Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)

Living with Climate Change: The Polar Vortex

A live webcast will be streamed at 12:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series on strategies, policies, and programs preparing communities around the country for four major climate threats: polar vortices, sea level rise, wildfires, and extreme heat. Experts and practitioners will highlight the unique challenges these climate threats present along with strategies to overcome them.
The polar vortex is an area of low-pressure, frigid air that usually exists around the North Pole. The polar vortex is held in place by the Earth’s rotation and temperature differences between the Arctic and mid-latitudes. Changes in temperature differences can make the polar vortex expand to more southern latitudes. While this phenomenon occurs naturally, climate change is expected to impact the frequency and severity of polar vortex events. Communities must consider adaptation strategies to avoid blackouts and improve overall home energy efficiency, as loss of power when temperatures are so low can become deadly—246 people died during the Texas polar vortex freeze in 2021, many from hypothermia.
Panelists will discuss the science behind the polar vortex and how the energy grid and other critical infrastructure can be made resilient to this threat.

Justice40

A live webcast will be streamed at 1:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to join us for a briefing about the Justice40 Initiative and how it can deliver benefits to frontline communities.
In January 2021, President Biden signed Executive Order 14008 on Tackling the Climate Crisis at Home and Abroad. The executive order launched a new initiative, Justice40, which aims to target 40 percent of the benefits from specific federal investments—such as those for clean energy, energy efficiency, and water infrastructure—to “disadvantaged communities.” Justice40 is a critical part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s goal of advancing environmental justice, but efforts must be made to ensure communities see maximum benefits from the initiative. To inform the Justice40 Initiative, the Council on Environmental Quality recently launched a Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool.
During this briefing, experts will discuss the transformative potential of Justice40 as well as the current status of the initiative. Panelists will describe the wide range of benefits frontline communities could realize from fair and just implementation of the initiative.
Introductory remarks from Representative Donald McEachin (D-Virginia).

Building a Durable National Framework for Large Landscape Conservation

A live webcast will be streamed at 10:30 AM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast

Agencies in Action
Federal Programs That Deliver Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits Every Day



Find out more about the briefings in this series below:



Feb 08
Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America


Feb 24
Energy Efficiency Means Business


Mar 18
Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies


Mar 29
Building a Durable National Framework for Large Landscape Conservation

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners will discuss how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covers federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation at landscape scales.
The final briefing in the series will focus on landscape conservation. Ecosystems often span county, state, tribal, and national borders. Wide swaths of area must be managed across jurisdictions and in collaboration with stakeholders on the ground to maximize social and environmental benefits, including ecosystem services such as water filtration and carbon sequestration. Furthermore, networks of intact and connected core habitats, working lands, and open space facilitate the migration of species, which is especially important for allowing animals to adapt to climate and land use changes, as well as for reducing human-wildlife conflict and wildlife-vehicle collisions.
Panelists will dive into the benefits of coordinating conservation efforts at the scale of large landscapes and showcase opportunities to advance an inclusive and durable national framework for landscape conservation.

Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies

A live webcast will be streamed at 1:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast

Agencies in Action
Federal Programs That Deliver Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits Every Day



Find out more about the briefings in this series below:



Feb 08
Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America


Feb 24
Energy Efficiency Means Business


Mar 18
Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies


Mar 29
Building a Durable National Framework for Large Landscape Conservation

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners will discuss how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covers federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation at landscape scales.
The third briefing in the series will cover climate adaptation programs. As climate change continues to impact communities and ecosystems across the country, federal programs that focus on adaptation are playing a key role in helping communities prepare for and stay safe from the impacts of our changing climate. Panelists will discuss adaptation-focused federal programs administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Army Corps of Engineers, and other agencies, and why these programs are important for districts across the country.
Introductory remarks from Representative Scott Peters (D-Calif.).

2022 Sustainable Energy in America Factbook

A live webcast will be streamed at 01:00 PM EDT at www.eesi.org/livecast
Hosted in coordination with the
House and Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses
Sponsored by:
Business Council for Sustainable Energy and Environmental and Energy Study Institute
The tenth edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, published by BloombergNEF (BNEF) and the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE), was released on March 3, 2022, and is available to download from the BCSE website at bcse.org/factbook. The Factbook provides updates on industry information and trends for the U.S. energy sector, with an in-depth look at the energy efficiency, renewable energy, and natural gas sectors, as well as emerging areas such as digitalization, micro-grids, offshore wind, hydrogen, and renewable natural gas.

Energy Efficiency Means Business 2022

A live webcast will be streamed at 03:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners will discuss how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covers federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation.
The second briefing in the series will cover federal energy efficiency programs administered by the U.S. Department of Energy that support millions of jobs and deliver direct, meaningful savings to homeowners, consumers, and businesses—all while reducing the stresses and strains on the U.S. energy system.
Energy efficiency also improves the sustainability and resilience of communities and contributes to near-term reductions in pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Panelists will discuss how all these benefits play out on the ground from the state, private sector, and federal agency perspectives.

Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America

A live webcast will be streamed at 02:00 PM EST at www.eesi.org/livecast.

Agencies in Action
Federal Programs That Deliver Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Benefits Every Day



Find out more about the briefings in this series below:



Feb 08
Financing Inclusive Clean Energy Investments in Rural America


Feb 24
Energy Efficiency Means Business


Mar 18
Climate Adaptation Programs across Agencies


Mar 29
Building a Durable National Framework for Large Landscape Conservation

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing series on federal programs that currently deliver a host of climate, environmental, economic, and social benefits nationwide. Experts and practitioners will discuss how these programs are working on-the-ground to deliver value to constituents across geographies, in both urban and rural settings. The series covers federal programs in climate financing, energy efficiency, climate adaptation, and conservation.
The first briefing in the series will feature the Rural Energy Savings Program (RESP), which provides rural electric cooperatives, other rural utilities, credit unions, and green banks with zero-percent loans to launch or expand energy efficiency, beneficial electrification, and renewable energy on-bill financing programs.
RESP was authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and launched by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) in 2016. To date, RESP has made loans worth more than $180 million to 30 utilities in 17 states. Panelists will discuss the importance of RESP in helping rural communities transform how they finance clean energy and advance equity.

Innovation as Climate Action: Advances in Weather Forecasting

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on federal policies and programs supporting innovation in weather forecasting, an essential capability to help communities prepare for and adapt to extreme weather.
Weather forecasts rely on a wide array of technologies both on-the-ground and in space: satellites to observe the atmosphere, land and oceans; powerful computers to run forecasting models; and decision-support tools to interpret and convert forecasts into actionable information. Innovation across these areas can improve the accuracy and actionability of weather forecasts, saving crucial response time.
During this briefing, experts will discuss the policies and programs that guide public-private partnerships, emerging weather forecasting technologies, and new business models enabling the government to more effectively tap into private-sector innovation across the weather forecasting value chain.

Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste

Our live webcasts will be streamed at www.eesi.org/livecast

Reduce and Reuse:
How to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Building Materials, Plastics, and Food



Find out more about the briefings in this series below:



Dec 08
Building Materials: From Production to Reuse


Dec 09
The Climate Consequences of Plastics


Dec 10
Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to join us for a briefing series about the climate impacts of producing building materials, plastics, and food. Panelists will explain the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discuss solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale.
While composting is a solution for downstream food waste management, upstream reduction of food waste and food waste diversion can be the first steps to reduce emissions and resources unnecessarily used across the sector. Panelists will discuss some strategies available to policymakers that could bolster food waste reduction and diversion efforts.

The Climate Consequences of Plastics

Our live webcasts will be streamed at www.eesi.org/livecast

Reduce and Reuse:
How to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Building Materials, Plastics, and Foo



Find out more about the briefings in this series below:



Dec 08
Building Materials: From Production to Reuse


Dec 09
The Climate Consequences of Plastics


Dec 10
Reducing Emissions by Reducing Food Waste

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to join us for a briefing series about the climate impacts of producing building materials, plastics, and food. Panelists will explain the upstream greenhouse gas emissions generated from the production of these materials and discuss solutions designed to reduce those emissions at scale.
Plastic production is expected to account for an increasing portion of global oil consumption and its resulting greenhouse gas emissions as plastics become more ubiquitous worldwide. Panelists will discuss findings from Beyond Plastics’ new report, The New Coal: Plastics and Climate Change; how emissions associated with plastic production affect communities across the country; and potential policy solutions.