Need to Know

GLOBAL: COP26
The central goal of COP26 was to put the world on a pathway to limit warming to 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels, and while it’s unclear if that will happen, several takeaways from the conference should be celebrated. For example, in an unprecedented move, the final text of the Glasgow Climate Pact called for a “phase down” of unabated coal use and a “phaseout” of inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. Additionally, countries are required to put forth ambitious new climate programs in the next year, and hundreds pledged to reduce methane emissions and end deforestation by 2030. More . . .
Why This Matters: For higher education institutions following the negotiations, it’s likely been difficult to discern if the conference was ultimately a success or a failure. The answer is somewhere in the middle, but it’s critical that colleges and universities recognize and disseminate what was accomplished, from an unprecedented agreement between the US and China to collaborate on climate issues, and massive commitments by the private sector to spearhead a clean energy transition.

FEDERAL
The Build Back Better Act (BBBA) is the most important piece of climate legislation in recent years, including $555 billion federal clean energy investments. The bill has passed the House of Representatives, but awaits a vote in the US Senate later this month. More . . .
Why This Matters: The new tools announced by the federal government could easily be incorporated into higher education curriculum.

The US released its first-ever comprehensive Aviation Climate Action Plan to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. More . . .
Why This Matters: Aviation is a hard to abate sector, and higher education has a critical role to play in the research and development of new technologies. Key initiatives in the plan include increasing production of sustainable aviation fuels and developing new aircraft technologies.

President Biden’s infrastructure plan has $50 million for climate resilience, and will help the country prepare for future climate disasters. More . . .
Why This Matters: Projects that have remained unfunded for years can now be implemented. Institutions can apply for resilience funding here.

The White House has sent the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol — the treaty to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) — to the US Senate for its advice and consent to US ratification. More . . .
Why This Matters: Businesses and higher education institutions alike have long been calling for a global phase down of HFCs, so Biden’s move signals a critical step in this direction.

MULTIPLE STATES
A multi-state agreement originally composed of 13 states working together to develop a cap-and-trade plan to limit transportation-sector emissions has collapsed. Last month, the last three states still committed to the program — Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island — withdrew. More . . .
Why This Matters: TCI was widely supported by businesses and colleges/universities. Dozens of higher education institutions from across the region previously signaled their support for this policy. With the failure of this initiative, states will have to go back to the drawing board to assess ways to decarbonize transportation, their highest-emitting sector.

INDIVIDUAL STATES
ALABAMA
The Department of Justice announced it will investigate wastewater management and infection disease programs managed by the Alabama Department of Public Health in order to explore whether the state has discriminated against Black residents. More . . .
Why This Matters: This is a first-of-its-kind suit, and more could follow in other states. Higher education has an important role to play in such investigation, such as incorporating lawsuit findings into its environmental curriculum and policies.

CALIFORNIA
California lawmakers announced last week that they plan to introduce legislation to integrate climate change into the state’s education system. As it currently stands, New Jersey is the only US state requiring climate education in all subject areas. More . . .
Why This Matters: The California legislators attended COP26, learning that countries like Italy and New Zealand already require every grade in its public school system to study climate change. It’s likely other states will follow suit in mandating climate change literacy, signaling that colleges/universities who require climate change education will be ahead of the curb.

OHIO
An Ohio energy efficiency bill that would provide consumer rebates on things like efficient appliances and smart thermostats unanimously passed a State House committee last week. More . . .
Why This Matters: The basic idea behind energy efficiency programs is to use ratepayer money to pay utilities to sell less net electricity, which will financially benefit higher education institutions.

PENNSYLVANIA State House and Senate Republican Leadership has been pushing back on Pennsylvania’s Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) membership, with both chambers working to pass disapproval resolutions. More . . .
Why This Matters: While Governor Wolf has expressed he will veto the resolution should it end up on his desk, it’s critical that institutions in PA tell their lawmakers why they support the electric-sector cap-and-trade program. If you’re interested in engaging on this issue further, respond to this email to let us know and we will work with you to make such advocacy as easy as possible.

Did You Know?

A recent report has found that if current renewable energy growth rates continue, wind, solar and geothermal would meet the current electricity demand levels by 2035. More . . .
Why This Matters: The report signals that if institutions are not electrifying their buildings, moving away from gas-powered electricity, and transitioning to electric fleets, they are falling behind.

California and Texas top the list of states with the most solar power capacity, with Florida, North Carolina, and Arizona rounding out the top five. More . . .
Why This Matters: Solar capacity does not fall along partisan lines; we encourage you to check out where your state falls, and explore solar incentive opportunities in your state here.

Sources:
Carbon Brief Staff. (2021, November 15). COP26: Key Outcomes Agreed at the UN Climate Talks. NPR. Carbon Brief. URL.

Caruso, S. (2021, December 6). PA's carbon fee for power plants is ready to be enacted, but legislative agency says it can't yet. Pennsylvania Capital Star. URL.

Ceres Staff. (2019, February 14). Companies and higher education institutions call for a global phase down of 'super pollutant' hydrofluorocarbons. Ceres. URL.

Ceres Staff. (2021). Transportation and Climate Initiative Program. Ceres. (TCI-P). URL.

David Cortese Press Release. (2021, November 30). Following COP26, Assemblymembers Rivas, Calderon, Ward, and Senator Cortese Commit to Introduce Legislation on Climate Change Education. URL.

Federal Aviation Administration. (2021, November 9). Aviation Climate Action Plan. URL.

Federal Aviation Administration. (2021, November 9). U.S. Releases First-Ever Aviation Climate Action Plan to Achieve Net Zero Emissions by 2050. URL.

Gout, E., Majumder, B., Reta, M., Richards, R., Williams, M., Baker-Branstett, S., Higgins, T. (2021, November 18). Congress Must Pass the Build Back Better Act to Combat Climate Change. American Progress. URL.

Mahoney, A. (2021, November 10). In a first, the Justice Department will investigate whether Alabama's sewage crisis violates civil rights. Grist. URL.

Nilsen, E. (2021, November 16). How Biden's infrastructure funding will help the US prepare for future climate disasters. CNN. URL.

Olano, M., Wesoff, E. (2021, December 3). Chart: The top 10 solar states include some unexpected contenders. Canary Media. URL.

Root, R. (2021, November 9). Renewable energy in the U.S. nearly quadrupled in the past decade, report finds. Washington Post. URL.

Storrow, B. (2021, November 22). Northeast states abandon cap-and-trade plan for cars. URL.

Theodoridi, C. (2021, November 16). Senate to Consider Kigali Amendment Ratification. NRDC. URL.

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. (2021, November 8). Funding Opportunities. U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit. URL.

Zuckerman, J. (2021, November 23). House committee passes ratepayer-funded energy efficiency proposal. Ohio Capital Journal. URL.

The states and updates included in each Monthly Policy Update are based on what we are recommending for reading for that month, due to what we view as being directly relevant to higher education. From month to month, the states focused on are due to change.

Do you have feedback on our Monthly Policy Updates (what you like, what you would like to see improved, etc)? Please email us: policyteam@secondnature.org.

Note: 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 the following states plus Washington, D.C. for primary focus - Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, 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. Our Policy Updates may, or may not, include these states (and Washington, D.C.).

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