Need to Know

COVID-19: IMPACT ON CLIMATE POLICY
The global impact of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is all encompassing; including when it comes to climate policy.  Policymakers at every level are working hard to navigate that impact to ensure that climate action continues no matter what, because it is too crucial not to.  Additionally, others are continually analyzing that impact.  The following are some examples.  

C40: Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force 
Initiated by C40 Mayors, the Global Mayors COVID-19 Recovery Task Force is charged with restoring cities and their economies - all ravaged by the global epidemic - with the focus being on advancing public health, decreasing inequalities, and confronting climate change.  The work of the Task Force will be guided by numerous principles which have been endorsed by mayors from cities worldwide.  A May 7th press release issued by the Task Force calls for not returning to how it was prior to COVID-19 in regard to the climate and climate action.  

COVID-19 Fiscal Recovery Packages and Climate Change
On May 4th, the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment released a working paper analyzing whether or not the COVID-19 Fiscal Recovery Packages affect the progress on climate change.  

Climate Action Helped to Prepare for COVID-19
On the flip-side, according to Washington Governor Jay Inslee, working to combat climate change helped the State of Washington be more prepared for dealing with COVID-19. 

FEDERAL
 - A few weeks ago, a federal court ruled that the Trump Administration's decision to get rid of the regulation put in place by the Obama Administration to reduce the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) was illegitimate. 

 - About $43 billion in clean energy low-interest loans was not disbursed by the Trump Administration as of April 30th.  According to The New York Times, the loans "would aid renewable power, nuclear energy and carbon capture and storage technology."    

 - Numerous different investment groups - including Ceres - released a joint statement on May 4th, calling for the governmental response to COVID-19 to accelerate the progress in combating the climate crisis and be a "green economic recovery."  

 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sent an Aircraft CO2 Rule - Control of Air Pollution From Aircraft and Aircraft Engines: Proposed Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Standards and Test Procedures - to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review on May 1st.  

MULTIPLE STATES
Policymakers at both the local and state levels have continued to push forward clean energy policies regardless of COVID-19. 

 - "States Are Laying a Road Map for Climate Leadership."  Center for American Progress. 

 - "With Most State Capitols Closed, Some States Press Forward on Clean Energy Legislation."  The National Law Review. 

INDIVIDUAL STATES
COLORADO
In 2018, numerous Colorado communities filed a lawsuit against fossil fuel companies, seeking indemnification to help cover the costs of dealing with the escalated effects of climate change that they believe the companies are liable for.  Last Wednesday, the Colorado communities and the oil companies grappled before a U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals (virtually) in regard to whether the federal or state court systems has jurisdiction.  The decision is expected by this coming Fall.    

CALIFORNIA
A California Green New Deal (AB-1839) that was introduced in January, was anticipated to be put on hold this legislative session due to COVID-19, according to an April 30th article by CapRadio.  The legislation was most recently amended on May 4th and May 7th.    

MASSACHUSETTS
A few weeks ago, the Baker-Polito Administration announced a goal of net zero Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions by the year 2050.  The release included a determination letter formally establishing the net zero limit by 2050, and defining what that entails.  

MINNESOTA
On May 5th, Ceres delivered a letter of support (background information) for the Energy Conservation Optimization (ECO) Act that entities from numerous sectors signed onto - including Augsburg University - to the Senate and House leadership of the Minnesota General Assembly.  On April 23rd, ECO passed out of the energy committees for both the House and Senate, and moved to the Senate and House floors for votes.  On Monday, May 11th, ECO passed in the House.  The vote in the Senate is expected to occur in the coming days, before the end of this legislative session.  

NEW HAMPSHIRE
On Earth Day 2020, state lawmakers in New Hampshire stated that they would include renewable energy development as a part of the COVID-19 recovery effort.  

NEW JERSEY
On April 12th, New Jersey Governor Ralph Northam signed the Virginia Clean Economy Act into law.  The law calls for promoting energy efficiency measures, closing old fossil fuel plants, and requires that by 2045, all electricity is to be 100% renewable energy.  

Opportunities to Participate

MICHIGAN
In early March, we informed you of the opportunity to sign-on to a letter Ceres would be sending to Governor Whitmer in support of a potential climate executive order that was anticipated to be issued by the Governor.  Unfortunately, once COVID-19 occurred, that was delayed.  It is now anticipated that the Governor may still issue a climate executive order sometime this summer.  Coinciding with that, we wanted to let you know that there is still time to sign onto this letter.  If you are a Michigan college or university and are interested in signing onto this letter, please email Mel Mackin by Friday, May 29th*, at: mackin@ceres.org. 

*Note: Subject to change based on any new information from the Governor's Office.  

Our monthly policy updates, information, and opportunities to participate, are developed with support from Ceres, which is an organizational partner of Second Nature.  Ceres has identified 15 states plus Washington, D.C. for our primary focus - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. - because of the beneficial legislative climates and real opportunities for policy advancements in these states.  

Note: The states included in each monthly Policy Update will be based on what policy updates we are recommending for that month, and are due to change - but will always be focused on the above 15 states (plus Washington, D.C.) - from month to month.