This year there is already a huge amount happening on the climate policy front, and we want to make sure you are connected to the latest news and opportunities to engage and advocate. So the CC is launching a newsletter to share with you key opportunities and updates on our activities and those of our incredible partners at Ceres, American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC), We Are All In, and more.

We're sending this inaugural mailing to all of our committed companies, but future newsletters will only go to primary and secondary contacts at our policy committed companies. If you aren’t sure if your company is one of the more than 300 companies that have made a commitment to climate policy check the list here. If you want to join your peers in this important work, you can commit here.

Hundreds of Climate Collaborative companies over the past year participated in sign-on letters and online advocacy events that the Collaborative facilitated with our partners. And what a difference it made! The stimulus bill that passed at the end of 2020 was the most significant piece of climate legislation in over a decade with investments in renewables, energy efficiency, and nature-based climate solutions, all of which were policy asks of the Collaborative and its companies. You stepped-up in 2020 and it made a difference. And now with the Biden-Harris administration, there has never been so much momentum or buy-in for climate action in the United States. We have a real opportunity in the next two years to pass critical climate policy that will make our economy stronger, our communities healthier, and put our nation on a path to solving the climate crisis.

This work would not have happened without those who funded it. Huge thank you to Gary and Meg Hirshberg, Eat the Change, and John Foraker, Once Upon a Farm.

If you haven’t already, we hope you will join us for an exciting and critical year ahead!

In community,

Erin

Ceres: Environmental Justice For All Act: Fact Sheet and a related Community Impacts Report

Minnesota (Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.)

• Clean Cars Letter (2/17 Deadline): The letter expresses support for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's rulemaking to accelerate Minnesota's transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles and outlines the various benefits of clean vehicle standards. Please find the links to the sign-on letter and background briefing.
• Energy Conservation & Optimization (ECO) Act Letter (2/2 Deadline): The letter expresses support for the ECO Act (HF 164) which seeks to modernize and expand the state's Conservation Improvement Plan and increase the Energy Efficiency Resource Standard. Please find the background briefing here.

Nevada (Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.)

Clean Cars Letter (2/6 Deadline): The letter expresses support for policies to accelerate Nevada's transition to low- and zero-emission vehicles and outlines the various benefits of clean vehicle standards. Please find links to the sign-on letter and background briefing.

New Hampshire (Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.)

EERS Sign-on letter (2/1 Deadline): Ceres is currently working with New Hampshire Business for Social Responsibility to collect signatures for a sign-on letter supporting the savings targets for electric and natural gas utilities proposed in their recent settlement agreement.

Virginia (Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.)

Virtual Lawmaker Meetings (1/25-2/5): Virginia legislators are considering a number of bills to scale up clean transportation, including adopting Advanced Clean Cars. Join them for a series of virtual meetings with key lawmakers on this topic over the next two weeks!

Washington State: Join a Clean and Prosperous Washington (Contact [email protected] if you are interested in joining.)

We wanted to share an opportunity for you to join a new campaign launched by the Low Carbon Prosperity Institute, a Clean and Prosperous Washington. They are forming a business coalition to support the Climate Commitment Act, Senate Bill 5126, and inviting CC companies with significant WA business to join it. You can find background and contact information below.

Background

Eight years ago, Governor Inslee convened a group of Legislators to evaluate how Washington could address climate change through greenhouse gas reduction policies with a cap-and-trade policy identified as the quickest way to hit targets. But Washington lawmakers did not set a cap then and has still not implemented an economy-wide carbon reduction program. Consequently, Washington’s emissions have grown 8% since 2012, while its neighbor to the south, California, has seen a 6% decrease in emissions.

SB5126 had its initial hearing on Jan 12^th and the substitute bill will be released this Thursday. In addition to LCPI, EDF, TNC, Climate solutions and WCV all testified in favor as did several unions, PSE (major utility), BP and the Washington Roundtable and the Seaport Alliance. Business engagement is critical for the bill to pass and put Washington on track to meet the state's carbon reduction goals. How to get involved:

1. Sign the Climate Commitment Act Declaration
2. Provide written support for Senate Ways and Means Committee (week of 2/8)
3. Provide virtual testimony at Senate Ways and Means Committee (week of 2/8)
4. Help fuel the transition to a low-carbon economy by making a financial contribution.

You can check out a two-page information sheet here and read the declaration here that they are asking companies and organizations to sign here.

Land Core Announces Updated Federal Soil Health Bill Tracker

The Land Core is pleased to announce updates to their Congressional Soil Health Bill Tracker. This tracker highlights bills introduced into U.S. Congress that could have a significant impact on soil health and resilience; potentially creating value, and addressing risks, for agricultural producers, businesses, and communities.

This expanded version of the tracker now features a bill summary, analysis, existing support and cosponsors, links to related materials, and the latest action in Congress for each bill. It is intended to be a robust source of information and potential engagement for the soil health community. Access the bill tracker here!

With a shifting policy landscape and major legislative opportunities on the horizon in the new Biden-Harris Administration, we encourage individuals, farmers, scientists, activists, NGOs and businesses alike to use this tracker to identify and understand existing legislative proposals and opportunities for engagement.

The tracker currently contains bills introduced during the 116th Congress (01/2019-01/2021), organized by “core” and “ancillary” opportunities to advance soil health. The tracker will be updated biweekly, highlighting any new legislation and bills from the previous Congress that are reintroduced into the 117th Congress, as we expect many will be. Many of the major legislative opportunities will come in the form of omnibus bills that are not yet on the tracker.

Webinar Recording: ASBC - Climate Change & Biden's First 100 Days with Gina McCarthy

President-elect Joe Biden has committed his administration to necessary, aggressive action on climate change, with a bold climate strategy highlighted by the appointment of Gina McCarthy as the first-ever head of the Domestic Climate Policy Office. Ms. McCarthy will highlight what we can expect from the incoming administration in the first 100 days as well as President Biden’s longer-term plans for domestic climate policy as it relates to our economy. Watch the recording here!

Gary and Meg Hirshberg

Eat the Change

John Foraker, Once Upon a Farm