Environmental Defense Fund

This is a 'BFD!' Today we celebrate the years of advocacy and action taken by so many frontline experts, community groups, members of the White House 'Get the Lead Out' partnership, individual advocates and nonprofit organizations to reach this crucial milestone. The final improvements of the lead and copper rule are out, now we roll up our sleeves to support the work across states and cities nationwide to replace every single lead water pipe. My official statement linked here: https://lnkd.in/e5zjRNp9

Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified over the Gulf of Mexico and became a Category 5 hurricane on Monday, October 7, forecasters said. Satellite imagery from that day shows “An extraordinary amount of lightning within Hurricane Milton,” according to the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere at Colorado State University. Milton was forecast to bring strong winds to the Yucatan Peninsula and heavy rainfall related to the storm would affect parts of Florida throughout Monday, according to the National Hurricane Center. If it seems as though the most intense hurricanes happen more often than they used to, you’re right: The proportion of Atlantic Ocean hurricanes that are Category 3 or above has doubled since 1980. Are record-breaking hurricanes our new normal in a changing climate? Read more: https://bit.ly/2WI42EO

The record-breaking progress in clean energy we’re seeing now is not only reshaping our energy system to tackle climate change, it’s also reshaping the economic opportunities that can drive prosperity and wealth in communities around the country. I’m talking about new, high-paying jobs building clean technologies that can sustain families, training and apprenticeship programs that can launch young people’s careers in this fast-growing field, and the revenue that clean energy projects can pour into towns’ schools and roads. In a new op-ed in Word In Black, I write about how these unprecedented opportunities can lift up workers, families and entire communities, and we need to make sure they reach everyone — especially Black communities and communities of color that have faced a legacy of disinvestment and have been most harmed by polluting industries. While everyone has a role to play in this moment, mayors and community leaders are in a critical position to bring these communities to the forefront of new clean economic opportunities. 👉🏾 Read more here:

It’s a wrap for Climate Week NYC. But we’re not slowing down one bit! 💪🏿 The next year is FULL of pivotal moments for climate action. Our Christopher Dekki explains what we’ll be up to between now and COP30 in Brazil. And if you weren’t at Climate Week, here’s what you missed: https://bit.ly/4eubNkh

"We know lack of insurance can widen inequality post-disaster.” Many people hit by Helene never thought they’d need flood insurance, but climate change is causing unnatural disasters. As our Carolyn Kousky says, “This storm again stresses how important it is to fill the gaps.” https://politi.co/3zKS8gM

During Climate Week NYCW last week, three of the most important Indigenous organizations of the Peruvian Amazon, the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Forest (AIDESEP), the National Association of Executors of Administration Contracts of Communal Reserves of Peru (ANECAP), and the Confederation of Amazonian Nationalities of Peru (CONAP) came together and finalized a joint proposal for the implementation of an Indigenous large-scale forest conservation program: the Indigenous Jurisdictional REDD+ program for territories with high forest cover and low deforestation (HFLD), an approach that seeks incorporation under the TREES standard. This unique approach seeks to elevate the role of Indigenous Peoples and set a precedent for their effective participation. At the event, “Indigenous Peoples Group of Peru Proposal for an Indigenous Jurisdictional REDD+ HFLD Approach” organized by the Environmental Defense Fund, participants called for mechanism that strengthen Indigenous economies based on standing forests. “We need to be connected to markets that place real value on the work of Indigenous Peoples to conserve some the world’s most important forests”, said Juan Carlos Jintiach, Executive Secretary of the Global Alliance of Territorial Communities. The importance of having carried out joint and united work between the different organizations was emphasized, as well as the need of climate funds reaching Indigenous Peoples directly. We have been seeing examples for this type of financing and the results are encouraging. During the debate, Indigenous People and Local Communities from Peru, Colombia and the Congo Basin were able to exchange valuable experiences. A quarter of the world’s remaining forests are managed by Indigenous Peoples. Yet only 1% of global climate finance reaches them. For Indigenous communities, forests are home and the bases of life and the future. Studies after studies are showing that forests fair best when cared for by Indigenous Peoples who are holders of ancestral knowledge and practices of forest conservation. Fermín Chimatani Tayori Oseas Barbarán Christina Magerkurth Mark Moroge Juan Carlos Jintiach

As we gear up for the crucial 2025-2030 cycle to update national climate plans under the Paris Agreement, there's a vital opportunity to learn from past experiences and leverage evidence-based decision-making. Aligning climate commitments with scientific evidence, using economic models for cost-effective solutions, and prioritizing adaptation planning are key priorities amidst the urgent need to accelerate climate action. Let's seize this chance to turn climate strategies into concrete projects and investments, building on lessons from previous cycles to drive meaningful progress in our global fight against climate change. #ClimateAction #ParisAgreement #NDCs #Sustainability https://lnkd.in/eHHmHWHq

The world’s oceans play a key role in reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. Scientists, companies, and governments are eager to learn more about how we could maximize the ocean’s potential to help stabilize our climate. Read our new blog by Kristin Kleisner, EDF Associate Vice President, Oceans Science, to understand more about the complexities, possibilities and risks associated with new technologies that could accelerate marine carbon dioxide removal. https://lnkd.in/gnhhvsWk

What was your “a-ha” moment? For me, it was working with colleagues and partners to transform U.S. fisheries from collapsing to some of the best-managed in the world. The biggest challenge was bridging the gap between what the science said and what fishermen needed. Every solution was going to come with trade-offs. We had to be honest about them, and work with fishing communities to determine which solutions were best for them and the environment. Our team found success by working in what I call the “messy middle.” The “messy middle” isn’t about doing things halfway. It’s about embracing the tough decisions we have to make in order to reach our climate goals. It’s about realizing that the best solutions are rooted in science and aligned with people’s priorities. It’s about doing whatever it takes to find those solutions. And we’ll need to take this approach as we tackle challenges like hydrogen and carbon markets. Neat and easy is nice. But when we dive into the “messy middle” we find lasting results. I’m grateful to Fortune for the chance to share this approach because I believe it can be successful in so many situations. And I hope you’ll be inspired to get a little messy to find the results you want in your life. https://lnkd.in/ebwwJPb8

Now Open: Climate Corps Host Company Applications! 🚨 Climate Corps is an innovative fellowship program that trains talented and passionate graduate students and pairs them with companies and public institutions to help accelerate climate and energy goals. Over the past 17 years, more than 650 companies – including 40% of the Fortune 100 – have partnered with EDF to host a Climate Corps fellow. Why? Because EDF Climate Corps fellows are motivated sustainability graduate students 👨🎓 and do work on par with consultants for a fraction of the cost 💰. That's a win-win we can all get behind! 🙌 Your company can now apply for this capacity boost and host a fellow for Summer 2025. Details: https://lnkd.in/gDusyUg9 📅 Applications are due by December 19th, 2024 — get started today! Want to learn more about applying for, onboarding and supporting a fellow? RSVP for our virtual panel event with past Climate Corps host supervisors to hear more about it: https://lnkd.in/eYqS-E8Y