Climate Change: Maine Communities Meeting the Challenge

Environmental Funders Network Program, April 24, 2008

Program Purpose

The goal of the program was for participants to understand how private philanthropy can have an impact on climate change by learning about several local, state and regional efforts addressing global warming.

Audience Appraisal of the Issue

Participants were asked, “What is the greatest challenge this issue poses for your grantmaking?” Responses included:

The issue is bigger than any one funder can tackle
Interpreting data–so much exists–especially without staff to deal with data
New opportunities to fund convening and collaborations
Where and how to make the most impact with limited funds
How to take new types of requests when missions were established before this was an issue
How to measure the impact of many small efforts
Diffusion of resources among many approaches
How to learn about the issues and collaborate
All grantees seem to be throwing climate change into proposals
Mitigation vs. adaptation–which to focus on first
What forests mean for this issue
Hard to know where to start–programs or organization level
How to create a sense of urgency

Presentations

Dylan Voorhees is the Clean Energy Director at the Natural Resources Council of Maine. He discussed the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), a plan originally initiated by eight states, including Maine, to steady and then decrease carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions. RGGI is a cooperative effort by Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce carbon dioxide emissions. Central to this initiative is the implementation of a multi-state cap-and-trade program with a market-based emissions trading system. When considering areas to invest in, Mr. Voorhees offered the following:

Opportunities for action

Establish efficiency programs and policies statewide
Ensure appropriate wind projects are permitted
Create a comprehensive policy to decrease vehicle miles traveled and increase public transi.
Establish sustainable forest policies
Establish leadership in this area

Best practices

Working regionally strengthens political power and influence
Coalitions can be very effective
Policies must yield short-term and long-term results
Public support is essential for action to be sustained

Dr. John Hagan is the director of Manomet Center’s Sustainable Landscapes Program. Manomet is currently working to integrate environmental management into forestry and develop legitimate strategies to use New England’s forests to fight climate change. Dr. Hagan’s comments focused on the potential implications of a market-based emissions trading system on Maine’s forests. There are many variables still to be considered and better understood.

Forest management should focus on:

Additionality. When the emitter buys an offset, it needs to be a new plan; it can’t be a plan that already exists.
Permanence. When the CO₂ is pulled out of the system, it needs to be out forever, not just for 10-15 years.
Avoiding Leakage. The offset project is legitimate, but it causes unexpected consequences, e.g., conservation of forest to avoid development results in the development being done in another place.
Consider both the social and technical sides of the issue (conservation and traditional uses of forests, for example). Make sure the technical piece fits in to the policy arena and the social arena.

Suggestions

Calculate “mean stocking” of CO₂. If landowner has more CO₂, can get credit if they hold that level for 99 years (permanence) and continues to actively manage the forest (avoiding leakage).
Pay developers who do cluster developments rather than regular developments (additionality).
More research is needed to better understand the worth of forests in carbon sequestration.

Anne D. Burt is the environmental program director at the Maine Council of Churches. The Council helped to form the Maine Partners for Cool Communities. “Cool Communities” are cities that have made a commitment to stopping global warming by signing the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement and/or the Governor’s Carbon Challenge. The Cool Communities campaign helps communities and cities turn their commitments into action by pushing for smart energy solutions. The group was initially involved in strategy and policy, but then realized that local level action was more effective. When considering areas to invest in, Ms. Burt offered the following:

Opportunities for action

Get municipal government and local enthusiasts to work together
Get business leaders involved
Develop “plans in a can,” e.g., the no-idling plan, that are easy to implement and have guidance for activists

Best practices

Implement short-term climate action and smart energy solutions while doing long-term work in the background
Publicize and celebrate what communities are doing
Foster communication between communities

What can Funders Do Right Now?

We heard from three outstanding organizations, but there are many more organizations attempting to address climate change in Maine. As many funders well know, all are seeking support for their important work.

A directory was distributed that was produced by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, Maine Sea Grant along with the Environmental Funders Network and with support from the Kendall Foundation and the Horizon Foundation. The catalog acts as a baseline inventory, or snapshot, of Maine’s climate change efforts, as of April 2008. It may be referred to and added on to with time as resources evolve. The Catalog of Climate Change Investment Opportunities: Programs and Projects in Maine can be viewed or downloaded here.

Environmental Funders Network