Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)

Hidden in Plain Sight? Why Resilient Buildings Are Critical U.S. Infrastructure

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO) invite you to a briefing on the public/private drive toward resilient buildings –– structures that are located, designed and built (or renovated) to withstand extreme weather, cyberterrorism, and other hazards now and for years to come. Federal, state and local governments, working in partnership with standard-setting and private sector organizations, are responding vigorously to the need for increased resilience. Recent events have demonstrated that whether it’s a medical center in Houston, a military base in Florida, or a university in New Jersey, communities rely on public buildings as a shelter of last resort in a disaster.
This briefing will explore what makes buildings resilient; why resilience is important for multiple policy challenges, including infrastructure modernization, emergency preparedness, disaster response, and research funding; and how public-private sector collaboration in research, worker training and investment partnerships benefit society now and well into the future.

Warning Signs: New Report Outlines the Impacts of Proposed Budget Cuts to Climate and Environmental Research

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Novim Group, in partnership with the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, invites you to a briefing discussing a new report on the environmental and societal impacts of the Administration’s proposed climate and environmental research program cuts for Fiscal Year (FY) 2018. Congress must act on funding the remainder of FY 2018 by March 23. Given that the Administration’s FY 2019 proposed climate and environmental cuts are quite similar to those in the FY2018 budget, the briefing will also highlight the similarities and differences between these two budgets. The briefing's speakers, who helped author the Novim report, will give an overview of its findings and conclusions.

2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

Hosted in coordination with the House and Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses
Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Business Council for Sustainable Energy and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute invite you to attend a lunch briefing on the 2018 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook.
Ethan Zindler, Head of Americas, Bloomberg New Energy Finance, will give an overview presentation of the 2018 Factbook findings.
A moderated panel of industry experts will discuss the findings and policy implications for the energy efficiency, natural gas, and renewable energy sectors.

Building Climate Resilience in the Real Estate Sector

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 3:30 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL) invite you to a briefing to explore the climate risks facing the U.S. real estate sector, as well as policy solutions and innovations to help protect this crucial piece of the American economy. The turbulent 2017 hurricane season has sparked a national dialogue on how future extreme weather events may impact the security of homes, businesses, and other built infrastructure. Given the economic activity and investment tied to the buildings sector, its long-term health will depend on the capacity of public officials, insurance agencies, and property managers to adapt to climate change risks.
Join us for a discussion on ways the public and private sectors can collaborate to develop the policy tools necessary to safeguard America's buildings and homes from future natural disasters.

Lessons in Resilience from America’s Coastal Communities

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the National Association of Regional Councils (NARC) invite you to a briefing to discuss climate/weather risks to America's coastal communities and the types of resilience plans local governments and regional partnerships are developing to safeguard their residents, built assets, and economies. The briefing will explore current and future infrastructure challenges facing public officials and how the federal government fits into the pursuit of these shared development goals.

Transmission Benefits for Consumers and the Economy

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 11:00 AM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
WIRES and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute invite you to a briefing on the widespread, substantial, and long-lasting benefits of investment in electric transmission. The briefing will showcase two London Economics International studies – one study quantifies the future benefits of transmission investment based on two hypothetical projects, the second dispels many of the myths that deter and delay transmission investment. Expanding and upgrading the grid will make it more resilient and deliver increased economic, environmental, and consumer benefits in the billions of dollars over its useful life, according to WIRES. And yet, investment in new regional and interregional electric transmission has been incremental and subject to elaborate and expensive planning and permitting requirements that can easily last a decade.
This panel will discuss why transmission should be a major component of the infrastructure conversation and how the economic and societal benefits from a robust high-voltage grid are so important.

What Came Out of the Latest Global Climate Talks?

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 1:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing about the takeaways from the latest global climate talks, which concluded in Bonn, Germany, on November 18. The 23rd Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) focused on the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, which is slated to start in 2020. The Paris Climate Agreement calls on the world's nations to keep global warming significantly below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) compared to pre-industrial levels. The year 2016 was already 1.2 C warmer than the 1850-1900 baseline.
Every single member of the United Nations is part of the Paris Agreement, but President Trump indicated in June that the United States will withdraw from the agreement in 2020 (the earliest it is legally able to). His decision briefly threw the entire agreement into question, as U.S. participation is deemed essential if the global community is to meet its climate goals. Indeed, the United States is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases, behind only China. Nevertheless, the other 194 signatories of the Agreement are pressing forward.

Can Fuel Efficiency Standards Be Met Cost-Effectively?

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 2:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
To cut petroleum usage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, fuel efficiency standards are set to rise significantly by 2025 under the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) and greenhouse gas (GHG) standards—jointly administered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and EPA. However, the automotive marketplace has changed significantly since the standards were written in 2009. Sustained low gas prices and the growing popularity of trucks and SUVs have led the auto industry to claim that it will be impossible to meet both 2025 and long-term efficiency standards without significant changes to the programs. Fortunately, there is another low-cost pathway available to regulators to preserve strong fuel efficiency standards and improve fuel quality.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing examining how high-octane, low-carbon fuel can enable CAFE compliance. Research suggests that high-octane, low-carbon fuel is the lowest-cost compliance option for both consumers and the automotive industry.

How Can Cities Become More Resilient to Extreme Weather?

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 3:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
Mayors are on the front lines when natural disasters and other catastrophic events threaten lives and property. The National League of Cities (NLC) and the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a briefing about what cities throughout the United States are doing to protect their communities by investing in resilience. Infrastructure dollars are only part of the story. Equally important is funding for planning that accounts for new weather patterns with more severe impacts than we’ve seen in the past and preemptive action to keep people and structures safe and functional. Coordinating land use; updating building codes; and strengthening social networks, lifelines and communications are just a few examples. These investments are resulting in additional community benefits: lower monthly expenses for households, businesses, and the city itself; the protection and restoration of natural resources; and local economic growth and job creation.
The United States is experiencing more heat waves, more heavy downpours, more floods, and more droughts, according to the 2014 National Climate Assessment. Tropical cyclones cause the most damage—more than $580 billion since 1980, followed by droughts ($232 billion), severe storms ($200 billion), and inland flooding ($118 billion). More than 9,600 Americans have lost their lives in the 212 largest weather disasters since 1980. Certainly the enormous disaster in Texas is weighing heavily on the hearts of Americans across the country.
This briefing's speakers will showcase some of the concrete, actionable steps their cities are taking to reduce their vulnerability to extreme weather and the costly and deadly impacts of these events, and share lessons learned.

Protecting America’s Water Amid Growing Threats

Please RSVP to expedite check-in
A live webcast will be streamed at 10:00 AM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast (wireless connection permitting)
The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater, the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), and Clean Water Action invite you to a briefing on federal protection for clean water, which is increasingly under threat from steep proposed EPA budget cuts and recent decisions rescinding key federal rules (including the rules that applied the Clean Water Act to smaller waterways and wetlands or prohibited discharge of coal mining waste into streams). Meanwhile, aging infrastructure, population growth, and climate change—with its droughts and floods—put an ever-increasing strain on America’s waterways and drinking water. This requires increased investment and sharper focus on science-based policy simply to maintain existing water quality—let alone improve it—and protect water resources from systemic failures like the ones experienced in Flint, MI, Newburgh, NY, and many other places across the country. Speakers will discuss impacts of proposed funding cuts and rollbacks in clean water protections on public and environmental health, and how to undo the damage.