Weekly Briefing: Feb. Monthly Meeting to feature Braver Angels co-founder

Feb. 11, 2026

Feb. Monthly Meeting to feature Braver Angels co-founder

“The forces of polarization that brought us to this crisis moment are not going away soon. We have real work ahead.” That was the key message from William J. Doherty, Ph.D., in a recent newsletter from the organization Braver Angels.

As a therapist, Bill helps people work with powerful emotions. And right now, “Political stress is stirring up two main emotions—fear and outrage,” he explained in his newsletter. “It takes a special form of courage to keep engaging.”

We’re excited to welcome Bill as our guest speaker on CCL’s February meeting this Saturday, Feb. 14, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. His perspective as co-founder of Braver Angels will help us navigate the polarized political environment while staying true to our mission and values.  

For CCL volunteers committed to respectful, nonpartisan climate advocacy, this conversation goes to the core of who we are. We’re always willing to keep talking, and keep listening, in search of common ground — and volunteers are learning to do that better than ever in our new BRIDGE Advocacy Program. Bill’s reflections will remind us about the value of this uncommon approach and encourage us to keep at it.

Join us on Saturday for this timely and deeply relevant conversation. You won’t want to miss it.

RSVP for Saturday's call

In other news this week:

• Geothermal Action Team event: CCL’s Geothermal Action team invites you to an exclusive conversation with Fervo Energy co-founder and CEO Tim Latimer on Thursday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. ET / 1 p.m. PT. In the coming months, Fervo Energy will bring online the first 100 megawatts of its pathbreaking 500-megawatt project—the largest enhanced geothermal power plant in the world. Register now to hear how the Fervo team built on decades of geothermal research and oil-and-gas expertise to achieve breakthroughs that put gigawatts of clean, firm power within immediate reach and accelerate the clean energy transition.
• Carbon Pricing Action Team kickoff: CCL has worked hard to advance carbon pricing since our earliest years. Now, we’ve formed a dedicated Carbon Pricing Action Team where volunteers can discuss the carbon pricing landscape, share carbon pricing news, and explore effective advocacy strategies. The Carbon Pricing Action Team will host its official kickoff meeting Wednesday, Feb. 25 at 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT. Visit the group’s page on CCL Community to learn more and RSVP.

Take action this week

If you have a little time: Drum up excitement for Saturday’s Monthly Meeting. We’re looking forward to an excellent and timely conversation with Bill Doherty, co-founder of Braver Angels. Let’s show up big time to show our appreciation! Invite a friend to Saturday’s call (kicking off at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT) or share CCL’s social media posts about the event on Facebook, X, Bluesky, or LinkedIn. 

If you have more time: Generate local media on permitting reform. In our Action Sheet this month, we’re encouraging volunteers to generate local media on the need for permitting reform. Write an LTE using these talking points or download, customize, and submit our latest permitting reform op-ed template. Reach out to local reporters and share how permitting reform would directly impact your community. Need more details on permitting reform? Watch our new Permitting Reform Training series for more points you could highlight in your local media pieces.

Featured chapter: CCL North Atlanta

The CCL North Atlanta chapter wrapped up the year with a joyful holiday potluck—and a meaningful surprise. At the party, the chapter presented longtime volunteer John Shackleton with a special award honoring nearly eight years of behind-the-scenes climate leadership.

“For about eight years, John sent out an email nearly every day identifying articles in the Atlanta Journal Constitution (AJC) that dealt with climate change and therefore could be the basis for an LTE,” said chapter leader Jerry Tokars. “ He did this even when on vacation or out of town.”

John’s work helped sustain one of the Georgia CCL chapters' most impactful advocacy tools. "Atlanta is the news hub of Georgia,” said state co-coordinator Henry Slack. “People around the state read the Atlanta papers to find out what's going on.”

In addition to the plaque presentation, the chapter’s celebration featured great potluck-style food, a basket of small gifts, and end-of-year reflections from chapter members and leadership.

Shout out to North Atlanta for taking the time to recognize such an impressive individual contribution. (And thank you to North Atlanta chapter leader Jerry Tokars for taking up the mantle and continuing to send out the LTE-inspiration email!)

CCL has over 350 chapters across the country. Find your local chapter today and get plugged in.

Upcoming trainings

2/12: Election Season Activities - Since 2026 is a midterm election year, attend  this training to review CCL's advice on engaging candidates and members of Congress effectively during campaign season and public events.We’ll cover how to stay proudly nonpartisan while encouraging science-based climate ambition and documenting outreach to strengthen long-term advocacy. Join us!

2/19: CCL’s Mission & Policy Commitments - Join CCL Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Flannery Winchester, for a deep dive into CCL’s recently updated mission statement and new policy commitments. These will be presented during CCL’s February meeting and are available in an updated version of CCL’s 2026 Strategic Plan. This training will give you a chance to ask questions and practice using these ideas in outreach conversations. Join us!

2/26: The Six Moral Foundations: Understanding Others by Understanding Yourself - This training will take a deeper dive into CCL's BRIDGE Training #2 and explore how Moral Foundations Theory helps us better understand the values that shape how people interpret climate solutions and public policy. We’ll cover why people can care deeply about the same world—but prioritize different values and practice noticing which moral values may be shaping a conversation and learn how to communicate in ways that resonate across political and cultural differences. Come ready to reflect, practice, and expand your toolkit for engaging across differences. Join us!

To see other events and CCL trainings, visit the Training Topics page of CCL Community.