Events

This was the second part of our training series, focusing on providing Environmental Justice communities with the tools to effectively engage with government at all levels. This training focused on how Environmental Justice is considered in the regulatory processes across federal agencies and ways that communities can engage the process. Participants learned how rules and regulations are created by different agencies to protect the environment, public health, and public welfare.

At this event, we explored Voluntary Carbon Markets (VCMs) and how they have emerged as a mechanism for organizations and individuals to offset their carbon emissions by purchasing carbon credits. While they hold promise to contribute to global carbon reduction efforts, they face several challenges that hinder their effectiveness and credibility.

As electricity demand rises and many companies and organizations commit to using more clean energy, robust emissions-accounting rules could help determine the pace of decarbonization. This conference explored best practices for measuring the clean energy content or carbon dioxide emissions linked to a particular unit of electricity consumption. The conference brought together a wide array of stakeholders to discuss different approaches to carbon-dioxide-emissions accounting and their potential to make clean energy procurement policies and corporate commitments more effective, in the U.S. and internationally.

This training presented a high-level overview of key laws and policies that require the consideration of Environmental Justice (EJ) issues in decisionmaking at the federal and state level for New York and New Jersey. Participants left the training with a deeper understanding of both the possibilities and limitations of EJ laws and policies, and pathways for communities to effectively engage with the government on EJ issues.

Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of grid-threatening weather events, including storms and wildfires, at a time when the grid itself is undergoing significant changes. These challenges require decisionmakers to understand the impacts of energy system failures, how to mitigate them, and how to increase overall grid resilience. At this event, several researchers discussed their ongoing projects aimed at these issues and shared their initial findings. We also heard from the Deputy Executive Director for Energy and Climate Policy at the California Public Services Commission about the Commission's efforts to promote reliable and resilient energy in California. 

The energy transition is an economy-wide undertaking, and it will have wide-ranging impacts on supply chains, energy prices, and the job market. Researchers are currently working to better understand the distributional impacts of our changing energy system and how we can avoid placing disproportionate burdens on certain communities already bearing the brunt of harmful pollution and climate change. At this event, several researchers discussed their ongoing projects in this area and their initial findings. We also heard from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Deputy Commissioner for Climate Change, Air Resources, and Energy about his current work and his views on what kind of equity-focused research is most helpful and necessary for policymakers at this moment.

A successful energy transition will require rapid, effective, resilient, and equitable electrification. While researchers are working out the technical details of how to make this happen, policymakers are trying to foster a financial and regulatory environment in which it can take place. This webinar focused on both of these efforts and their interactions with each other. Leading experts highlighted cutting-edge research on the benefits of, impacts from, and barriers to resilient electrification, especially in low-income and rural communities. The discussion addressed initial findings from ongoing research projects as well as potential connections between research and policymaking in the electrification space.

The Institute for Policy Integrity and the Washington Center for Equitable Growth co-hosted this webinar aimed at economists seeking to influence federal regulatory policy—including environmental, energy, health, and consumer-rights regulation. The webinar covered topics including the structure of the U.S. government, the legal requirements of the regulatory process, and the role of economics in that process. The webinar also highlighted opportunities to engage in the regulatory process, and panelists discussed recent federal guidance calling for economic work in key policymaking areas. Presenters include Policy Integrity economists and lawyers.

This webinar, co-hosted by the Institute for Policy Integrity and the European University Institute’s Florence School of Regulation, explored the challenges, strategies, and evolving dynamics associated with electric transmission infrastructure in the context of the global energy transition. We analyzed three distinct regions, shedding light on the varied approaches each takes to address imperatives such as sustainability, reliability, resilience, accessibility, and affordability within their energy systems. By presenting a tri-continental perspective, the debate provided a nuanced understanding of regional intricacies, offering valuable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, and researchers alike.

In partnership with the Initiative on Climate Risk and Resilience Law, the Institute for Policy Integrity hosted this webinar to explore the potential role of federal regulation in voluntary carbon markets. The webinar covered topics like the appropriateness and timing of federal regulation given the current level of market maturity as well as potential types and targets of federal regulation. The webinar also included a discussion of recent federal guidance on voluntary carbon credit-based derivatives.