I wanted to share a quick policy update with you. As the year draws to a close, the likelihood of a one-year extension to the Farm Bill is increasing. In the House, the release of the Farm Bill draft is pending the Speaker's scheduling of legislative discussions, which was delayed during the process of selecting the new Speaker, Mike Johnson (R-LA). Speaker Johnson hopes to allocate floor time for the Farm Bill in December, contingent on Congress's ability to pass a stop-gap measure for FY24 spending bills. Meanwhile, in the Senate, partisan divisions on key issues persist, delaying the release of the Farm Bill draft.
One of the most significant points of contention between Democrats and Republicans is the allocation of funds designated for climate-smart agriculture and climate change mitigation from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. Democrats advocate for keeping these funds within the Conservation title, earmarked for climate mitigation, while others propose using a portion of funds more broadly within the conservation title or for other priorities, such as commodity support, research, or risk management.
In state news, California's Governor Newsom recently signed an important climate disclosure bill into law! The Climate Corporate Data Accountability Act (SB 253) requires the state board to develop and adopt regulations requiring specified partnerships, corporations, limited liability companies, and other business entities with total annual revenues in excess of $1 billion and that do business in California to publicly disclose to their scope 1 and scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions to the newly created emissions reporting organization. Learn more about the bill, including the timing for implementation, here. Our partners at Ceres are hosting a webinar on October 31st to help companies better understand the implications. You can find more information below.
Lastly, our friends at the Organic Farming Research Foundation are asking companies to contact their congressional representatives to express their support for the Strengthening Organic Agricultural Research (SOAR) Act in the House and the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act in the Senate. We've included two toolkits below with a template email you can use to contact your congressional representatives.
We thank you for your ongoing involvement and advocacy in this important piece of legislation and will continue to share timely calls to action as they arise in the coming months.
In collaboration,
Courtney
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Courtney Pineau
Executive Director
Climate Collaborative
RESOURCES |
Webinar Invite: Level Up Your Climate Strategy With the Climate Action and Innovation Matrix
November 2nd, 1 PM EST // 12 PM CST // 11 AM MST // 10 AM PST
Whether you are ready to go deeper with your climate work or are unclear on what the right climate action path is for your company, this webinar will help you identify a pathway that is aligned with your business strategy and brand ethos. This session will be informed by the Climate Action & Innovation Matrix, a tool created by the Climate Collaborative and Planet FWD, to help you seamlessly integrate business strategy, brand ethos, and climate action.
Regenerative and Organic Transition Community of Practice
There are still a handful of seats in our Organic and Regenerative Transition Community of Practice (CoP). This year-long cohort, launching in November 30th, is designed to meet the unique needs of CPGs and the supplier community. Participants will benefit from expert-led sessions and consults, peer-to-peer learning, and opportunities to work together in pre-competitive collaboration to solve many of the trickiest challenges facing CPGs with an organic climate-smart agriculture commitment.
Space is limited!
Get Your Bespoke Resource Report With The Climate Action Connector
The Climate Action Connector is your connection tool in the expansive world of climate partnerships and resources. Let us help you identify pre-competitive partners, solutions
providers, and tools that will support every aspect of your climate work.
Two New Accelerators Launching in 2024! The Retailer Climate Action Accelerator & The Climate Communications Accelerator
With 2024 right around the corner, we're thrilled to unveil not one, but two brand-new accelerators to meet the needs of our community. Use the links below to be kept in the loop on these accelerators and to help inform our design.
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Retailer Climate Action Accelerator: In response to numerous requests from our community, we are launching an accelerator designed for the unique needs of grocery retailers. We'll address key climate issues in the retail sector, such as packaging, food waste, refrigerants, energy, consumer engagement, and more. Unlike webinars, these sessions will be hands-on, providing ample time to work through the questions and challenges you are facing in your work.
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The Climate Communications Accelerator: From labels to romance copy, this accelerator will support your organization in articulating your climate story in a way that is authentic, defensible, and resonates with shoppers. Let us help you bridge the gap between your measurement, reporting, verification (MRV) efforts and communications.
What is an accelerator? In the context of the Climate Collaborative’s work, an accelerator is a program designed to tangibly expedite your climate work. These programs will last several months and will connect you with a network of peers, industry experts, and resources in a multidimensional format where you will build solutions to your thorniest issues.
Service Provider Membership
The Climate Collaborative recognizes the pivotal role service providers play within climate work, particularly in facilitating accelerated climate action for grocery CPGs and retailers. Our service provider partners offer deep sector knowledge and operational capabilities, enabling businesses to implement effective and efficient climate strategies, ultimately optimizing supply chains, reducing costs, and minimizing environmental impact. By bridging knowledge gaps and providing actionable insights, service providers are instrumental in ensuring that businesses stay at the forefront of sustainability efforts and achieve measurable results.
PARTNER RESOURCES |
Partner Webinar: A Guide For Businesses - California's New Climate Disclosure Legislation
October 31st: 3 PM EST // 2 PM CST // 1 PM MST // 12 PM PST
California Governor Gavin Newsome has signed two landmark climate disclosure bills into law, SB 253 and SB 261. These bills will require thousands of public and private companies that do business in the state to report all greenhouse gas emissions and climate-related financial risks. Join California state Senators Scott Wiener (SB 253) and Henry Stern (SB 261), and our Ceres experts for a robust discussion on what comes next in California and what these new laws mean for your company.
Partner Webinar: The Business Case for Fleet Electrification
November 8th: 3 PM EST // 2 PM CST // 1 PM MST // 12 PM PST
It's common knowledge that electric cars and trucks have lower greenhouse gas emissions than gas or diesel, but did you know that many businesses can save money by operating an electric fleet? Join experts from the Electrification Coalition for an in-depth look at why electric fleets make good business sense, which types of vehicles and routes are best suited for ZEVs, and how your business, non-profit or government agency can cost-effectively make the transition to a zero-emissions fleet.
Partner Ask: Share Your Support of the SOAR and OSRI Acts
Earlier this year, we shared a sign-on opportunity from our friends at the Organic Farming Research Foundation (OFRF) to support the Strengthening Organic Agricultural Research (SOAR) Act in the House and the Organic Science and Research Investment (OSRI) Act in the Senate. Many of you signed on to share your support. It is uncertain as to when the Farm Bill will pass, but in the meantime, OFRF is asking companies to support these marker bills by reaching out to your congressional representatives. In the toolkits below, you'll find additional information, updates, and a template email you can use to let your representatives know you support these marker bills.
GreenBiz 24
Elevate your company’s sustainability efforts by participating in GreenBiz 24 (Feb. 12-14, Phoenix, AZ), the premier event for sustainable business leaders seeking hands-on, tangible solutions. Join this growing community of more than 2,500 professionals to gain fresh insights from peers, trailblazers and unexpected voices in decarbonization, supply chains, biodiversity and much more – so you can continue to accelerate your impact and your career.
IN THE NEWS |
Global Shift to Clean Energy Means Fossil Fuel Demand Will Peak Soon, IEA Says
Demand for climate-warming fuels like coal, oil and natural gas will likely peak before 2030, evidence of the accelerating global shift to energy that doesn't emit greenhouse gasses, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA)'s World Energy Outlook.
Companies Are Slowly Realizing Their Banks Are Adding to Their Carbon Emissions
Palo Alto Networks, Burton Snowboards, Lush Cosmetics, and Seventh Generation are scrutinizing the impact financial services have on their climate goals. The "financial supply chain" includes bank accounts, credit card service providers and retirement funds.
Share Your Good News With Us!
In this new section of our newsletter, we want to share out climate-related progress, announcements, and good news from our community in action. Send us an email at [email protected] to contribute to next month's section.
COMMIT TO CLIMATE ACTION |
If you haven't already made a commitment to Climate Action please visit the Climate Collaborative website and check out the nine areas in which your company can make a commitment to bold climate action.
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