Issue: Climate Policy

These snapshots examine development projects that incorporated different types of project agreements, such as community benefits agreements (CBAs) and good neighbor agreements, as well as projects which did not sign such an agreement, but still incorporated community engagement and delivered community benefits.  These snapshots aim to help key stakeholders, including community-based organizations, developers, and public officials, as they seek to negotiate different types of project agreements, carry out community engagement and secure localized benefits from development projects. By closely examining the strengths and weaknesses of past agreements, these snapshots are meant to help stakeholders learn and build stronger agreements and provide best practices for future engagement. Examples include: “New Flyer Community Benefits Agreement” (CA and AL), “Tallgrass-Bold Alliance CO2 Pipeline Community Benefits Agreement” (NE and WY), and “Community Benefits Snapshot: Stellantis Community Benefits Agreement” (MI) and more.

A case study of the investments and strategy to build an inclusive and powerful climate movement in Minnesota that resulted in wins such as the state’s 2023 100% clean energy law. Identifies a number of funding strategies that contributed to growing the movement and a range of policy victories, which funders elsewhere may wish to employ. This case study holds lessons for climate funders seeking to expand their giving to non-traditional climate grantees; non-partisan civic engagement funders wishing to enable favorable policy environments; and movement strategists and community organizers seeking to build coalitions and secure durable policy wins.

This post includes climate and environment headlines, data points, and key takeaways from recent public polls – including a new report from Pew about Americans’ beliefs and preferences for climate policy, new polling about residential solar, and new research about the emotions behind climate activism.