience Chair, Gulf of Mexico Alliance (GOMA), discusses GOMA's work helping communities become more resilient to disaster, in part through nature-based adaptations. [watch the short video] Headlines Record-Breaking Farm-to-School Grants Support Kids, Local Economics, and the Environment  The USDA awarded $9 million in Farm-to-School grants in 2019, helping schools around the country implement programs bringing healthy, local food to their students. [click for more]   Climate Change Has Starring Role in Reopened D.C. Fossil Hall Exhibit  The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is telling the story of climate change in a whole new way. [click for more]   Oil 'Bomb Trains' Secretly Moving to West Coast - and Efforts to Stop Them Trains are transporting explosive loads of Canadian tar sands through the American Northwest for export to Asia. EESI Policy Fellow Richard Nunno details the danger and presents solutions. [click for more]

On the Hill Congress is out of session until September 9th. Until then, check out EESI's last legislative tracker for July 22nd - August 2nd here! ​  New Bill Supports Renewable Energy for Baseload Power Generation Reps. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced the Renewable Electricity Tax Credit Equalization Act during an August pro forma session of Congress. [click for more] Nature-based Solutions Included in Senate Transportation Bill The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee recently passed a historic, $287 billion bill featuring climate change and nature-based solutions. [click for more]

EESI Briefings and Fact Sheets As Hurricane Season Kicks into Gear, EESI Reflects on Its Congressional Resilience Briefing Series  Southeast resilience has been a reoccurring theme in EESI's briefings over the years. We've compiled the best advice from our expert speakers in time for hurricane season. [click for more] Featured Article: Hurricanes Have Taught Americans Hard Lessons on Resilience EESI's article for the United Nations Associate-UK's Climate 2020 publication explains how investing in resilience is cheaper than rebuilding after destruction. [click for more]

EESI Around Town   EESI Executive Director Carol Werner was quoted in Newsmax. The article discusses growing electric vehicle production and use in the next ten years. EESI was quoted in the Illinois paper The News-Gazette. The fact-checking article cites EESI's U.S. greenhouse gas emissions statistics. EESI's Climate Change Solutions Newsletter (which you're reading) was featured in BioCycle. Thanks! Upcoming Events   2019 NASEO Annual Meeting September 15-18 Westdrift Manhattan Beach, Manhattan Beach, CA Join the National Association of State Energy Officials for interactive sessions and discussions on transportation electrification, building-grid integration, and financing for energy innovation and infrastructure modernization. EESI is proud to be a sponsoring organization of this event.  How Do Communities Ensure Federal Energy Programs Help Those Most in Need? September 16, 12pm-1:30pm (lunch will be served) Capitol Visitor Center, HVC-201AB Briefing to be held with Energy Efficiency for All which will highlight state success stories from the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP) and Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Climate and National Security Forum 2019: A Climate Security Plan for America September 24th, 9am-12pm Rayburn 2168 (The Gold Room) Briefing to be held with the Center for Climate & Security on the risks climate change poses to national defense infrastructure and national security and a plan to mitigate and adapt to those risks.  Keep a lookout for upcoming EESI Congressional briefings on Northeast coastal adaptation, the National Flood Insurance Program, the Global Commission on Adaptation, and Deep Decarbonization of the U.S. Economy.   Environmental and Energy Study Institute  Carol Werner, 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