We are delighted to announce that we will again be hosting the EAN Leveraging Change Speaker Series, which was a popular in-person event for EAN members before it was shut down by COVID. Restarting on November 2nd from 5-7pm in Montpelier, we plan to host these events approximately once per month to bring in speakers from our broader region who can help advance understanding of emerging opportunities to make breakthrough progress toward Vermont’s climate and energy commitments. 

This new series starts close to home with a conversation about: Climate Resilience successes and opportunities. Our speakers will be Sue Minter, Executive Director of Capstone Community Action and Neale Lunderville, President & CEO of VGS, both of whom served as Chief Recovery Officers after Tropical Storm Irene. Peter Walke, Managing Director of Efficiency Vermont, will moderate the conversation. There will also be plenty of time for networking. Light food and non-alcoholic beverages will be supplied by Cafe Noa. Attendees are welcome to bring alcoholic beverages (BYOB).

Register to attend!

Thanks to everyone who attended the EAN Summit on September 28 and 29. The videos from the first day of the summit are now available on the EAN website. If you attended the summit, but have not yet had a chance to submit your evaluation, please share your feedback with us by the end of this week.   

All the best, 

Cara, Jared, and Lena

 US Climate Alliance – new commitments to decarbonize buildings

A bipartisan coalition of 25 governors announced new commitments to reduce emissions from buildings, including collectively quadrupling heat pump installations by the end of the decade.

US Climate Alliance

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Biden-Harris administration launches

Climate Corps

The American Climate Corps plans to train young people in clean energy, conservation, and climate resilience skills, create good-paying jobs and tackle the climate crisis.

The White House

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DOE launches ‘Earthshot’

effort to slash

energy bills

The Department of Energy’s new initiative aims to cut household energy bills by 20 percent and the cost of decarbonizing by 50 percent.

Grist

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Action Team Profile: Climate Workforce Coalition

The 2023 Vermont floods highlighted the need for fast and effective responses to climate change. In Vermont, our required greenhouse gas emission reduction targets necessitate scaling up the climate workforce, at a time when finding qualified workers is already very challenging for employers.

Since 2021, Energy Action Network (EAN) has helped convene a Climate Workforce Coalition focused on scaling up the number of workers being recruited and retained in these fields.

The Coalition hosts quarterly conversations, and is supporting:

• Weatherization Training Center business planning organized by Efficiency Vermont and the VT Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and funded by a Department of Energy grant. This work is geared toward aligning training opportunities and services for weatherization and other Climate Careers.
• Outreach to students and college and career navigators at events like the CTE conference, Women Can Do, and the Youth Environmental Summit, and online through the MyFutureVT website.
• Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund (VSJF) development of a business training program for companies that want to do more in renewables and efficiency and need support on business fundamentals through a cohort learning program and one-to-one coaching. 
• Efficiency Vermont coordination of a Talent Pipeline Management project in 2024 with a focus on weatherization and heating electrification workforce.

For more information or to get involved contact Cara (crobechek@eanvt.org).

Data Download: Regional per capita GHG emissions comparison

A new EAN research paper finds that Vermont has the second highest per capita GHG emissions in New England and has made the least progress toward the Paris Agreement targets of any state in the region. The report, entitled “Assessing Vermont’s climate responsibility: A comparative analysis of per capita emissions,” looks at how Vermont’s emissions stack up against those of other jurisdictions, in order to better understand our relative responsibility to act on climate. 

Read the full report at https://eanvt.org/research-and-reports/report-vt-climate-responsibility/.

Leveraging Change Speaker Series: Climate Resilience

A conversation between Sue Minter, Executive Director of Capstone Community Action and Neale Lunderville, President & CEO of VGS, who both served as Chief Recovery Officers after Tropical Storm Irene. Peter Walke, Managing Director of Efficiency Vermont, will moderate.

Light food and non-alcoholic beverages will be supplied by Cafe Noa. Attendees are welcome to bring alcoholic beverages (BYOB).

November 2nd from 5-7pm in Montpelier

Learn more and register

The Senate Committee on Committees is still accepting nominations for the Vermont Climate Council, per the Global Warming Solutions Act, specifically in relation to § 591 (a) (10) and § 591 (h). If you are interested in nominating yourself, please visit the Senate President Pro Tempore’s webpage for public appointments. Seven appointments will be made to terms beginning October 22, 2023. Interested applicants should fill out the form as soon as possible. 

Climate Infrastructure Financing meetings

State Treasurer Mike Pieciak is holding a series of public meetings to discuss ideas and strategies on financing Vermont’s climate infrastructure.

1. Energy Community – October 24th 9:30 – 11:00 am 

2. Business & Financing Community – October 27th 9:30 – 11:00 am

3. Public Agencies & Municipalities – October 30th 9:30- 11:00 am

4. Natural & Working Lands Community – November 1st 9:30 – 11:00 am

Learn more and register

Environmental Justice Community Forum Series: Biodiesel

Learn about the negative health & community impacts of diesel, and opportunities for the use of biodiesel in heating and transportation.

October 19, 6-7:30PM in South Burlington

Learn more and register

VEC and the Modern Electric Grid: What you need to know

Learn about Vermont Electric Co-op’s innovations, the modern electric grid, and what the current energy transformation means to communities in northern Vermont. EVs and heat pumps are gaining ground. But can the electric grid handle the increased demand? And equity – how can the energy transition benefit all Vermonters, no matter their financial circumstances? Hear from VEC’s Chief Executive Officer Rebecca Towne and Innovation and Technology Leader Cyril Brunner as they tackle these challenging and timely issues and take your questions.

Learn more and RSVP

October 26 noon – 1pm

Business Sense trainings – Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund

The Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund’s Business Coaching Program launched Business Sense, a six-module training series for entrepreneurs and small business owners. The series provides essential tools and information resources in areas such as financials, operations, sales and marketing, human resources, leadership, and governance. Business Sense aims to help businesses thrive.

Access resources

Hard facts

EAN’s new report suggests that Vermont is not meeting its climate responsibility, and the state is missing economic opportunity as a result. Vermont currently has the second highest per capita emissions in New England.

Rutland Herald

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Clean energy future hinges on workforce

In the Upper Valley, demand for solar panels and heat pumps has skyrocketed, but rapidly approaching deadlines for climate goals in the Twin States underscore a lack of workers who actually know how to install them.

Valley News

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How much can you save on energy costs?

A new analysis by Efficiency Vermont shows how much Vermonters spend on energy, and how much they can save by replacing inefficient appliances, weatherizing homes, and ditching gas-powered vehicles for electric ones.

Burlington Free Press

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