This report analyzes the potential jobs and community health benefits created by a sample portfolio of investments in Washington State. We find that investing in clean transportation, forest conservation and ecosystem restoration, clean energy, water and energy efficiency, low carbon...
August 5th Roundup: The House passed a climate bill…now what?
[Not a subscriber? Sign up here] BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS - House passes climate bill in late-night Friday session: Over two days last week (7/30), House lawmakers unveiled and then debated amendments on a 55-page climate change bill (H.4933). Based in part on the...
SCPN Spotlight: Shelly Zhao on the importance of Student Activism
All across the country, members of our State Carbon Pricing Network (SCPN) are fighting to make an impact on climate change in their communities. We have individuals in our Network from all 50 states, each experiencing climate change differently in...
Federal judge dismisses the Trump administration’s attempt to end the Western Climate Initiative
Last week, a federal judge dismissed a Trump Administration lawsuit against California’s cap-and-trade program, the Western Climate Initiative — a massive win for the state of California in their continuous battle against the current federal government on environmental protections. The Department...
The Climate Crisis will Worsen Flood Impacts, and Increase U.S. Racial Disparities
The impacts of the climate crisis are most dramatically felt through changes in water – changes that severely affect humans, societies, and the environment. The climate crisis is fundamentally altering our water cycles, increasing the frequency of storms and floods....
Last year, the state passed what was deemed by some as “the worst energy bill of the 21st century”. The law — which bailed out nuclear and power plants while gutting clean energy standards — essentially removed any incentive to...
[Not a subscriber? Sign up here] BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS - House advances climate bill, with debate & voting happening today: Adding to an already busy end of session calendar, House leadership released a much-anticipated climate change bill yesterday (7/29). Debate on the...
Introduction Why the grid is a problem What grid modernization could look like Technologies Electric Vehicles Distributed Energy Resources Advanced Digital Infrastructure Benefits and barriers Conclusion Few of us understand (or appreciate) the sheer amount of time, money, and energy needed to deliver electricity. But the moment you lose...
[Not a subscriber? Sign up here] BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS - Benson carbon pricing, 100% renewable energy, and pipeline safety bills die in committee (Tim Cronin): A series of climate bills, popular with advocates and a majority of lawmakers, have officially died in committee...
Cap-and-Trade in California: Health and Climate Benefits Greatly Outweigh Costs
We compare the costs of greenhouse gas reduction programs to the value of reducing the worldwide dangers of climate change and of improving health outcomes to determine whether the programs are a cost-effective means for spending large amounts of state...
A Global Pandemic & A Climate Crisis: Eerily Similar Impacts with Starkly Different Responses
In a matter of weeks, the world — and our lives — have transformed in response to a public health crisis. Throughout China, Italy, Japan, and South Korea, workers have been on lockdown for weeks. Now, companies across the U.S....
Communicating the climate crisis
Communicating the climate crisis is a critical part of moving policy solutions forward and gaining the collective buy-in necessary for creating a future that is not dependent on the heat trapping gases that have resulted in this crisis. However, this...
Climate XChange releases guide to carbon pricing policy
Climate XChange recently released Recommendations for State-Level Carbon Pollution Pricing, a comprehensive guide to designing legislation or executive branch action to implement either carbon pollution fees or cap-and-trade policies. The guide is accompanied by a Sample Carbon Fee/Tax Legislation and...
Biden’s Clean Energy Plan proposes economic recovery through green investments
Last Tuesday, July 14th, Joe Biden released the second part of his economic agenda proposal, what he calls his ‘Build Back Better’ plan, which focuses specifically on how climate-related investments in clean energy can restimulate the economy. The plan’s release comes...
SCPN Spotlight: Jessica Hendricks on Advocating for Energy Efficiency
All across the country, members of our State Carbon Pricing Network (SCPN) are fighting to make an impact on climate change in their communities. We have individuals in our Network from all 50 states, each experiencing climate change differently in...
To solve the climate crisis, women must own more of the world’s land
Land, women, and climate change: the future of all three are intrinsically connected and must be addressed comprehensively to create equitable change and a livable future. Women, particularly Indigenous women, play a fundamental part in a community’s ability to sustainably...
The Racist Placement of Power Plants in Pennsylvania: A Mechanism Used to Further Harm Communities of Color
Pollution from power plants significantly affects the health and livelihoods of residents living in close proximity to them. Power plants are proven to have a direct correlation to mortality rates in these communities because their emissions reduce air quality in...
Webinar Recap: Pricing Pollution in Canada
Across the country, passing carbon pollution pricing policies is a challenge, despite there being widespread scientific and economic consensus on the necessity of the policy. But while the U.S. has failed to implement a federal carbon price, Canada has succeeded,...
July 16th Roundup: Hundreds attend Roadmap bill rally
[ Not a subscriber? Sign up here ] BEACON HILL HAPPENINGS - Hundreds attended virtual rally for Meschino Roadmap bill (Tim Cronin): Yesterday (7/15), 266 people joined Representative Meschino and other lawmakers in a ‘virtual rally’ supporting Meschino’s 2050 Roadmap bill. Among those speaking included Representative Pignatelli, the chair...
Houston is Failing its Communities of Color: A History of Redlining and Pollution Siting
There’s a saying that everything’s bigger in Texas. The state itself is massive, second in size to only Alaska. It’s also the second largest state by population, only bested by California. To the detriment of the people living in Texas,...
Connecting Past to Present: Confronting Environmental Racism and Social Injustice in Hawaii
“Hawaii is not a project. It’s our home and we love our home.” This statement made by renowned storyteller and CEO of the Oahu Economic Development Board, Pono Shim, sums up the stewardship mentality deeply rooted in the cultural ideals of...
Our mission is to provide research, education, and advocacy tools to enhance climate resilience within local businesses and communities and to promote carbon pricing and bold leadership on climate change.
