Weekly Briefing: Experts Say Permitting Bill Could Cut Climate Pollution Up To 25% By 2050
September 11, 2024
Since the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 was introduced in the Senate in late July, we’ve been eagerly awaiting analysis of its expected climate impacts.
The most respected voices in climate and energy modeling have been hard at work figuring out those impacts: Resources for the Future, Rocky Mountain Institute, Jesse Jenkins from Princeton University’s Zero Lab, and Third Way. (They’re basically the Avengers of climate modeling).
Last week, this expert team released their findings. In every scenario they modeled, these groups found that the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 will reduce climate pollution!
In the most ambitious scenario, the modeling suggests that the Energy Permitting Reform Act could deliver up to a 25% cut in total U.S. climate pollution between 2030 and 2050.
Even in a more modest scenario, CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli says we can estimate that the Energy Permitting Reform Act could deliver “about a 10% cut in total American climate pollution over those two decades. That’s a big deal!”
Dana will help us all dive deeper into the modeling in a training on Thursday, Sept. 12. Tune in to get a sense of just how powerful this permitting reform legislation would be for the climate.
Take action this week
If you have a little time: Share this statistic on social media. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication finds that 72% of Americans believe global warming is happening. That’s an overwhelming majority of people who understand that climate change is real! We turned this encouraging statistic into a graphic that you can like or share on Instagram, Facebook, X, Threads and LinkedIn to keep the climate change conversation going.
If you have more time: Attend CCL’s September monthly meeting. This Saturday at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT, join us on Zoom for our September meeting! We’ll celebrate the incredible accomplishments of our Electrification Month and look ahead to the actions you can take throughout September. See you on Saturday!
Featured chapter: CCL Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley chapter of CCL, located near Allentown, Pennsylvania, has been active and robust for a number of years. “I think we’re probably among the earlier chapters to have been started,” says Carolynn Van Dyke, who co-leads the chapter with Dan O’Brien. “We’re persistent.”
With around 50 active members, the chapter stays busy engaging with community leaders, conducting school outreach initiatives and tabling at local events and garden clubs. One Lehigh Valley volunteer, Jessie Snyder, has put in tremendous effort to get Catholic University Presidents’ endorsements of the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. So far, she has secured over 30 endorsements!
The chapter works hard — but they play hard, too. “We try to have something fun at every meeting,” Carolynn says. They have created a corn-hole game to entice people to their tabling booth. People stop to play and become engaged in conversations about climate change and what they can do about it. So here’s to you, CCL Lehigh Valley, as you plan for the prize of a safer planet!
CCL has nearly 400 chapters across the country. Find your local chapter today and get plugged in.
Find My Chapter Today’s featured chapter story was written by CCL intern Dalton Jackson.
Upcoming trainings
9/12: What Does the Modeling Say About The Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024? - Expert modeling on the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024 was published late last week, showing that the bill could reduce America's climate pollution up to 25% by 2050. Join CCL's Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli to dive into the details. Join us!
9/17: CCL Community Walkthrough - Newer to CCL and excited to make a difference? This training focuses on helping you navigate our websites and find opportunities for harnessing the talents, experience and interests you bring to CCL. Join us!
9/19: Engaging Challenging Conversations About The Energy Permitting Reform Act - Given the wide array of responses the climate advocacy community has had to the introduction of the Energy Permitting Reform Act of 2024, this training will provide volunteers with guidance and an updated resource for responding to questions earnestly and openly. Join us!
To see other topics and past trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.
Nerd Corner Chart of the Week
The Energy Permitting Reform Act will reduce climate pollution
Join the discussion about the modeling of the Energy Permitting Reform Act's impact on emissions.
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