Citizens' Climate Lobby

As we head into 2024, what questions do you have about the clean energy transition? Join superstar researcher Dr. Jesse Jenkins, lead author of the Net Zero America study and Princeton Assistant Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, for an Ask Me Anything to present his ground-breaking climate research with Princeton's ZERO lab and field your questions!

Dr. Jenkins’s work: https://mae.princeton.edu/people/faculty/jenkins  

In 2024, CCL wants more climate voters to vote, and we want climate to be a key issue for every candidate in every election. Join CCL's Vice President of Organizational Strategy Tony Sirna and CCL group leader Debbie Change for a training that will discuss options for CCLers to engage during the 2024 elections locally and nationally including the many events and outreach opportunities with CCL's Election Engagement Action Team: https://cclusa.org/election-engagement 

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• (0:00) Intro & Agenda

(2:54) Why is CCL Engaging? 

(7:17) Why are primaries important?

(10:24) Public Voter Outreach

(25:05) Getting CCLers to Vote

(30:27) Candidate Engagement

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/election-engagement-slides

Keynote speaker Van Jones, author and CNN commentator shares his thoughts on bipartisanship, grassroots advocacy, and building coalitions.

Mark Reynolds

Executive Director, CCL/CCE

Van Jones

CNN Commentator, Author and Social Entrepreneur

To start off 2024, Join Communications Senior Director Flannery Winchester to find out about CCL's Legislative Roadmap and Chapter Planning Action! Flannery trains and supports volunteers to publish written pieces in local media, appear on TV and radio. She also pitches national media, manages and edits the CCL blog, and keeps our volunteers informed and inspired through social media and regular newsletters. Flannery came to CCL after content and marketing roles at an email marketing agency, an international software company, and a local women’s magazine in Atlanta. Flannery will be providing an update on CCL's 2024 strategic policy-based initiatives and plans followed by chapter action planning, presented by CCL Vice President of Programs Brett Cease.

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January Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet 

Looking for what actions your chapter can take to help CCL advance climate policy this year? Join Todd Elvins, CCL's National Actions Director for a training that provides a process for developing an effective chapter action plan for your year ahead. Start by asking everyone to reflect on what their own center of climate advocacy. Then use the plan to take all of your volunteer's interests and apply them to CCL's core areas of focus for the year ahead with our template to create your Chapter Action Plan.

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Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/chapter-action-slides 

Senate Republicans in November introduced the Foreign Pollution Fee Act to impose a carbon tariff on certain imported goods. Congressional Democrats followed this with a December introduction of the Clean Competition Act to establish a similar carbon border adjustment mechanism. Join CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli for a training that will compare these bills and the FAIR Transition and Competition Act border carbon adjustment bill that Congressional Democrats previously introduced, and discuss the prospects for bipartisan agreement on pricing carbon pollution in products crossing US borders.

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• (0:00) Intro & agenda

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/carbon-tariff-slides 

In this episode we celebrate some of the good news the CCR Team have found for you Lily Russian, Karina Taylee, Horace Mo, and Peterson will each share with you good news stories about what is happening in the climate change sphere. You will also hear good news about what you can expect from our show in 2024. Did someone say True Crime Climate mini series??

For full show notes and transcript, visit cclusa.org/radio

Lily is a junior at Trinity College in Hartford Connecticut, studying Political Science and Environmental Science. Karina is from Miami Florida and started volunteering for CCL in 2021. before becoming an intern this fall. She has just finished her graduate studies. And Horace is a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, has returned to his home in Chongqing, China.

From Coal Power to Green Energy

Coal mines are bad for the environment. At least that is what we have always heard. Well, Lily tells us about a revolutionary project in Gateshead, England which shows the remarkable potential of using abandoned mines to reduce carbon emissions. Lily says “the ground-breaking project uses the warm water from  the tunnels to heat hundreds of homes and businesses in the former coalfield community.” 

In this episode, you will learn more about this first-of-its-kind initiative that demonstrates the potential of harnessing the Earth's natural heat stored in flooded mines to create clean, renewable energy. If you want to dig deeper, check out this article. 

High Seas High Hopes: Treaty Aims to Protect Two-Thirds of Our Unprotected Ocean

If you’re passionate about protecting our oceans, Karina has some good news for you! Deep beneath the waves, a silent struggle unfolds. The high seas, which cover two-thirds of the world’s oceans, remain unprotected, vulnerable to human activity. 

A beacon of hope shines in the form of the High Seas Treaty, currently navigating its way through international ratification. This historic agreement aims to establish marine protected areas, safeguarding vast regions from damaging activities like oil drilling.

“These regions will be kind of like gigantic National Parks, but in the ocean.” - Karina Taylee

If you want to learn more about the High Seas Treaty, listen to the episode and read this article.  

“Ocean Breakthroughs” Initiative: World Leaders Unite for the Oceans

Imagine 400 global leaders and changemakers – conservation experts, business representatives, local communities, and indigenous groups – uniting to address the critical issue of ocean health. 

Horace tells us about The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Leaders Forum, a platform for innovative solutions and collaborative action. The IUCN facilitated the launch of "Ocean Breakthroughs," a global initiative aiming to revitalize five key marine sectors: conservation, renewable energy, shipping, food production, and coastal tourism. This ambitious plan seeks to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by up to 35% by 2050, demonstrating a profound commitment to ocean sustainability and climate action.

If you have a Good News Story you want to share, email us: radio @ citizensclimatelobby.org

Also, feel free to connect with other listeners, suggest program ideas, and respond to programs in the Citizens’ Climate Radio Facebook group, on X (FKA Twitter) @CitizensCRadio, Instagram @CitizensClimateRadio, LinkedIn, or TikTok @ClimateChangePodcast. You can reach us by email: radio @ citizensclimateradio.org. Call our listener voicemail line: (619) 512-9646. +1 if calling from outside the USA

Join CCL Research Coordinator Dana Nuccitelli for a training that will discuss the latest landmark National Climate Assessment report. This is essentially an America-specific version of the IPCC report, outlining climate trends, impacts, and solutions in each region of the country.

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/NCA5-slides 

Amanda Ripley is a New York Times bestselling author, a Washington Post contributing columnist, an investigative journalist and the co-founder of Good Conflict, LLC. Her books include High Conflict, The Smartest Kids in the World and The Unthinkable. To discuss her writing, Amanda has appeared on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, FOX News and NPR. She has spoken at the Pentagon, the Senate, the House of Representatives, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security. Amanda was a keynote speaker at CCL's June 2022 conference. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdWewHSuvaw)

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December Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet 

Join CCL Communications staff for a training that will provide a review of important end of the year media opportunities including CCL's Letters To The Editor Topics and Op-Ed Templates resources. The training starts by having media managers share their proudest media successes of the year, and then we cover our latest resources and opportunities to help you end the year strong. We also hear from Susan Atkinson, a Colorado CCLer with an incredible success rate for pitching and publishing op-eds. Susan shares how she generates ideas and valuable tips for making it into print and building relationships with local opinion editors.

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