Purpose
We are the Yolo County Chapter of Citizens' Climate Lobby, working together with other CCL chapters and climate advocates throughout the U.S. and world to pass economically practical legislation for solving the problem of greenhouse gas induced global warming. See our latest newsletter here.
Climate restoration presentation
We had a total of 76 people (including 10 via Zoom) attend the Climate Restoration Presentation in Davis. There was plenty of good information, good Q&A, and networking. Thanks to all who attended and to Peter Fiekowsky for his presentation. For a transcript of the event, click here.
For more information on the potential and the research needs for ocean biotic climate restoration, see this link at the National Academy of Sciences. Here is their summary:
"Among the biotic approaches, research on ocean iron fertilization and seaweed cultivation offer the greatest opportunities for evaluating the viability of possible biotic ocean CDR approaches; research on the potential CDR and sequestration permanence for ecosystem recovery would also be beneficial in the context of ongoing marine conservation efforts. "
Infrastructure Permitting Reform Moving to Center Stage
In case you missed it C2ES announced their Reaching for 2030: Climate and Energy Policy Priorities. The video of the event is worth a watch for Reps. Marionette Miller-Meeks R (IA-2) and Scott Peters D (CA-52).
See Rep. Peter’s excellent POWER ON Act. NEPA is a 70's era law designed to stop projects and, in its current form, continues to fulfill its role by stopping us from building our way to a clean energy future. For those looking for the ideas that will supercharge the clean energy transition, permitting reform is it.
CCL Conservative Climate Conference Gets Attention
CCL's Conservative Climate Conference on March 28, 29 had an excellent lineup of speakers, great networking, lobbying members of Congress, and a nice awards reception at Congress. A number of Republican members of Congress are starting to step forward on the climate issue. Yolo CCL's Rob Beggs participated. See the NBC news article on the conference here.
2023 - Growing Climate Solutions Act Passes, Signed into Law
President Biden on Thursday signed H.R. 2617, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023, making consolidated appropriations for the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2023, and for providing emergency assistance for the situation in Ukraine, and for other purposes.
Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Va., noted that the act includes the Growing Climate Solutions Act that she and Rep. Don Bacon, R-Va., introduced in the House. Spanberger said that the Growing Climate Solutions Act will create a registration program at the Agriculture Department for those involved in carbon credit markets. “By providing greater transparency and USDA oversight of these markets, this law will help reduce technical entry barriers that prevent farmer and forest landowner participation in carbon credit markets,” Spanberger said.
CCL has been actively lobbying for the Growing Climate Solutions Act for the last couple years and is thrilled to see it become enacted.
Yolo CCL attends Congressman Thompson's Woodland office opening
Yolo CCL members met with Woodland office staff, Congressman Thompson, and many local friends at the Woodland office opening.
Yolo CCL Leaders Meet with Congressman Mike Thompson
Congressman Mike Thompson and aide Lucy Brazil met with Yolo CCL leaders in Davis on October 26. We thanked him for his authoring of the Green Act, which ended up being 85% of the climate actions included in the Inflation Reduction Act. We had an excellent discussion of the current political scene and the potential for climate legislation in 2023, including carbon border adjustments, permitting reform for green infrastructure, and defending the climate provisions of the IRA.
Major Climate Legislation Passes Senate and House!
From CCL National:
August 12, 2022 – Today, the U.S. House passed the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, putting the U.S. on a path to at least 40% emissions reduction by 2030. House passage comes less than a week after the legislation passed the U.S. Senate, meaning the bill has now cleared all legislative hurdles and is on its way to President Biden’s desk to be signed into law.
CCL is thrilled to see, for the first time, the U.S. Congress taking action that reflects the scale of the climate problem. Our organization’s grassroots energy helped keep climate change on the agenda for congressional action throughout months of an uncertain reconciliation process. Our supporters generated more than 200,000 calls and emails to Congress since last July, urging lawmakers to be as ambitious as possible with their climate action. We’re proud to be part of the robust climate movement that helped this day arrive.
Woodland City Council Passes Climate Safe California Endorsement
Our thanks to the Woodland City Council for passing a resolution to endorse the Climate Safe California Platform, which was supported by Yolo CCL and other local groups.
American Petroleum Institute proposes a carbon price
The American Petroleum Institute (API), the country’s largest trade association for the oil and gas industry, has drafted a proposal urging Congress to adopt a carbon fee with rebates to Americans. They propose using the revenue for rebates to households and investments in new technology, and they call for border tariffs to keep U.S. businesses competitive. If this policy sounds familiar, it should: it’s similar to the policy that Citizens’ Climate Lobby has supported for years.
The turnaround at the API, U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Business Roundtable, and other organizations is amazing. Once some of the other front page issues settle down, there is a good chance of getting enduring action on climate.
SUPPORT THE REELECTION OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS COMMITTED TO CLIMATE ACTION
See the new Bipartisan Climate Action Fund (formerly Americans for Action on Climate Fund) here:
A price on carbon is the single most powerful tool available to reduce carbon emissions (click on the image)...
What we do
Yolo CCL has been spreading the good news about a nonpartisan approach to global warming that can do the heavy lifting, be effective internationally, and actually improve the economy. We lobby members of Congress and provide public outreach. We table at numerous community events, present to local groups, and hold meetings with Congressman Garamendi and other members of Congress and their aides on advancing climate legislation. We work with other climate advocacy groups on moving solutions forward at all levels.
LINKS
Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act
Arctic Sea Ice Extents - New lows for several months in 2020
Just good science, please - Skeptical Science
Global Weirding - Katharine Hayhoe YouTube channel
Broad bipartisan support for action - Climate Leadership Council
Yolo County Sustainability Plan
Articles by John Mott-Smith, Yolo Climate Compact Leader
Contact Us: terry.a.beggs@gmail.com