August 2025
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August 2025

The NY Energy Plan & the NYPA Renewables Plan – Marguerite Wells

Marguerite Wells, the executive director of Alliance for Clean Energy NY, talked with us about the NY Energy Plan and the NYPA Renewables Plan, and what steps we can take to strengthen both of them.

Overview

Marguerite Wells discussed the New York energy plan and the NIPA renewables plan, highlighting the divergence from the scoping plan. The scoping plan aimed for 70% renewables by 2030 and zero emission electricity by 2040, but the draft plan lacks ambition and specifics. The plan also fails to address the need for energy storage, peaker plant retirement, and building decarbonization.

Comparison of New York Energy Plans

• Marguerite explained the approach to comparing the Draft State Energy Plan and Scoping Plan
• Scoping Plan aimed to meet goals of CLCPA, targeting 70% renewables by 2030 and zero emission electricity by 2040
• The Draft State Energy Plan diverges from Scoping Plan in several key ways, including delays and lack of ambition
• Marguerite highlighted governor's soft stance on renewables and lack of specifics in draft plan

Challenges in Transitioning Off Gas

• Marguerite discussed challenges in decommissioning gas system, noting lack of generation and transmission infrastructure
• Draft Energy Plan lacks specific steps for transitioning off gas, unlike Scoping Plan
• Scoping Plan recommends economy-wide cap & invest and reinvestment in disadvantaged communities
• Draft Plan contains no recommendation for cap & invest or carbon pricing
• Marguerite mentioned inadequate energy storage targets in Draft Energy Plan, which is crucial for grid management
• Draft Plan does not address need for energy storage, which is essential for integrating renewables into grid

 Impact of Peaker Plants and Building Decarbonization

• Marguerite pointed out lack of discussion on retiring peaker plants in New York City, which are running as base load power
• Scoping Plan took greenhouse gas limits seriously, but Draft Energy Plan does not set interim targets or enforce penalties
• Draft plan strips out language on disadvantaged communities and equity, reflecting a federal landscape where DEI seen as illegal
• Scoping Plan included timelines to phase out new fossil equipment sales as well as building decarbonization sequencing
• Draft Plan supports codes/standards but lacks phase-out timelines for existing building equipment
• Marguerite questioned degree of lobbying for Draft Energy Plan to align with CLCPA and Scoping Plan commitments

 Discussion on Methane Emissions and Regulatory Challenges

• Peter raised concerns about methane emissions from landfills, noting Seneca Meadows as largest emitter in NY
• Marguerite discussed need for stronger regulation of methane emissions and challenges in CLCPA
• Lack of incentives for bio waste management prevents private sector investment in methane capture
• Marguerite suggested revisiting CLCPA or assigning value to methane capture to incentivize private actors

Lawsuit and Political Implications

• Dan Lamb inquired about lawsuit brought by environmental groups to implement Scoping Plan
• Marguerite expressed optimism about lawsuit but doubts its impact on state's actions
• Attorney General's defense of DEC seen as weak, but lawsuit could still have symbolic value
• Marguerite mentioned federal suit against Trump for blocking wind farm permits, highlighting challenges in legal advocacy
• Draft Plan reduces alignment with CLCPA in multiple areas – provides fewer binding commitments, targets, and timelines
• Key decision: Should stakeholders push for Draft Plan revisions to restore Scoping Plan commitments?

NYPA's Role in Renewable Energy Development

• NYPA released draft Updated Strategic Plan on July 29
• Focused on renewable generation and storage to improve reliability and resiliency
• Plan outlines 20 new renewable projects (17 solar and 3 wind) and 156 storage projects (~3.8 GW)
• Marguerite discussed NYPA's role in doubling target for renewable projects and its partnership with developers
• NYPA currently partnering with developers, not supplanting them – latter not possible due to limited capital and staff
• NYPA's approach of taking a 51% ownership stake in projects has been well-received by developers
• Partnership model allows private developers to pay local benefits, which is crucial for community acceptance
• Marguerite argued against utilities owning generation, citing risk of shifting ratepayer costs and reducing private investment

Climate Change Education at PRI-Museum of the Earth – Ingrid Zabel and Don Haas

Don Haas is the director of teacher programming at PRI-Museum of the Earth and Ingrid Zabel is the climate change education manager there. Their presentation focused on their work as climate science educators and on the newly established Center for Climate Change Education at PRI.

Overview

Ingrid Isabel and Don Haas emphasized importance of climate change education, citing studies showing reduced carbon emissions and energy use from educational programs. They also discussed the establishment of the Center for Climate Change Education at PRI. The American Museum of Natural History is collaborating with PRI on a "Museum in a Box" program for elementary schools. Financial challenges at PRI were highlighted, with a need to raise $1 million to pay off the mortgage. The meeting also emphasized the importance of professional development for teachers and the role of museums in climate education.

Local Climate Change and Education

• Ingrid provided an overview of local climate change impacts, using personal anecdotes and data from various sources
• Spring temperatures have increased by almost half a degree Fahrenheit per decade, and plant life is changing
• Projections for summer extreme heat show an increase in days with temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit
• Heavy rainfall projections indicate more frequent extreme events, posing a significant risk for flooding

Education as a Climate Change Solution

• Ingrid presented research studies showing impact of climate change education on behavior and attitudes
• A study in San Jose State found that students reduced their carbon emissions by almost three tons per year
• A Japanese study showed a 3.7% reduction in household energy use and CO2 emissions through gentle nudges in school
• A North Carolina study found attitude change in students, which can lead to behavioral changes in their families

PRI's Center for Climate Change Education

• Don introduced Center for Climate Change Education at PRI, emphasizing urgent need for improved climate education
• PRI offers professional development, public programs, and educational materials to support climate change education
• The center collaborates with various organizations and advocates for better climate change education policy
• Don highlighted importance of understanding Earth history in contextualizing climate change and role of fossil fuels in Earth's history

New York's Educational Initiatives on Climate Change

• Don discussed difficulty of passing educational legislation, particularly on climate change education
• The Portrait of a Graduate in New York now includes expectations for climate literacy for all graduates starting in 2026-2027 school year
• The Seal of Civic Reading Readiness encourages students to engage in civic actions, including climate actions
• New science regents exams in Earth Science and Biology, which include substantial climate content, were debuted in June and will be implemented in all schools by 2025-2026 school year

Implementation of New Science Standards

• Don noted that New York City is opting in for both Earth Science and Biology standards in first year, with Physics and Chemistry standards to follow
• Earth Science regents exam has more climate change content than any state exam in US
• Teachers were caught off guard by the amount of new climate content on exam
• Don emphasized importance of teaching climate change across grade span and curriculum

Public Programming and Funding

• Don mentioned public programming "Science in the Pub" which begins in September and continues throughout academic year
• Work is funded by National Science Foundation, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Park Foundation, and an endowment from an anonymous bequest
• Don discussed collaboration with American Museum of Natural History on "Museum in a Box" program, aimed at elementary schools, starting with a box on dinosaur fossils

Financial Challenges and Collaborations

• Peter highlighted financial difficulties faced by PRI, including a major donor pulling out of a significant commitment
• Institution is in crisis, with mortgage at risk – an equity investment company trying to extract as much money as possible in negotiations over mortgage
• Peter mentioned importance of donations to keep PRI afloat – as part of this effort, PRI will be turning over Cayuga Nature Center to state park system
• Smith Woods old-growth forest has also been gifted to Trumansburg village

Professional Development and Climate Education

• Don emphasized importance of professional development for teachers to reach a larger number of students
• Peter mentioned involvement of PRI in 2030 Districts Museum Network and other collaborative efforts with museums and educational institutions around country
• Don and Ingrid discussed collaborative nature of climate change education and various networks and organizations involved

Adult Education and Outreach

• Dawn Montanye asked about adult education and reach of PRI's programs
• Don explained that adult education takes place mostly through virtual pubs and online content, reaching national audience
• Ingrid mentioned a project with NYPA employees, where climate change education was mandatory

Closing Remarks and Future Plans

• Peter thanked Don and Ingrid for their work and the evolution of climate science education at PRI
• Don provided brief lesson on carbon content in gasoline and its impact on emissions
• Peter encouraged donations to help PRI pay off mortgage

July 2025

The Impact of Climate Change on Mental Health – Emma Nelson

Emma Nelson is clinical psychologist specializing in climate anxiety. Dr. Nelson is a postdoctoral fellow at Elemental Psychology in Brooklyn, and a self-described “spiritual seeker, climate and social justice activist, healer, and divergent thinker.” She serves as executive committee treasurer, development committee member, and clinical support committee member with the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America.

Overview

Emma Nelson, a clinical psychologist specializing in climate anxiety, discussed the concept of climate distress, emphasizing it as a healthy response to a real crisis. She introduced the Panu Picola process model, highlighting stages of semi-consciousness, awakening, coping, and transformation. Nelson stressed the importance of balancing action, grief, and self-care. She also addressed the systemic challenges, including the disproportionate impact on marginalized groups and the need for political action. The discussion included practical strategies for managing climate distress and the role of humor and community support. The session concluded with a call for collective action and resilience.

Introduction and Technical Setup

• Emma Nelson provides her background, focusing on the intersection of climate change, collective crises, and mental health.
• Emma mentions her work with the Climate Psychology Alliance of North America and her role in outreach and workshops.

Emma's Approach to Climate Distress

• Emma explains her approach to the talk, emphasizing the collective nature of the work and the influence of teachers and mentors.
• She outlines the structure of the talk: connecting with the audience, defining climate distress, working with climate distress, seeking support, and discussion.
• Emma instructs the audience to write about what psychological wellness means to them for a three-minute free write exercise.
• Participants share their thoughts on psychological wellness, with Emma encouraging them to reflect on the impact of their writings.

A Mental Health Crisis or Healthy Response

• Mental Health Crisis
• Climate-related crisis
• Pre-traumatic stress
• Vicarious trauma
• Betrayal trauma
• Moral injury
• A Healthy Response to a Real Threat
• Climate empathy
• Climate compassion
• A doorway to action
• A memory
• A New & Evolving “Normal”
• Solastalgia
• Moral outrage
• Frantic action
• Maturation
• Climate grief
• Climate anxiety
• Ecological Awakening
• Transformation

What does it mean to be “psychologically well” right now?

• Emma’s answer (right now): Our individual and collective capacity to continually transform in response to increasing intensity and instability.

Through the Prism of Identity

• The mental health impacts of climate change filtered through identity: personal history, intergeneration trauma & resilience, systemic oppression & privilege.
• In general, effects are worse for:
  • Economically disadvantaged people
  • Indigenous People
  • Women
  • Older Adults
  • Children & Young Adults
  • Parents and people considering having children
  • Those who live in the equatorial hot zone
  • People of the Global Majority

Understanding Climate Distress

• Emma discusses the concept of climate distress, emphasizing it is a healthy response to a real system in crisis.
• She introduces the term "climate empathy" and its positive correlation with climate action.
• Emma asks the audience to consider what they remember when feeling climate distress, leading to a discussion on memories of environmental changes.
• The conversation highlights the dialectic nature of climate distress, where it is both a healthy response and a mental health crisis.

Balancing Climate Distress and Mental Health

• Emma explains the concept of ecological awakening and the importance of having language and support to process it.
• She introduces the Panu Pihkala process model of eco anxiety and ecological grief, describing the stages of semi-consciousness, awakening, coping and changing, adjustment and transformation.
• Emma encourages the audience to reflect on where they see themselves in the model and to share their experiences.
• The discussion includes the importance of balancing action, grief, and self-care in managing climate distress.

Therapeutic Support and Individual Capacity

• Emma discusses the role of therapy in addressing climate distress, emphasizing the need for individual and collective capacity to transform.
• She highlights the impact of marginalized groups on climate action and the importance of resourcing for those groups.
• Emma introduces the concept of climate grief and ecological awakening, and the need for adaptability in maintaining psychological wellness.
• The conversation touches on the challenges of balancing personal and collective responsibilities in addressing climate distress.

Practical Strategies for Managing Climate Distress

• Emma provides practical strategies for managing climate distress, including individual and group therapy, and the importance of finding meaning in actions.
• She discusses the challenges of balancing action and self-care, and the need for conscious breaks to avoid burnout.
• Emma emphasizes the importance of community and collective support in addressing climate distress.
• The conversation includes the role of humor and creativity in coping with climate distress.

Addressing Systemic Challenges

• Emma addresses the systemic challenges of addressing climate distress, including the impact of privilege and marginalization.
• She discusses the importance of finding meaningful and sustainable actions, even when faced with the reality of limited impact.
• The conversation includes the role of politics and economics in addressing climate change and the need for systemic change.
• Emma encourages the audience to reflect on their own experiences and to seek support and resources for managing climate distress.

Closing Remarks and Resources

• Emma provides resources for further support, including her website, workshops, and a feedback form.
• She encourages the audience to continue the conversation and to seek help if needed.
• The conversation concludes with a focus on the importance of community and collective action in addressing climate distress.
• Emma expresses her willingness to return for further discussions and to provide additional support.

Climate Change in the News – Peter Bardaglio

In keeping with past tradition, it’s time for a review of the year’s climate change developments. Extreme weather events have become so frequent in the past few years that the climate crisis has become climate chaos. This year was no exception, perhaps even worse.

• Atmospheric CO2 hit another record high this year
• In May, Mauna Loa Observatory recorded average concentration of atmospheric CO2 at 430.2 ppm, compared to 315 ppm in 1958
• Increase of 3.6 ppm since May 2024 – highest ever seasonal peak concentration of CO2
• CO2 levels were consistently around 280 ppm for almost 6,000 years of human civilization
• Average level of carbon dioxide rose faster in 2024 over previous year than at any other point since recordings began
• Average readings for 12 months was 3.58 ppm higher than previous year's average, breaking record set in 2016
• Annual emissions have increased every decade since mid-20th century -- from 11 billion tons of CO2 per year in 1960s to 37.4 billion tons in 2024
• CO2 levels in atmosphere higher than they've been in human history and highest in at least 14 million years
• Despite decades of negotiation, global community unable to significantly slow annual increases in CO2 levels
• June 2025 third warmest June in 174-year NOAA record – June global surface temperature was 1.76°F above 20thC average
• Cooler than June 2023 (second warmest) and June 2024 (warmest)
• All ten warmest Junes on record have occurred since 2016 – June 2025 extended streak of consecutive Junes with above-average global temperatures to 49 years
• As Van Jones points out, we have three alternative futures: Eco-Apocalypse, Eco-Apartheid, or Eco-Equity
  • Currently on road to Eco-Apocalypse – Eco-Apartheid just a speed bump on way to Eco-Apocalypse
  • Only viable option is Eco-Equity
• In landmark case, UN’s highest court on July 23 said countries must meet their climate obligations, and that failing to do so could violate international law
  • Potentially opens door for affected nations to seek reparations in future legal cases
  • International Court of Justice (ICJ) said states must address “existential threat” of climate change by cutting emissions, following through on global climate agreements, and protecting vulnerable populations and ecosystems from harm
• About 80% percent of world’s top climate scientists now expect global temperatures to reach 2.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels
• Climate breakdown would bring about “semi-dystopian” world of extreme weather events, crop failure, geopolitical conflict, and mass migration
• Poorest 74 countries are responsible for just 10 percent of world’s GHG emissions, yet these countries have seen climate-related disasters increase eightfold since 1980s 
• World Bank estimates there will be 216 million climate refugees by 2050 – sub-Saharan Africa (86 million), East Asia and Pacific (49 million), and South Asia (40 million)
• Most sobering climate change news of year: Surface of ocean now warming 4 times faster than 40 years ago
• Surge in ocean temperatures to record-breaking levels took place in 2023 and 2024 – sign that pace of climate change has accelerated dramatically
• Global ocean temperatures hit record highs for 450 days straight in 2023 and early 2024
• Rise in sea surface temperature jumped from 0.06°C per decade in 1980s to 0.27°C per decade now
• As ocean heats up even faster, according to 2025 report, total amount of warming seen over past 40 years might be exceeded in less than 20 years
• Runner Up: Earth losing record amounts of fresh water
• Earth may have hit point of irreversible moisture loss in its soil as result of climate change
• Planet seeing its land-based water storage drop without recovering
• Major shift in land-based water storage such as groundwater, rivers, lakes, soil moisture, and ice from 1992 on
• Due to severe and widespread droughts over recent decades, more than 2,600 gigatons of water has been transferred permanently from continents to ocean
• Decline in soil moisture has outpaced Greenland's melting ice sheets in its contribution to sea level rise
• Northern India, central California, and eastern China areas have seen greater groundwater depletion than other regions
• Recent extreme weather events once again called attention to accelerating climate crisis
• Catastrophic floods struck Central Texas over July 4th weekend, killing at least 135 people, including at least 37 children
• Guadalupe River has flooded more than dozen times since 1978, but July 4th flood among worst in its history
• River rose more than 20 feet in few hours in several locations as it rushed downstream toward Kerrville (pop. 24,000)
• Warming temperatures over land and especially in Gulf of Mexico fueling extreme rainfall events more often, in arc across U.S., from Texas to Northeast
• Air holds 7% more water for every 1.8°F rise in temperature
• Recent flash flooding in NC, NM, NY, and NJ – NYC subway station platform submerged as passengers inside car watched and stood on train seats to avoid water coming into car
• Human-caused climate change increased Iceland and Greenland’s temperatures by several degrees during a record-setting May heat
• Greenland ice sheet melted many times faster than normal during heat wave
• Parts of Iceland saw temperatures more than 18°F above average
• Country set record for its warmest temperature in May when it hit 79.9°F on May 15
• Without human-caused climate change, such an event would be “basically impossible,” according to climate scientist at Imperial College in London
• Extreme heat 40 times more likely compared to pre-industrial climate
• Record heat accelerated ice sheet melts in Greenland, releasing massive amounts of fresh water into ocean, raising sea levels
• Sweltering heatwave arrived early in India and Pakistan this year
• In Pakistan, temperature soared to 122°F, more than 15°F above April average – temperature in India hit 111°F
• Both countries experience heatwaves during May and June, but this year’s season arrived sooner than usual
• Early arrival of heatwaves testing survivability limits and putting enormous strain on energy supplies, vital crops, and livelihoods
• Climate scientists characterized 2025 heat wave as part of broader pattern of changing climate conditions affecting Indian subcontinent
• “When it comes to heatwaves, the question is no longer if they are linked to climate change, but what kind of thresholds we are reaching.”
• Historic wildfires broke out in South Korea in late March 2025
• Killed 32 people, injured 45, and displaced about 37,000
• In total, fires burned more than 247,000 acres
• Nearly four times more extensive than South Korea’s previous worst recorded fire season 25 years ago
• Hot, dry and windy conditions that drove fire made twice as likely and 15% more intense as result of climate change
• Average temperatures from March 22-26 were 18°F higher than usual in southeast – patterns of low and high pressure to north and south generated powerful winds that helped spread fire
• Such disasters could become even more frequent if temperatures continue to rise
• IEA released update of its 2021 report on “Net Zero by 2050” in Sept. 2023
• By 2035, emissions need to decline by 80% in advanced economies and 60% in emerging market and developing economies compared to 2022 level
• Ramping up renewables, improving energy efficiency, cutting methane emissions, and increasing electrification can deliver more than 80% of emissions reductions needed
• Cutting methane emissions from energy sector by 75% by 2030 one of least expensive opportunities to limit global warming in near term
• World needs to increase its current $1.8 trillion investment in clean energy to about $4.5 trillion a year by early 2030s
• How do Americans view climate change in 2025?
• Yale annual survey, “Climate Change in the American Mind”: Seven in ten Americans (70%) think global warming is happening
  • 15% of Americans think global warming is not happening – 16% say they don’t know if global warming is happening
  • 51% of Americans are either “extremely” or “very” sure global warming happening
  • 9% are “extremely” or “very” sure global warming isn’t happening
  • 60% of Americans understand global warming is mostly human-caused – 28% think it’s due mostly to natural changes in environment
  • 46% of Americans say they have personally experienced effects of global warming – 53% of Americans say they haven’t experienced effects
  • 65% of Americans say they are at least “somewhat worried” about global warming
  • 29% of Americans say they are “very worried” about global warming – has trended upward since survey began in 2008
  • 2 in 3 Americans (66%) say they “rarely” or “never” discuss global warming with family and friends – 1 in 3 (35%) say they discuss global warming “occasionally” or “often”
• Gallup Poll, March 2025: 63% of Americans believe effects of global warming have already begun -- up from 59% in 2024
  • Matches all-time high of 62% recorded in 2017 – ran between 59% and 61% in intervening years
  • Percentage who said global warming’s effects will be apparent in future dropped to 23%
  • Percentage believing the effects will never occur remained steady at 12%
• Pew Research Center Survey, May 2025: Large majority (77%) of Americans support stricter building standards in places at high risk of extreme weather
  • Both Republicans and Democrats back stricter building standards in communities at high risk of extreme weather
  • Majorities of Americans who have experienced extreme weather make a link to climate change
  • Democrats more likely than Republicans to make a link between extreme weather and climate
• Ready for some good news? UN secretary general António Guterres earlier this week: “We are on the cusp of a new era. Fossil fuels are running out of road. The sun is rising on a clean energy age.”
• More than nine in 10 renewable power projects globally are now cheaper than fossil fuel alternatives
• Solar power about 41% cheaper than the lowest-cost fossil fuel alternative – onshore wind generation less than half price of fossil fuels
• Costs driven down by increasingly widespread use of technologies, huge focus on low-carbon manufacturing in China, and growing investment in clean energy sector
• Reached $2tn last year – $800bn more than went into fossil fuels and increase of 70% in last decade
• Renewable energy sources accounted for 29.9% of electricity generation globally in 2023 – renewable electricity generation grew by 5.6% over 2022, while non-renewables grew by 1.2% over same period
• Since 2010, largest growth in renewable electricity has been solar and wind energy – together they represented 13.2% of global electricity mix in 2023
• Renewable hydropower continues to provide bulk of renewable electricity generation
• More good news: Trump’s climate research cuts unpopular
• Nearly 80% of registered U.S. voters want government agencies to keep researching and sharing global warming data, including majority of Republicans
• Trump seeking to cut or eliminate numerous programs that conduct climate research across multiple federal agencies
• In addition to canceling climate research, Trump administration also closing down channels that communicate this critical information to public
• Greta Thunberg: “The climate crisis is both the easiest and the hardest issue we have ever faced. The easiest because we know what we must do. We must stop the emissions of greenhouse gases. The hardest because our current economics are still totally dependent on burning fossil fuels and thereby destroying ecosystems in order to create everlasting economic growth.”

June 2025

Roundtable Discussion – All

It's been a while since we've had a full-fledged roundtable session. There's lots going on, both good and not so good, and as we move into the summer it’s perhaps an appropriate time to take stock. Come prepared to discuss the following questions:

• What do you see as the best opportunities for making a difference when it comes to possible climate actions at the local, state, and national levels?
• What are the biggest challenges we face in moving the energy transition forward? How can we best address these challenges?
• What is your main source of hope for protecting the climate and preventing runaway global warming? What is your biggest source of anxiety and concern?

NYS Climate and Clean Energy Legislation: The Road Ahead – Anna Kelles

Assemblymember Anna Kelles (D-125) has been an outstanding champion for climate and clean energy issues, representing Cortland and Tompkins Counties. Dr. Kelles will provided her perspective on the legislative session just concluded and possible next steps.

Overview

The meeting discussed the challenges and strategies for addressing climate change and energy transition. Key points included the need for a political, not just economic, solution to climate issues, emphasizing the importance of local and personal actions. The conversation highlighted the ineffectiveness of current messaging, suggesting a shift towards affordability and energy reliability. Assemblymember Anna Kelles stressed the importance of revamping the New York Heat Act to focus on energy affordability and the need for better communication, and she discussed the importance of the Build Public Renewables Act. The discussion also touched on the role of local governments and the impact of rising sea levels on migration and conflict. Other discussion focused on the challenges and strategies for addressing energy and environmental issues. Brian Eden emphasized the high cost and long timeline of nuclear power, citing a $2 billion increase in Georgia. He advocated for immediate solutions like solar and wind, highlighting the need for better messaging to make these options more appealing. The conversation also touched on the impact of packaging on landfill space, with Brian noting that New York has 15-25 years left of landfill space. He stressed the importance of effective messaging to influence public perception and policy, particularly in urban and low-income communities.

Action Items

• Explore ways to connect the issue of climate change to personal health and economic impacts at the local level.
• Investigate opportunities to integrate climate-friendly practices (e.g., diet changes, home weatherization) into personal lifestyles and local government decision-making.
• Continue discussions on how to effectively communicate the urgency of climate action in a positive and engaging manner, particularly to reach younger generations.

Roundtable Discussion on Climate and Energy Transition

• Peter welcomes everyone and introduced the morning's agenda, including a roundtable discussion and a session with Assemblymember Anna Kelles.
• He expresses concern about the tough climate and energy transition situations, mentioning the governor's different vision.
• He asks participants to reflect on their main hopes for protecting the climate and preventing runaway climate change.
• Leon Porter emphasizes that every bit of global warming reduction helps and that it's not an all-or-nothing proposition.

Challenges and Solutions in Climate Action

• Dave Bradley argues that the climate problem is a political problem, not an engineering or economic one, and criticizes the focus on nuclear power.
• He suggests debating the merits of nuclear power and highlights the high costs and risks associated with it.
• Peter and Dave discuss the political dynamics in New York, particularly the opposition to wind turbines and the influence of the methane and nuclear industries.
• Dave points out the high costs of renewable energy in New York due to the need for storage and the lack of fixed electricity prices.

Focusing on Local and Personal Actions

• Marie McRae shifts the discussion to the food system, mentioning the impact of climate change on crops and the need to focus on local food systems.
• Peter agrees and highlights the importance of developing a resilient, sustainable local food system.
• Brian Eden discusses the need to communicate the urgency of climate change in a way that resonates with people, beyond doom-saying.
• Tom Hirasuna mentions the importance of addressing affordability and other fundamental issues to get people engaged in climate action.

Effective Communication and Strategies

• Peter and Tom discuss the need for positive and engaging leadership to motivate people to act on climate issues.
• Dan Lamb emphasizes the importance of personal actions and local government initiatives in addressing climate change.
• He suggests starting with personal choices, such as diet and transportation, to build a movement at the local level.
• Peter highlights the importance of engaging young people and multi-generational participation in climate action.

Challenges of Climate Legislation

• AM Kelles discusses the challenges of passing climate legislation, particularly the resistance to cost and regulation.
• She emphasizes the need to rethink messaging and focus on affordability and energy reliability.
• She explains the importance of the 100-foot rule and the need for a revamped New York Heat Act.
• She highlights the importance of the Sustainable Futures Fund and the need for better coordination between NYSERDA and HCR.

Implementing the Build Public Renewables Act (BPRA)

• AM Kelles discusses the potential of the BPRA to deploy significant renewable energy capacity in New York.
• She criticizes the governor's delay in implementing the BPRA and the need to push for its implementation.
• She emphasizes the importance of addressing the role of NYPA and other utilities in implementing the BPRA.
• She highlights the need for better communication and messaging to build support for the BPRA.

Affordability and Energy Transition

• AM Kelles explains the cost savings of electrifying homes and the need to communicate this effectively.
• She discusses the importance of addressing the maintenance costs of natural gas infrastructure.
• She emphasizes the need for a transition plan that involves local municipalities and utilities.
• She highlights the importance of focusing on affordability and energy reliability in messaging and legislation.

Strategies for Climate Action

• AM Kelles suggests focusing on energy affordability and the benefits of renewable energy infrastructure.
• She emphasizes the need for a multi-faceted approach that includes local government initiatives and personal actions.
• She highlights the importance of addressing the political and economic dynamics of climate action.
• She suggests rethinking messaging and focusing on solutions that address immediate concerns and build support for long-term climate action.

Energy Crisis and Ratepayer Burden

• Brian emphasizes the bottleneck in their strategy, focusing on the cost to ratepayers.
• Discussion about the high cost of building nuclear plants, citing a recent $2 billion increase in Georgia.
• AM Kelles argues against waiting 10 years for energy solutions, comparing it to housing issues.
• Emphasis on the need for immediate solutions and the high cost of inaction.

Focus on Utility-Scale Solar and Wind

• Peter suggests focusing on siting utility-scale solar and wind energy solutions.
• Brian argues against jumping to solutions without addressing the cost and impact on ratepayers.
• Discussion about the affordability and immediate benefits of solar and wind energy.
• Brian highlights the need for better messaging and public acceptance of renewable energy solutions.

Challenges in Solar and Wind Energy

• Brian discusses the challenges of siting solar on agricultural land and promoting agrivoltaics.
• AM Kelles criticizes the negative messaging around wind energy, such as noise and health concerns.
• Emphasis on the need for positive messaging and public education about the benefits of renewable energy.
• Discussion about the importance of public engagement and participation in energy solutions.

Impact of Nuclear Power Plants

• Brian discusses the high cost and abandonment of nuclear power plants due to expense.
• Emphasis on the need for affordable and immediate energy solutions.
• Discussion about the impact of nuclear power plants on disadvantaged communities.
• Brian highlights the influence of big tech companies like Amazon and Facebook on pushing for modular nuclear power plants.

Importance of Messaging and Public Engagement

• Pete Wirth agrees on the importance of messaging and public engagement in energy solutions.
• Discussion on the need for better representation at public hearings and meetings.
• Brian emphasizes the importance of showing up to support renewable energy solutions.
• Emphasis on the need for effective messaging to win public support for renewable energy.

Packaging and Waste Management

• Brian discusses the challenges of packaging legislation and the need for better messaging.
• Emphasis on the economic benefits of reducing packaging and landfill space.
• Discussion on the impact of packaging on low-income communities and the environment.
• Brian highlights the need for statewide groups to focus on marketing and messaging in low-income communities.

Corporate Influence on Packaging

• Brian discusses the influence of oil and gas companies on packaging and waste management.
• Emphasis on the need to address the root causes of excessive packaging.
• Discussion on the economic benefits of reducing packaging and landfill space.
• Brian highlights the need for better messaging to address corporate influence on packaging.

Economic and Environmental Impact of Packaging

• Brian discusses the economic and environmental impact of excessive packaging.
• Emphasis on the need for better messaging to address the economic burden of packaging.
• Discussion about the impact of packaging on low-income communities and the environment.
• Brian highlights the need for statewide groups to focus on marketing and messaging in low-income communities.

Effective Messaging Strategies

• Brian discusses the importance of effective messaging strategies in energy and waste management.
• Emphasis on the need for powerful and compelling messaging to win public support.
• Discussion about the impact of messaging on public perception and behavior.
• Brian highlights the need for better messaging to address corporate influence on packaging.

Final Thoughts and Recommendations

• Brian emphasizes the importance of effective messaging and public engagement in energy and waste management.
• Discussion about the need for better representation at public hearings and meetings.
• Emphasis on the importance of addressing the root causes of excessive packaging and landfill space.
• Brian highlights the need for statewide groups to focus on marketing and messaging in low-income communities.

May 2025

Tapping the Unique Power of Food to Confront Climate Change – Mike Hoffmann Michael Hoffmann is professor emeritus at Cornell in the Department of Entomology in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Mike discussed the importance of food as a vehicle for sharing stories about climate change: “Food is essential for life, it is emotive, it is personal, and it’s deeply imbedded in our cultures and family histories but it’s all changing because of climate change. Food is the ideal messenger for the climate change story, and this story even crosses the political divide — we all eat. We can all tap the power of food to confront climate change and coincidentally, help keep the planet livable.”

• Mike started his talk with a vivid series of photographs that captured the wide variety of ways in which food is produced and processed
• He then turned to a more personal account of his background and how he came to the subject of food and climate change
• He emphasized the importance of understanding the need for each of us to take responsibility for doing what we can to prevent climate catastrophe:
• Our planet is a lonely speck in the great enveloping cosmic dark. In our obscurity, in all this vastness, there is no hint that help will come from elsewhere to save us from ourselves. - Carl Sagan, Pale Blue Dot
• Global warming, climate change, and extreme weather events are not “natural” – they are the result of human choices and actions:
  • CO2 grew at fastest rate ever in 2024
  • 27% higher than previous record
  • Highest in 3 million years
  • Why? Possible decline in natural sinks
  • Now 70% chance 2025-2029 five-year mean will >1.5°C
• Photosynthesis reduced by:
  • 12% terrestrial plants
  • 7% in marine algae
• Reduction in CO2 uptake
• Reduction in crop yields
• Survey of 400 Authors of UN IPCC Reports
  • Expect global heating to pass:
  • 90% − 1.5C “Blast past”
  • 80% - 2.5C
  • ~50% - 3C
• “Semi-dystopian” future: famines, conflicts and mass migration, but not giving up. Nor should we!
• Over 76% of 16–25-year-olds, describe their future as “frightening”
• Survey of ~16,000 in US
  • 85% worried about CC
  • 53% hesitant to have children
  • 40% reported climate change impacting mental health
  • Climate-anxiety is on the rise
• Dealing with eco/climate-anxiety
  • Your feelings are justified
  • Connect with nature, meditate
  • Don’t doom scroll
  • Join others, work together
  • Act
  • Careful of burnout, choose your battles
  • You are not alone, get help if needed
• Why Tap the Power of Food to Tell this Story?
  • It's relevant - we all eat!
  • It speaks to culture, family traditions, and emotions
  • Enjoyable, a social lubricant
  • Easy to talk about - Unlimited stories
  • A rich world audience
• There is no love sincerer than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw
• What does food mean to you?
• Mark Hertsgaard argues that we need to do three things in telling climate change story: Humanize, Localize, Solutionize
• Climate change effects on the plants we depend on for life
  • Air (CO2)
  • Water
  • Temperature
  • Soil
  • Sunlight
• All of these are changing, except for sunlight
• The impacts of increasing CO2 on plants
  • Higher CO2 is beneficial to 95% of crops - but the benefits are offset by higher temperatures and increasing water stress.
  • Weeds are more difficult to control.
  • Up to 30% less protein in pollen for bees.
  • Less protein, vitamins, and minerals in many crops, affecting human nutrition.
  • Now add smoke.
• Changes in water
• Global shifts in patterns
• More extremes:
• Downpours, droughts – “whiplash”
  • California, Italy
• Ice melts:
• Peru and Chile
• Changes in Temperature
  • US winters warming 2X faster than summers:
  • Loss of “winter chill”
  • Nights warming faster than days:
  • Reduce yields – wheat, rice
  • More heat waves:
  • Wheat devastated every six years
  • 2024 hottest year since 1850
• Getting Food to the Table
  • Raw materials-->Supplier-->Manufacturer-->Distribution-->Customer
• Consumer
  • Chokepoints: storms, power outages, transport halted, employees unable to get to work
  • Everything on our menu is changing
  • Unlimited stories to tell
  • And you don’t need to be a scientist
• Messaging Experiment
• Generic climate change message
• Food-focused climate change message
• No difference
• 19 questions
• Demographics
• Political affiliation
• Age
• Gender
• Race
• Education
• Very or fairly concerned about food choices
• 86% (D) vs. 61% (R)
• Willing to pay more for climate friendly practices
  • 87% (D) vs. 63% (R)
• Interested in learning more
  • 90% (D) vs. 62% (R)
• Is climate change a crisis?
  • 59% (D) vs. 20% (R)
• First word that comes to mind when thinking about the effects of climate change on food.
  • 20% — famine, hunger, scarcity, starvation, and shortages
• Talk about food often or occasionally: 76%
• Talk about climate change often or occasionally: 35%
• Confronting Climate Change
  • Challenge
  • Tackle
  • Threaten
  • Meet head-on
  • Face up to
  • Defy
• What's being done? A lot!
  • Stewards of the Land/Climate Smart Agriculture
    • Promote soil health, effective water management, diversification planning and adaptation
  • Food and Beverage Businesses
    • Assess supply chain risks, invest in suppliers, alternative ingredients, reducing impact
  • Scientists
    • Developing resilient varieties including GE, climate modeling, water management, and more
• What We Can All Do - Find Your Greater Purpose
  • Talk about it — use food
  • Become climate change literate
  • Focus on what matters
  • Get involved — what you’re best at
  • Be the first — peer pressure works!
• No one is too small to make a difference. - Greta Thunberg
• Food: A Common Ground
  • Consumers
  • Chefs
  • Restaurateurs
  • Food industry
  • Food media
  • Producers
• No villains
  • Joining forces
  • All telling this story
• Using the power of food: A great awakening
  • Creating a much deeper state of awareness and need for action on climate change, using food.
  • Quickly and at scale – we all eat
  • A social movement
• Using the power of food: Spreading the word
• Change policy priorities – climate change ranked 19th
• Get more people involved in climate change political actions
• Food’s very popular genre on TV
  • Food Network – 845,000 viewers during prime time
• 88% of consumers use online recipes
• Food influencers (chefs) have millions of followers
• Food is the ultimate climate change messenger – speak up!
• We all eat – Let’s use the power of food to confront climate change
• Using the power of food to keep the planet livable
  • Incentivize massive shift away from fossil fuels
  • Help people realize growing risks
  • Grassroot movement to a global network
  • Change lifestyles such as diets
  • Educate others in new and improved ways
• Using the Power of Food to Confront Climate Change/Climate Change and Your Future — Undergrad Courses
  • Using food as a medium would be much more direct and effective in initiating conversation because it is much closer to people than hardcore scientific facts, melting ice, and homeless polar bears. Jonathan ‘23
  • In essence, the might of food lies in its subtlety—a silent force with profound cultural and personal nuances. Eve 26’
  • The future isn’t written yet, and that gives me hope. The most powerful thing we can do is recognize that hope isn’t just a feeling—it’s an action. Nairoby ’25
• In one word - How do you feel about your future given climate change?
• Start of semester
  • Cynical/Ambivalent
  • Uncertain
  • Limited
  • Frustration
  • Uncertainty
  • Small
  • Hot
  • Daunting
  • Devastating
  • Stuck
  • Terrified
  • Anxious
  • Frustrated
• End of semester
  • Hopeful
  • Uncertain/Hopeful
  • Hopeful
  • Irritated
  • Frightened
  • Bigger
  • Motivated
  • Actionable
  • Mitigable
  • Motivated
  • Prepared
  • Motivated
  • Empowered

 

Ithaca 2030 District & 2024 Annual Progress Report – Peter Bardaglio

Peter is the executive director of the Ithaca 2030 District, the flagship program of TCCPI. He reported on the progress that the 2030 District made in 2024 regarding its effort to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial buildings in downtown Ithaca, including energy usage, water usage, and commuter emissions.

• TCCPI & Ithaca 2030 District
• Ithaca 2030 District is flagship project of the Tompkins County Climate Protection Initiative (TCCPI)
• TCCPI launched in 2008 and 2030 District established in 2016 – first in NYS
• Members: building owners, community organizations, government agencies, and professionals
• TCCPI’s primary vehicle for engaging business community in effort to reduce GHG emissions
• What are 2030 Districts?
  • Goal: Improve energy and water performance of commercial and mixed-use buildings & reduce transportation emissions
  • Private-sector led – voluntary collaboration
  • Based in market realities, building business case for sustainability
  • Collect, benchmark, and analyze data to track progress
• Now 26 districts in U.S. and Canada – Ithaca is no longer smallest city in network – New Kensington, PA, outside of Pittsburgh just joined the network and is now smallest
• Why focus on buildings?
  • Built environment responsible for about 42% of annual global CO2 emissions
  • Of total emissions, building operations responsible for about 27% annually
  • Embodied carbon of just four building and infrastructure materials – cement, iron, steel, and aluminum – responsible for another 15%
• Existing Building Targets
  • 50% reductions in energy use, water consumption, and transportation emissions by 2030
• New Building and Major Renovation Targets
  • Immediate 50% reductions in water consumption and transportation emissions, with energy use in the design year reaching carbon neutrality by 2030
• Current Ongoing Activities
  • Provide owners with individual performance dashboards to track progress of their buildings
  • Hold quarterly meetings with District Partners
  • Publish e-newsletter four times a year
  • Compile annual progress report on performance of District as a whole
• Use Portfolio Manager to collect energy and water data and then upload to dashboard – each owner/manager has link to online, interactive dashboard
• Current advisory board members:
  • Terry Carroll, County Chief Sustainability Officer
  • Rebecca Evans, City of Ithaca Sustainability Director
  • Nicholas Leonard, HOLT Architects
  • John Guttridge, Urban Core, LLC
  • Susan Holland, Historic Ithaca Executive Director
  • Conrad Metcalfe, NYS-BPCA (ret.)
  • Guillermo Metz, CCETC Energy Team Leader
  • Jan Rhodes Norman, Local First Ithaca Co-Founder
  • Ethan Skutt, Project Engineer, Taitem Engineering
• As of 12/31/24 there were 56 member buildings, 31 members, and 931,974 square feet of committed space
• Property type breakdown by square footage:
  • Office – 30.2%
  • Educational/Cultural – 25.5%
  • Retail – 15.1%
  • Mixed Use – 14.3%
  • Public Safety – 9.1%
  • Restaurant – 3.9%
  • Hotel/Inn – 2.0%
• District reduced its energy consumption by 36% from district baseline and used 55% less water than baseline last year
• 2023: 37% in energy savings and 46% in gallons avoided
• Second year in a row that we met 2025 performance targets for both energy and water
• Energy update: 2024 District Baseline EUI, calculated as weighted mean of individual buildings’ energy baselines: 89.35 kBTU/sq ft
• At district level, aggregated EUI in 2024 was 57.59 1kBTU/sq ft
• Consumption of natural gas dropped from 56.6% in 2023 to 51.4% in 2024
• Energy results
  • Energy cost avoided: $489,000
  • CO2e emissions avoided: 5.3 million lbs.
  • Equivalent number of young trees planted: 240,000
• 35 of 53 buildings in 2024 met 2020 target of 20% reduction from their building baselines compared to 27 the year before – number achieving the 2030 target of 50% rose from 17 to 22
• Water update: 2024 District Baseline WUI, calculated as weighted mean of individual buildings’ water baselines: 20.95 gal/sq ft
• At district level, the aggregated WUI in 2024: 9.48 gal/sq ft – not only exceeded 2025 target but also 2030 target
• Water results
  • Water cost avoided: $240,000
  • Gallons saved: 9.6 million
  • Equivalent number of showers saved: 570,000
• 32 properties met 2020 target of 20% reduction from their building baselines v. 25 in 2023 – 15 of those properties met 2030 target v. 16 in 2023
• Transportation emissions benchmarked as annual emissions of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) per commuter
• Baseline for District in 2024: 1501 kg CO2e/commuter/yr
• Actual in 2024: 1480 kg CO2e/commuter/yr, well above 2020 target but significant reduction from 1706 in 2021
• Before COVID, only 10% of respondents worked at home – with 2020 spring lockdown, proportion of remote workers jumped to 45%
• Even with reopening in second half of year, 32% of respondents continued to work remotely
• Taken as whole, in 2020 the District achieved 1172 kg CO2e/commuter/yr, below 2020 target of 1200 kg CO2e/commuter/yr
• Proportion of remote workers declined in 2021 to 28% -- percentage of commuters who drove alone jumped from 39% during 2020 lockdown to 51%
• Percentage of remote workers dropped to 15.7% in 2022 and remained at that level in 2023 and 2024
• Rate of commuters driving solo increased to 58.8% in 2022, with rate stabilizing around 56% in 2023 & 2024
• Noteworthy drop in emissions per commuter during next 2 years from peak of 1706 in 2021, but they rose from 1403 in 2023 to 1480 in 2024
• As a result, even though District remained below baseline of 1501, it was well above 2020 goal of 1200, with 51.6% reduction needed to reach 2025 target
• Only good news for District members in 2024 was County and City’s data revealed much worse results, with former hitting 1890 kg of C02e emissions per commuter and latter coming in at 1750
• Of course, from perspective of climate mitigation, it was even worse news
• Ithaca Green New Deal
  • City committed to achieving community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030
  • Latest GHG inventory: buildings make up estimated 58% of emissions in Ithaca – commercial sector contributes 38%
  • Energy efficiency and electrification in built environment key to achieving carbon neutrality
  • 2030 District’s focus on improving performance of commercial buildings can clearly help accelerate reduction of community’s carbon footprint

April 2025

Climate Change Awareness & Action – George Lorefice and Peter Wirth

George Lorefice, president of Climate Change Awareness & Action (CCAA), a local 350.org group based in Syracuse, and Peter Wirth, vice president, talked about the work of CCAA and the potential for collaboration between the two organizations.

• Pete W suggested that the CCA&A find ways to collaborate and share resources
• We shared details about the different ways in which our two organizations operate
• Peter B explained the role of the TCCPI steering committee and discussed how TCCPI has gotten more involved in policy advocacy at the state level
• The goal of TCCPI is to provide opportunities for people to share opportunities for both education and action
• He also went into some detail about the flagship program of TCCPI, the Ithaca 2030 District
• Suggested that Syracuse could be a good candidate for a 2030 District
• George noted that CCA&A newsletter goes out to about 1,400 people – “couple of handfuls” of active members
• Sharing information about upcoming speakers might be a good place to start – Peter B agreed
• Next part of discussion focused on different ways in which interns work with each organization – Peter B talked about positive experience with Cornell engineering undergrads helping out with Ithaca 2030 District
• Pete W pointed out that more climate activists should be attending the public hearings for wind farm projects – almost all of the people at these hearings are opposed to wind power in their communities
• Peter B observed that largescale solar had made more headway than wind in Tompkins County
• George noted that they had success bringing together high school students, young adults, and older folks around solar power
• George suggested that Pete W, Peter B, and he should get together to talk more about how to work together going forward
• Peter B talked about importance of staying in touch with what was going on regionally outside our local communities

Bangladesh & Climate Change – Sujoy Chakma

Sujoy Chakma is field program assistant for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bangladesh, and a Humphrey Fellow this year at Cornell University. Sujoy discussed his work in Bangladesh, the impact of climate change on his country, and how Bangladesh is strengthening its resilience in the face of further challenges.

• Bangladesh gained its independence in 1971 – population of 171.2M people – rice is the staple crop
• Muhammad Yunus current interim head of government – world-famous economist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate
• Student-led opposition led to overthrow of previous government – stemmed in part to discontent over policies related to securing government posts
• Sujoy comes from Chittagong Hill Tracts in southeastern part of country
• Region of great ethnic diversity: inhabited by over dozen different indigenous communities – on borderland of India and Myanmar
• Suffering from widespread food insecurity due to drought, floods, and landslides related to climate change
• Poor transportation and communication systems compared to other parts of country also exacerbate situation
• Sujoy works with Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of UN – based in Chittagong Hill Tracts
• Works with smallholding farmers on capacity building around good agricultural practices related to vegetable and fruits, nutrition, horticulture, poultry
• Provide opportunities for farmers and government staff to visit some of more advanced agricultural areas, including outside of Bangladesh (Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries)
• FAO supports farmers in remote areas that are difficult to reach, especially during dry season
• Also works on increasing access to markets through formation of Collaborative Agribusiness Marketing Groups (CAMG) and carries out training of trainers programs for government officials
• Teaches how to engage in rainwater harvesting and provides variety of fruit saplings such as mango, jujube, litchi, Malta (citrus), lemon
• TeleFood projects provide small-scale funding for grassroots projects, with emphasize on women and youth – targets poorest of the poor
• Engages directly with small groups of farmers and villagers in communities located in Chittagong Hill Tracts – sharing information, collecting data, etc.
• Women play huge role in rural communities, engaging in agricultural activities and generating revenue for their families – also experience domestic violence – women not allowed in public spaces and discouraged from pursuing education
• FAO works with women to teach them about better nutrition and its importance for children, among other issues
• Location of Bangladesh makes it very vulnerable to climate change
• Many of Himalayan rivers wind their way through India and empty into sea in Bangladesh – also has very large delta area
• Extensive mangrove forests on coast in southwestern part of country
• Many people in rural areas are unaware of climate change as a concept but they are experiencing the changes and noticing them
• Millions of people live in coastal areas and are vulnerable to rising sea levels and more extreme weather – increased salinity of drinking water also very serious issue
• Emissions that cause climate change come from every part of the world and affect everyone, but some countries produce much more than others
• Six biggest emitters (China, the United States of America, India, the European Union, the Russian Federation, and Brazil) together accounted for more than half of all global greenhouse gas emissions in 2023
• By contrast, 45 least developed countries accounted for only 3 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions
• Impacts of climate change on Bangladesh
  • Higher temperature, variable precipitation, extreme weather events
  • Intense floods, droughts & storms
  • Crop yields fall by 30%
  • Melting of glaciers in the Himalayas
  • Reduced fresh water in dry period due to low river flows and increased evaporation
  • Sea level rise threat to coastal agricultural land
• Some causes of flooding in Bangladesh
  • Monsson climate
  • Spring snow melt
  • Deforestation in headwater areas
  • Rivers silt up due to increased soil erosion
  • 80% of Bangladesh lies on huge floodplain and delta, most of which is only 1 meter above sea level
  • Much of Ganges diverted for irrigation – removes some of silt and prevents floodplain further downstream from building up
  • Cyclones frequently hit Bangladesh
• Coastal Hazards in Bangladesh
  • Emission of greenhouse gases that cause global warming causes sea level rise
  • Climate change-driven events also generate cyclones with storm surges that create coastal hazards
  • Strong relationship among climate change sea level rise, coastal flooding, disease outbreaks, loss of agricultural production, and unemployment
• Bangladesh coastal zone lowest lying zone in world where 36M people living within 1 metre elevation from high tide level
• Coastal ecosystem supports more than 15% of total population of country, but under varying degrees of environmental threats due to anthropogenic and climate change impacts
• Sector-wise impacts
  • Coastal areas: flood surges, riverbank erosion, salinity, tropical cyclone – 30 million people could become refugees
  • Agriculture and fisheries: declining of crop yields, arable land decreased greater extent due to extreme temp, drought, salinity intrusion
  • Water resources and hydrology: effects on surface and ground water resources severe and alarming – will have a significant impact on economy due to dependence on surface water for irrigation, fishery, industry
  • Urban areas: direct impacts through increased floods, drainage congestion, water logging, infrastructure damage during extreme events
  • 40% of urban population live in slums that are highly prone to disaster risk
  • Vulnerable groups: Women particularly due to constraints in public spaces -- urban poor due to absence of infrastructure and employment
• Adaptation in Bangladesh: Policies
  • Government has outlined priority areas for climate change adaptation and mitigation in national plans, with range of estimated financing requirements, from 0.8 percent to over 5 percent of annual GDP
  • In 2018, the Bangladesh Delta Plan 2100 (BDP2100) was adopted with goal of achieving safe, climate resilient, and prosperous Delta
  • US$38 billion by 2030 (in 2015 prices) for physical investments and institutional strengthening for implementation and monitoring
  • Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan (BCCSAP): Bangladesh Climate Change Trust Fund – to work with ministries, govt. departments, and other organizations
  • UNFCCC: National Adaptation Plan 2023-2050
  • Nationally determined contributions
  • Climate Vulnerable Forum: Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan (2022-2041)
• Global context:
  • Many climate change solutions can deliver economic benefits while improving lives and protecting the environment
  • We also have global frameworks and agreements to guide progress, such as Sustainable Development Goals, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Paris Agreement
  • Three broad categories of action are: cutting emissions, adapting to climate impacts and financing required adjustments.
  • Switching energy systems from fossil fuels to renewables like solar or wind will reduce emissions driving climate change
  • While growing number of countries is committing to net zero emissions by 2050, emissions must be cut in half by 2030 to keep warming below 1.5°C
  • Achieving this means huge declines in use of coal, oil and gas: production and consumption of all fossil fuels need to be cut by at least 30 per cent by 2030 in order to prevent catastrophic levels of climate change
• Climate resilient priorities in Bangladesh, according to World Bank
  • People-centric, climate-smart development
    • Development approach that considers regional variations in climate impacts and builds on Bangladesh’s experience of locally-led adaptation and small-scale solutions
    • Investing in public services, nature-based solutions, and infrastructure in urban areas—including affordable housing, resilient transport connectivity, and water and waste management—will help cities prepare for influx of climate migrants
  • Delivering development benefits with decarbonization
    • Emissions from energy, transport, industry, and agriculture can be reduced at relatively low cost and yield significant co-benefits related to air pollution, health costs, and jobs
    • By implementing policies that abate both air pollution and emissions, Bangladesh can reduce deaths from air pollution by half or save nearly 1 million lives within 2030.
  • Enabling environment and institutional realignment
    • With stronger legislative and institutional capacity, Bangladesh can accelerate implementation of existing policies and programs
    • Empowering local governments to plan and implement adaptation programs will be important
    • Increased domestic and foreign private sector involvement, such as in climate-smart agriculture and renewable energy, necessary
• Despite significant gains in reducing human toll from climate disasters, Bangladesh continues to face severe and increasing climate risks
• Without urgent action, including further adaptation and resilience measures, the country’s strong growth potential could be at risk
• Some parts of Bangladesh are more prone to climate change impacts
• So investments should be prioritized for climate hotspots such as in Barind Tract, coastal zone, Haor area, and Hill Tracts
• Also regions facing higher poverty rates and natural hazards: western upazilas of Mymensingh, eastern upazilas of Rangpur, and southern parts of Khulna Division

March 2025

Transitioning Cornell’s District Energy System – Sarah Carson, Stacey Edwards, Jaimee Wilson

Sarah Carson, Director of Campus Sustainability Office, Stacey Edwards, Utilities Reliability and Energy Transition Program Manager, and Jaimee Wilson, Senior Energy & Sustainability Engineer provided a brief update on planning to decarbonize the Ithaca campus district energy system following on our June presentation to TCCPI, and then were available for questions and discussion.

• Members of team introduced themselves – then Sarah shared a few updates, including installation of first ground source heat pump at Cornell childcare center and solar array on top of Atkinson Hall, commissioning of hot water system on East Campus, contract on large new solar farm (should come on line in 2030), and new research project on tidal energy on Long Island Sound
• District energy is central feature of university campus master plan
  • Central plant generates heating, cooling, and/or electricity
  • Distributed to multiple buildings
  • Over 600 district energy systems across US
• Combined heat & power plant provides both heat & electricity to campus – natural gas powered
• Majority of campus’ cool water comes from lake source cooling – used to cool campus buildings
• Renewable energy sources include hydroelectric and off-campus solar
• Why District Energy? How does it compare to building-by-building systems?
  • Increased energy efficiency (e.g. combined heat and power)
  • High resilience: redundancy, reliability, and recoverability
  • Lower operating costs, less equipment
  • Flexibility—allow a portfolio of solutions, transitions without disruption
• Additional Benefits of District Energy at Cornell
• No new fossil fuel fired equipment for new buildings (due to energy conservation)
• Allows use of waste heat (i.e. sewer heat recovery, building heat recovery)
• Reduces peak demand (enabled by aggregating loads from multiple buildings and shifting peak demand with thermal energy storage)
• Economies of scale (for example of bore field construction)
• Allows decarbonization of existing buildings (i.e. existing building electric infrastructure and mechanical spaces were not designed in building level HVAC)
• Cornell’s Decarbonization Strategy
  • Building out additional renewable electricity
  • Steam to hot water conversion
  • Energy conservation
  • Energy storage
• Key project is Earth Source Heat effort – involves 10K ft wells bringing 185 degree water to surface that can be used to heat campus
• Different than conventional shallow geo-exchange coupled with heat pumps – 500 to 1,000 ft wells that bring 50 degree water to surface – can also use heat pump for cooling in summer
• Besides drawing on campus staff, administration leadership, faculty, and students, Cornell hiring small army of consultants to help with implementation of campus energy transition
  • Steam to hot water conversion
  • Steam and power condition assessment
  • Chilled water expansion and renewal
  • Earth Source Heat
  • Shallow geo-exchange GSHP
  • Sewer heat recovery
  • Battery & thermal energy storage
• Individual Building Energy Systems
  • Most building owners only make a decision about heating equipment once every 15-20 years
  • Makes sense to electrify even if it increases emissions in the first few years of operation, if forecasted that grid will get cleaner over time to overcome initial negative emissions (i.e. Cornell Child Care Center)
• District Energy Systems
  • Avoid initial increases in emissions by leveraging district energy to plan decarbonization at the district level (i.e. Atkinson Hall) using:
    • Estimates of future grid mix and availability of clean electricity
    • Status of Earth Source Heat and other clean heat technologies
    • Economies of scale that may come from incorporating geothermal and heat recovery technologies, energy conservation, and steam to hot water conversions, etc. with system planning
  • We’re not trying to avoid decarbonization on campus and we’re not asking for exemption from IECS – we believe district energy is way forward
  • Cornell’s request: enable district energy in IECS phase 3 to enable campus-wide decarbonization

Q&A

• Mark Spurr: What exactly are you asking for to provide flexibility to use district system and not be forced into individual building solutions
• Sarah: Definitions in IECS around what is heating plant or heating system and need to clarify installation of new equipment vs. ongoing use of already existing equipment and considerations involving gas in our electric grid vs. gas in district energy systems
• bethany ojalehto mays: A district system in your analysis seems to require special analysis – a “then year marginal forecast” – could you say more about this? Is it a form of short-run marginal emissions analysis?
• Bert Bland: Marginal emissions analysis allows you to evaluate the impact of a project on grid – in central NY marginal emissions rate is about 800 lbs/MWh – in upstate NY when a new load is added to grid, natural gas-fired plant picks up that load
• That plant is less efficient than our central energy plant – if we were to shut down plant and put 30 MW load of electricity on grid, that load would be picked up by natural gas plant and increase overall emissions in state
• Marginal emissions rate of our plant is about 450 lbs/MWh vs. marginal emissions rate of 800 lbs/MWh
• Longterm marginal emissions rate focuses on eventual transition of grid to clean energy based on projection
• “Then-year” future marginal emissions rate is what is predicted to be marginal emissions rate each year as grid cleans up: 2030, 2035, 2040, e.g.
• Sarah: When we have option of deciding when to transition, we want to time it so we can avoid any increase in emissions
• Rebecca Evans: Is Earth Source Heat totally reliant on external grants, especially federal grants? Isn’t this something Cornell should be willing to invest in?
• Bert: We weren’t able to secure contract with DOE before change in administration – we’re no discussing with NYSERDA possibility of funding – we will continue discussions with DOE in meantime
• Demonstration project with high risk so not able to finance it with bank – so we’re looking to state and federal grants to allow us to proceed with project
• We also will still be willing to consider shallow geothermal heat exchange as viable option
• Sarah: We’re more optimistic about receiving federal funding for shallow geothermal at this point, than for deep Earth Source Heat
• Brian Eden: Believe that we could install geothermal surface units incrementally, not pulling them off thermal energy network permanently, just until funding for Earth Source Heat project could be secured and project completed – could be pulling lot of emissions out of system if we adopted this approach
• Stacey Edwards: Need to balance shallow geothermal heat exchange with electric cooling but would mean abandoning lake source cooling, which is much more efficient – it’s not an Earth Source Heat or nothing situation – but don’t see transformational technology we could deploy today that would reduce campus carbon emissions
• If we were to drill geothermal exchange system, that would like to me like a PR exercise because it wouldn’t reduce Cornell’s emissions
• Rob Thornton (International District Energy Association: Cornell’s not unique – we have lots of colleges and universities in our organization – universities employ scale that they do so they have flexibility to be adaptive to carbon intensity of grid and take advantage of their overall efficiency
• When it comes to stretch energy codes, district energy is different fish, codes that are developed for building scale intent can create perverse impact for district systems, which are able to adapt to real carbon intensity of grid
• Reality is plan for putting more green electrons on grid thru offshore wind, for example, is being delayed – hard to predict when those green electrons will actually be on grid
• There may be Hail Mary pass for Cornell in sense that new energy secretary in Washington is from fracking industry – may be willing to see how Cornell could be useful to his cause
• Mark Spurr: What is level of confidence we can have in long-term marginal emissions rates projections given that we’re falling behind in achieving decarbonization of electric grid – at same time we’re seeing growth in demand for energy – in this context, approach Cornell is taking seems much more grounded in reality
• Margaret McCasland: Is Cornell looking at ways to use less Pennsylvania fracked gas given amount of leakage in that system? With heat pumps, likewise, we have to look at refrigerant leaks
• Sarah: Agree that upstream methane leakage is problem and we continue to look at ways we can enhance efficiency of our gas-burning systems – bottom line is we want to stop burning gas
• Dave Bradley: Important to remember Cornell not limited in its financial resources – could be directed to build, for example, wind farms that could supply campus with electricity for ground source heat pumps – looks, however, like board has decided it doesn’t want to use university resources in these ways
• Brian: I was not opposed to lake source heating and I’ve talked about ways in which lake water could be used in geo-exchange system – why isn’t this possible solution?
• Stacey: Major barrier to doing this is existing campus buildings don’t allow for heat pump in every building – literally not space in many buildings themselves – but option not off table and something we’re looking at – there may be places in our campus where that could work – also might be able to use that heat to balance any bore field that might be put in place
• Peter: My greatest fear is that we don’t have rational government in Washington right now and it seems as if administration is attacking universities in almost every way they can find – it makes me wonder whether DOE is going to come through with grant that Cornell has applied for – seems to me that administration is trying to dismantle system rather than strengthen it
• Completely outside of complex, nuance discussion we’re having here – seems like external environment has shifted dramatically in just last couple of months

 

Expanding Access to Residential Heat Pumps in Our Community – Gay Nicholson

Gay Nicholson, President of Sustainable Finger Lakes, shared the results of two innovative heat pump pilot programs that are wrapping up this month.

• Last here two years ago to talk about these programs
• Clean Energy & Equity Pilot (CEEP) Objectives
  • Increase accessibility to energy efficiency for low-to-moderate income tenants in 1-4 unit rentals
  • Address the split incentive
  • Provide energy education to tenants
  • Document quantitative and qualitative data on costs, energy use, comfort, and landlord/tenant relationships
• Who Qualified for Pilot?
  • Rental in Ithaca and Tompkins County
  • 1-4 unit buildings
  • Use natural gas for heating
  • At least half of rental units are low income
  • Must be brought up to insulation standard
  • Landlords limited to 5 rentals in pilot
• What are the Incentives in Pilot?
  • Empower+ envelope incentives
  • NYSEG Clean Heat and Lansing NPA
  • CEEP--
  • $6,000 first 2 tons ASHP, then $1,000/ton
  • $500 for Heat Pump Water Heater
  • $2,000 for Electric Panel Upgrade
• What was Required of the Landlords?
  • Can’t raise rent for two years
  • If heating costs moved from Landlord to Tenant, must reduce rent equal to previous year’s heating load
  • Utility Release Form
  • Media Release Form and Interview
  • Must insulate and air seal first
• What was Required of the Tenants?
  • Utility Release Form to track energy
  • Media Release Form and Interview
  • Take a Pre-installation Survey
  • Take a Post-installation Survey
  • Attend a Home Energy Workshop (and receive a dozen LED bulbs!)
• CEEP PARTICIPATION
• Installer Participation: 40 invited, 4 signed up for CEEP, 2 did the work (Halco Energy and Simply Installs)
• Barriers to Electrification in CEEP
  • Market Condition Changes over Time
    • Rising equipment and labor costs
    • Electric delivery and supply costs
    • Rising property taxes and rents
  • Changes at NYSERDA
    • Summer 2023 NYHEP portal launched without full capacity
    • May 2024 sudden elimination of gas conversion projects from Empower+
  • Infrastructure Capacity
    • Scarcity of envelope + heat pump installers
    • High demand from local market rate customers
    • Lack of communication and long delays for customers
    • Often sporadic follow through on CEEP application packet
    • Variability in Buildings and Occupants
• Recommendations
  • Wait for market conditions to change
    • Moratorium on fossil gas conversions to heat pumps for lower-income homes
    • Green light on other fuels
  • Take control of policy
  • Public v. investor-owned utilities
  • Build installer capacity
  • Plan to pay for liaison services
  • Field staff overwhelmed
• Electrify Tompkins! LMI Mobile Home Heat Pump Pilot
• Tompkins Community Recovery Fund
• Launched April 2023, 18 months
• Upgrade 50 mobile homes
  • 4,054 MH (1750 in parks, 2304 solo)
• 300% Federal Poverty Level
• Unique needs of mobile homes
• Survey occupants pre-and post-install
• Track barriers to participation
• Mobile Home Participation: 132 contacted/interviewed, 87 enrolled in program, 38 awardees (TCRF and FLCF), 34 completed heat pump projects, 7 insulation only projects
• Installer Participation: 40 invited, 3 signed up, 2 did the work (Halco and Simply Installs)
• LMI Mobile Home Results
  • 34 Mobile Home heat pump upgrades – 68% of goal
  • Envelopes brought up to Comfort Home standard
  • Projects in 4 villages and 8 towns
  • 3 Karen refugee families in MH park with translator
  • Six $13,909 Climate Fund grants from SFLX
  • 4 Karen families: insulation only $6609 Climate Fund grants to correct illegal water heaters
  • Fuels displaced: kerosene, fuel oil, propane, wood, electric, natural gas
•  Recommendations
  • Moratorium on fossil gas conversions to heat pumps for lower-income homes
  • Green light on other fuels
  • County Task Force findings
    • Will be included in task force report
  • Build installer capacity
  • Plan to pay for liaison services

Q&A

• Both Peter & Brian commended Gay on work she carried out for these two projects
• Brian pointed out that GAP Fund Act could really make a difference with these kinds of projects – AM Kelles introduced this bill
• Hailley Delisle: Where do things stand now?
• Gay: Deadlines coming up fast and we’re worried about whether installers will get all their paperwork in on time as well as slow-motion Empower+ approvals
• A lot of work that needs to get done to smooth out process and have it be less of a turn-off

February 2025

Digital Twinning & Energy Planning – Timur Dogan and Team

Timur Dogan is associate professor in the Department of Architecture and director of the Environmental Systems Lab at Cornell University. Timur and his team at the lab have developed digital building modeling tools to help the City of Ithaca plan for building electrification. They demonstrated these tools and explained how they use them to quantify the energy consumption and carbon footprint of buildings.

• Timur introduced his team of grad students who work with him on the project – two of them attended the presentation, Chengxhuan Li and Hung Ming Tseng
• What unites all the members of the team, despite their diverse backgrounds, is commitment to decarbonizing buildings
• Must eliminate all CO2 emissions from the built environment by 2040 to meet 1.5°C climate targets
• Almost 30% of global emissions are from building operations: heating, cooling, lighting, etc.
• Construction is responsible for 10% and transportation (light vehicles) accounts for another 14%
• UN projects that we’ll double our building floor area by 2060 as 2 billion new urban dwellers are added
• Huge opportunity to decarbonize our build environment and create sustainable urban areas
• When City of Ithaca launched Green New Deal and reached out to us, we were excited about opportunity to see how they could use some of tools they’d been developing
• Transportation, energy supply, and buildings were all areas they were interested in
• Started with question of creating digital replica of city – gather all publicly available information they could to create models and then test for accuracy and try out different ideas before even thinking about developing policies
• Mapped out different building uses and looked at city permit data going back to 1963
• Insulation upgrades increased rapidly in 1980s with first oil crisis, then furnace upgrades in 2010 and after, followed by installation of photovoltaics more recently
• Taking and synthesizing all of data has been biggest chunk of work so far
• Use data to create 3-D volumes of buildings
• Interested in understanding physical properties of buildings – what are they made out of, are the walls insulated or not, do they have brick or timber façade, etc.
• How is building used, how many people are in building, what kind of appliances are they running?
• Draw on information from DOE national labs that have been surveying country on energy usage patterns and how they unfold over time
• Then consolidate all that information in energy model – worked on developing 5,000 different energy models for city
• One of big challenges is workflows are designed for very large cities where most of buildings are big boxes – not case for Ithaca, obviously
• Big goal was to get better at geometry of buildings in Ithaca – also to take into account vegetation and its impact on building energy use --- big headache for energy modelers
• Decided to fly drone over city with high resolution camera that allowed them to reconstruct building geometry very accurately, better than what they could do with traditional GIS data
• Especially interested in how building facades are designed – how many windows and how are they oriented?
• Use machine learning to capture details with great accuracy to create detailed model of city
• Looked at determining photovoltaic potential of rooftops in city, generating radiation maps for each building – can tell with one foot accuracy where best sites are for rooftop solar and what sites to avoid
• Combining high performance areas with moderate areas, determined that city could come close to net zero with rooftop solar – other options include largescale solar on land just outside city, hydropower potential, and using areas such as parking lots in city for solar
• How would solar potential match up with energy needs of fully electrified building? Some buildings, of course, wouldn’t work – would need to participate in community solar outside city to help balance out unequal access to solar resource
• Have created unique energy model for every building in city
• Avangrid share dataset of billed data that allowed group to test accuracy of models and validate them
• Showed they were slightly overpredicting both demand for electricity and gas – able to make adjustments that resulted in almost perfect match
• Demonstrates that modeling they’ve been doing is pretty useful for testing various scenarios
• For example, lots of buildings in city have envelope issues where air tightness could be improved – insulation improvements and dealing with thermal bridges
• Timor showed example of fully electrified building in Frankfurt, his hometown – heavily insulated to reduce demand, solar integrated into façade and roof of building, high efficiency electric appliances, and energy storage in basement
• Estimated baseline energy consumption in Ithaca is about 450 GWh per year – most of it is heating demand
• Swapping out gas usage for decently efficient electrification could bring demand down to 285 – if only proper insulation provided for every building to bring it up to code, it would drop to 248 – combining the two would reduce it to 174
• Hope this kind of data could be used in city to help develop appropriate policies
• Electrification is very effective in eliminating GHG emissions – alone it can reduce CO2e emissions by 70% – much more effective than with envelope upgrades alone
• One of big drivers for homeowners is cost so we have to develop understanding of cost – actually quite challenging because there are not good data sources for cost
• Using an NREL database from 2018 so prices outdated – but helpful to get sense of order of magnitude – comparisons may hold true if not total numbers
• Ithaca currently spends $30M annually on fuel for buildings – that’s baseline
• Going to pay more for electrification compared to gas – something like $42M a year for city – upgrading envelopes could bring that cost down to about $18M – combining electrification, envelope upgrades, and onsite solar could bring annual costs down to $3M
• Significant upfront costs, however, to carry out these improvements – envelope upgrades, in particular, are quite costly
• Electrification alone doesn’t provide any opportunity to recoup costs – but combined with envelope upgrades and onsite solar can achieve 12 year ROI at least with some buildings
• Looks like commercial buildings are where you can biggest bang for the buck – when you take available incentives into account, low income, multi-residential housing comes to forefront
• With digital twinning, can pull out individual buildings and assess which ones make most sense to start with from financial perspective as well as impact on GHG emissions
• Timor and his team have mapped this all out for city and spent lot of time putting together user interface that’s easy to use to explore data – not public facing right now – only city and county sustainability offices have access
• Have developed similar tool for utilities to help them better understand what happens to grid with electrification
• Going forward want to look at ways to make envelope retrofits cheaper – looking at ways prefabricated envelope upgrades are being used in Europe and how that approach can be used in Ithaca
• Also collaborating with KMPG on developing digital twin modeling focused on flooding – also interested in traffic modeling
• Another area of interest involves microclimate and heat mitigation – working on creation of simulation tools that can be brought into digital twin as another layer
• In addition, developed software for tracking mobility patterns in city – which streets have most traffic and where are people when, etc.

Q&A

• Peter: Especially interested in 3-D modeling with vegetation included – how accurate is depiction of vegetation?
• Timor: Based on 2020 survey – full digital twin would include feedback loop that involves continuous scanning of city and continuous input of data from city
• Peter: Do you actually own and operate yourself drone(s) you use to scan city?
• Timor: Scanning is carried out with affordable consumer drone
• Peter asked Rebecca Evans how she and Timor first crossed paths – relationship between Environmental Systems Lab and city began when Luis was sustainability director and it’s continued with Rebecca
• Timor: Really kind of a coincidence in sense we met just as we were getting underway with exploration of energy systems at urban scale – really helpful to get real world feedback from city based on issues they are addressing
• David Kay: Really impressed with how much work has gone into development of digital twin – data seems to indicate that working at larger scale for example with grid makes most sense – what do you think about solar farms outside city as an approach to decarbonization – also at county scale how can this work be used to explore different growth scenarios for population and to address issues such as urban sprawl?
• Timor: Did not include utility costs involving grid capacity as electrification takes place – but one of innovation potentials involved with looking at things on urban scale is ability to identify synergies that you might otherwise overlook
• Just beginning to scratch surface of how to make decarbonization more cost effective by looking at how to carry it out at urban scale not just on individual building by building basis – in discussions with Avangrid about how to collaborate on this approach
• Very excited about potential of digital twin to better understand different mobility and densification scenarios – where, for example, electric buses or on-demand shuttles to help shorten commuter times
• We have lots of data but sometimes hardest nut to crack involves question of how should we be looking at data
• Dawn Montanye: In our outreach at Cooperative Extension, we work with homeowners to help them take advantage of incentives for electrification, heat pumps, etc. – our community energy advisors often work with low-income and marginalized communities
• We are primarily response-oriented but your model could help us be more pro-active in our outreach – could also help us in our data gathering to see what kind of changes are taking place – perhaps we could take a community-wide or neighborhood approach as you are suggesting
• Research is very exciting and could be helpful in work we are currently doing
• Timor: We would love to share data with you and see how you use it – it would give us a chance to see how spot on we were and to do a before and after as you engage with communities
• Laura Vineyard: Our group at Center for Community Transportation would love to have better grip on where private and public EV chargers are located and to what extent they are available – we have two NYSERDA grants seeking to build more EV infrastructure
• Have you done any work looking into general layout of where EV chargers currently exist?
• Timor: We haven’t really worked in depth on this issue but would be interested in using the simulation platform to optimize placement of chargers and to determine where there aren’t enough EV chargers and how much more might be needed
• Susan Harris: Our NYS public health organization works with health consequences of climate change – Susan noted that they are having their annual conference in Ithaca this year – she went on to share the details of her organization and upcoming conference – pointed out discrepancy between our premier climate law but don’t have education at K-12 level to match it – we’ve kicked can down road and now it’s for them to deal with climate change
• Timor: We do need to engage with younger generation and get them excited about our work with technology that can help create a more sustainable environment
• We’re very interested in incorporating public health as a layer in our model – cited example of extreme heat and its impact on health – also what happens in winter if power goes out, and in both seasons what happens if there are unexpected peak loads that put significant stress on grid
• We’re very interested in adding any layer we can add to digital twin that will help city make better decisions

 

2025 TCCPI Priorities – All

TCCPI priorities for last year included advocating for state climate and clean energy policies, strengthening climate resilience, and supporting the Ithaca Green New Deal. A lot has changed over the last 12 months. The group discussed how these changes should shape the coming year in terms of topics we talk about going forward.

• Peter: Especially important in context of a federal government that’s jettisoning whole concept of climate change, never mind addressing challenges and coming up with solutions to them
• We talked last year about importance of advocating for state climate and clean energy policies – we’re going to continue that this year and hopefully bring in people who can help us understand what policies are and what they need to be, and why they’re important – so that’s one priority for this year
• What are other topics that people would like to see discussed this year?
• David Kay: I’m especially interested in thinking about how to talk with people you don’t agree with and people who don’t agree with you, people who are on other side or in middle, particularly at county level
• Where is the moveable middle and how do we reach out to them?
• Peter asked David to say a little more about the idea of the moveable middle
• David: We know from surveys at Yale and elsewhere that there is now a very small percentage of people who don’t believe in climate change at all, but there is a huge proportion that doesn’t prioritize the issue – how do we bring them into conversation?
• Peter: There’s important work going on about how to get people who have different perspectives on climate change to talk with each other
• One of the folks who has done a lot of thinking about this issue is Katharine Hayhoe – she’s now chief scientist at Nature Conservancy and who also teaches at Texas Tech – she comes from a strong religious background and has the ability to talk with people who aren’t normally part of climate change conversations
• I’d really like to get her to talk with us – I’ll reach out to her and see what I can do
• Ingrid Zabel: I’m on the Tompkins County Environmental Management Council – we’ve been talking about the need for us to connect more with County Legislature – we can’t assume that they understand what’s happening with climate
• Also looks like 5 of current legislators won’t be seeking re-election – means new people will be coming in
• What can EMC and TCCPI do to connect better with County Legislature and inform them about climate issues? Invite some of them to come to one of our meetings? Plan some special event?
• Peter: Great idea – maybe we could invite 4 or 5 of them to meet with us to talk about what they see as their role when it comes to issues regarding climate crisis?
• Peter invited Ingrid to update group about financial crisis at PRI – Ingrid said PRI has been very open about what’s happening and there’s been coverage in local and national press about it – as result, tremendous outpouring of support, both large & small – very heartening
• We have very active program on climate change that’ continuing – we feel it’s an important part of what we do
• Peter explained in more detail that a major commitment from an anonymous donor has fallen through and it’s left PRI scrambling to respond to crisis – lot of planning for future rested on that commitment being fulfilled – now have to figure out how to reshape PRI taking into account this new reality
• Rebecca Evans: I’ve been looking into the reasons for fascism and why it’s been particularly successful now, in contrast to progressivism and climate movement
• Left has spent too much time policing its ranks instead of building coalitions and seeking unity
• Do we really want to keep having debates about whether the correct term is “climate change” or “global warming,” for example? Or should we be talking more about our hopeful vision for future and what can happen if we are successful?
• David Kay: My basic rule for community development is you have to start with what people care about the most and then think about how you connect what you want to talk about with what they care about
• Peter: There’s a lot of scary stuff going on right now but there are also real opportunities opening up because of the overreach on the part of the far right, to point out bankruptcy of authoritarian impulse
• Susan Harris: We could do a better job analyzing approaches to communication, exploring what strategies and techniques fascism deploys that have attracted attention and support, and maybe we can learn some lessons from that analysis
• Our conversations inside climate movement have not really resonated far and wide
• Peter: One of ways that’s been particularly effective in conveying seriousness of threat posed by climate change is to frame it in terms of public health – Peter suggested that he and Susan should think about who we could have come to TCCPI to discuss ways in which public health folks in NY are finding ways to talk about climate change that do resonate

January 2025

Center for Community Transportation: What’s Up for 2025? – Jeff Goodmark
Stepping in for Laura Vineyard, executive director of the Center for Community Transportation, Jeff Goodmark, director of micromobility, looked ahead at what 2025 will bring for the Center for Community Transportation.

• Ithaca Carshare, Bikewalk Tompkins, and Ithaca Bikeshare are three main programs of Center for Community Transportation (CCT)
• 2024 difficult year for CCT – spent several months without executive director – Laura came on as the new executive director in late July
• Lot of recalibration and rethinking about how organization is going to be successful
• Niki Ray-Israelsohn is director of Bikewalk Tompkins
• Bike Walk Tompkins works to make Ithaca and Tompkins County a community where walking, biking, and rolling are safe, convenient, & accessible for all people
  • Education & Outreach: learn to ride programs for youth and adults, bike repair shop
  • Access & Services: safe space where people can come in and learn about transportation options in community
  • Advocacy & Encouragement: senior bike rides, Halloween bike rides
• Community Bike Shop very successful in 2024
  • Community Bike Shop had 1,190 sign-ins, up 189% from previous year
  • 119 bikes sold or donated (+3%)
  • 120 FTWN-B community participants in Shift Program
  • 2,594 participants across all education events
    • 430 Elementary School rodeo riders
    • 411 group ride participants (ages 5-85)
    • 51 youth and adults who learned how to ride a bike
• Advisors and partners with:
  • Move Ithaca Active Transportation Plan
  • Tompkins County Joint Safety Action Plan
  • 13 Cayuga Waterfront Revitalization Project
• Collaborations with, among others:
  • BOCES
  • Cinemapolis
  • Cornell University
  • GIAC Senior Rides
  • GO Ithaca
  • Ithaca Underground
  • Ithaca Welcomes Refugees
  • Tompkins Whole Health + CMC
  • Women's Opportunity Center
• Bike shop (Bike Works) reopening in February and Streets Alive Film Fest in March at Cinemapolis
• 2025 Goals & Programming
  • Community Bike Shop
    • Incorporate an additional open shop session weekly (total of three weekly) & Shift Program sessions twice a month (open shop + class)
    • Monthly volunteer nights & mechanic skills classes
    • Volunteer tiers with benefits + possible membership model
  • Bike Safety & Skills Education
    • Increase adult learn-to-ride participants
    • Launch “Small Group Navigation” tours
  • Community Engagement
    • Bike Valet
    • Lighted Full Moon Rides
    • Adaptive & E-bike petting zoos
    • Group Rides with specific community partners
  • Advocacy
    • Planning phase for Open Summer Streets & revival of Streets Alive
    • Continuing conversation and pressure to improve Floral Ave, Elm St, & State St. safety for pedestrians & bicyclists
    • Planning phase for protected bike lane demos
    • City adoption of the Active Transportation Plan
• 2024 huge year for Ithaca Carshare – shut down in early 2023 due to insurance issues
  • Reopened March 11, 2024 and have been running 24/7 since!
  • Welcomed new staff Sandy, Maggie, and Sean
  • Enrolled more than 500 new members!
• Fleet usage first ten months (3/11/24-1/10/25)
  • Total number of bookings: 9,067
  • Number of miles driven: 140,195
  • Total car hours available to members for bookings: 135,789
  • Total hours booked by members: 23,038
  • Percentage of available hours booked by members: 16.97%
  • Usage Revenue: $213,305.21
  • Membership Fees: $121,815.36
• Total Usage Revenue & Membership Fees: $335,120.57
• Operating only with 20 vehicles – had to sell bunch of cars in 2023 to stay afloat until we could reopen again
• Need to get number of cars back up – working with organizations, funders, and NYSERDA so we can purchase additional cars
• Members by plan (total number of members):
  • It’s My Car monthly: 180
  • It’s My Car annual: 97
  • Just In Case monthly: 311
  • Just In Case annual: 633
  • Total members: 1,221
• Had 1,400 members before shutdown
• Goals for 2025
• Purchase five new cars in the spring/early summer. Use any reimbursable grant money + trade-ins for more new cars in the fall to reach a total of 25 vehicles in the fleet by the end of the year.
• Place a car in Varna in the spring, and track usage as part of the planning for mobility hubs in rural areas through the NYSERDA Clean Mobility planning grant.
• Attract new members through increased outreach and marketing campaigns that target commuters, low-income members, employers, and students.
• Increase usage by implementing new communication tactics with new members.
• Increase the number of Easy Access members so it more accurately reflects the percentage of people in Tompkins County living at or below the federal poverty line.
• Had 1,400 members before shutdown
• Since launching in late 2022 Ithaca Bikeshare has had 166,400 rides – 5.4 rides for every person in Ithaca – tremendous amount of buy-in from community
• 13,641 people have downloaded our app and taken at least one trip – 65 active Easy Access members
• Increased our rides by 20% in 2024 over 2023
  • In 2024 we have provided 10,000 trips to or from our target low income areas
  • 92 days with $1000+ revenue – goal is 250 days
  • Members took 45,552 trips in 2004 (51% of all trips) – goal is 30% membership trips
  • 545 trips in a single 24 hour period – goal is 750 trips a day
• Ithaca Bikeshare still seeking new partners so we can make our program more robust

• David Kay: Great to see kind of growth Ithaca Bikeshare has experienced – what kind of alternatives would people use if they didn’t have this option?
• Jeff: National data shows that about 37% of rides replacing single-occupancy car trip – very impactful from that perspective
• Important for us to make sure our services are available every single day regardless of weather
• Ingrid Zabel: Can you tell us more about your program for seniors?
• Jeff: Bikewalk Tompkins has senior programs that run all summer long – schedule for 2025 not set yet
• Our goal is to get people who may not have ridden a bike in awhile into a bike that is safe and comfortable for them
• Do curated group rides and invite seniors into our BikeWorks maintenance and repair shop
• Dawn Montanye: Great to have local bike program that is committed to area – how does the reduction in membership affect your ability to service the low-income population? Are you looking for state and federal funding to fill in some of gaps?
• Jeff: Anyone who wants to can sign up for the easy access program and get free access to bikes
• David Kay: Did the closing of Way2Go affect your program at all?
• Jeff: Not really – CCT works much more closely with GoIthaca – they administer our Easy Access program and they’re qualifying folks for it

 

Park Building Decarbonization Fund – Nick Goldsmith

Nick Goldsmith, program officer for the Park Foundation’s Sustainability Ithaca, discussed an important new initiative, the Building Decarbonization Fund, which will provide funding for non-profit buildings in Tompkins County.

• Why is the Building Decarbonization Fund (BDF)needed?
  • Increasing effects of climate change demonstrate need for more resilient infrastructure.
  • Building sector one of largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
  • More non-profits coming to Park seeking assistance with building improvement projects, which can be expensive and hard to manage.
  • To address these challenges, Park has developed the pilot BDF to equitably distribute funding and technical assistance for projects in local non-profit buildings.
  • Pilot fund developed with community input and will continue to evolve during implementation.
• Funding Provisions
  • Pilot grant fund of $500,000
    • Grants between $20,000 and $100,000 will be awarded.
  • Revolving loan fund of $500,000
    • Low-interest loans between $20,000 and $100,000 will be awarded.
    • Interest rate of 0.5%; Payback period of five years.
  • Loans will require full funding match; matching for grants desired, not required.
• Proposals will be accepted beginning January 10, 2025
• Proposals for Q1 are due January 31, 2025. Funding awards will be announced and paid in March.
• Proposals for Q2 are due March 27, 2025. Funding awards will be announced and paid in June.
• At least half of the funding will be reserved for Q2. Additional rounds of funding will be offered if funds remain after Q2.
• Who can apply?
  • Not-for-profit 501(c)3 organizations in Tompkins County are eligible for consideration
  • Exceptions: higher education institutions, K-12 schools, and government agencies are not eligible for the pilot funds.
• What projects are eligible for funding?
  • All projects must reduce GHG emissions or increase resiliency.
  • Examples: energy efficiency (insulation), electrification (heat pumps), EV chargers, on-site renewable energy.
  • Efficient electric equipment is prioritized over fossil-fuel equipment.

• Both applicant-owned and rented buildings and spaces are eligible.
• Funding is intended for existing buildings/spaces

• What projects are eligible for funding?
  • Projects may include improvements that are necessary to enable main project, such as electric upgrades, remediation, or repairs.
  • Projects may include components such as project management, design work, energy studies, and third-party commissioning.
  • Free technical assistance offered by the local Business Energy Advisors program.
  • Free energy use tracking offered by the Ithaca 2030 District.
  • Projects should be completed within one year of the funding award date – funding not intended for already completed projects.
• The Fund aims to align with City of Ithaca Justice50 program by allocating at least 50% of funding to organizations that serve Climate Justice Communities (CJC).
• What are Climate Justice Communities? Communities that bears disproportionate burden of negative impacts of climate change and are least able to prepare, withstand and recover from those impacts.
• BDF uses same criteria to identify CJC-serving organizations as City of Ithaca uses table to identify climate justice individuals and households
• If your organization serves CJCs, describe how your organization and/or building/space meets the individual criteria in the table. Please address at least one criterion from at least three of the four columns. This could relate to:
  • The organization’s mission and policies
  • The communities that are intentionally serviced by the organization (e.g. neighborhoods, demographics)
  • How the organization is serving those communities (e.g. focus on rural)
  • The composition of the staff and board of the organization, especially leadership
• Additional Resources
  • Free technical assistance, including guidance on funding available for these types of building projects, is offered by the local Business Energy Advisors program.
  • Free energy use tracking and cohort-based learning on building decarbonization and resilience are offered by the Ithaca 2030 District.
  • NYSERDA offers subsidized energy studies through two different programs. The Green Jobs - Green New York program offers energy studies for a very low cost for non-profits.
  • Additional grant funding opportunities are included in BDF guidelines.
• Learn more at parkfoundation.org – please help spread word

Q&A

• Sara Hess: Are rural churches that have food pantries eligible to apply to this program?
• Nick: Yes, as long as they’re a 501c3 organization
• David Kay: How will Park decide whether program is successful? Could you say more about mix between grant and loan?
• Nick: Organizations can apply for up to $100,000 with any mix of grant and loan that makes sense for their organization
• Board has not given us firm metrics for success – “let’s do it for a year and see what happens” – may or may not repeat program next year

Estimating the Operational Emissions of Cornell University

Heat Decarbonization Pathways – Fenya Bartram, Eric Potash, bethany ojalehto mays, Jacob Mays, and Tony Ingraffea

The research team presented its findings on two different approaches to decarbonization at Cornell University, the near-term decarbonization pathway and the delayed decarbonization pathway.

Fenya Bartram

• Some background on Ithaca Energy Code Supplement (IECS)
• Became law in 2021 – part of the Ithaca Green New Deal, Ithaca’s climate justice policy
  • Driven by climate justice organizations such as Sunrise Ithaca
  • “Community-wide carbon neutrality by 2030”
  • “Ensure benefits are shared among all local communities to reduce historical social and economic inequities”
• Goal: “Deliver measurable and immediate reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new buildings, major renovations, and new additions”
• Requires all new construction and significant renovations to phase out fossil fuel use beginning in 2026

Tony Ingraffea

• What is the Earth Source Heat Project? (ESH)
  • Obtain hot water by mining heat from rock 2+ miles beneath campus to heat buildings
  • Replace the steam/hot water coming from the natural-gas-burning Combined Heat and Power Plant (CHP)
  • Different from ground source heat pumps
• ESH is Plan A for campus heat decarbonization: 2035 completion?
• Interim President Kotlikoff on 1/21/2025:
  • “In the long term, the most promising way for us to meet our energy goals is Earth Source Heat: a game-changing technology with the potential to meet cold-climate heating needs with less electricity than other options....”
• But does ESH preclude implementation of other measures in the interim? ESH is experimental: In its research phase, a no-guarantee experiment
• First major step: a $10M+ vertical borehole in 2022 to obtain critical data (CUBO)
• Next step: deepen and re-enter CUBO to de-risk ESH
• Waiting on a $10M+ grant from DoE to fund this step
• Scope of project is huge – providing 95% of campus heat needs will require multiple well pairs, each well will be about 3 miles long, and fracking will be needed to connect the wells in each pair
• Key question: what should we do before 2035 and what if ESH fails?

Jacob Mays

• Cornell’s energy transition, in essence, a timing decision
• “If successful, the final build-out of Earth Source Heat would be optimally sized to deliver about 95% of campus’s annual heating demand.” - ESH FAQ
• If unsuccessful, the most viable backup plan for ESH relies on ground-source heat pumps (GSHPs)
• In principle, GSHPs added to the district energy network could supplement ESH

when it comes online

• What would be the emissions impact of installing GSHPs (e.g., in conjunction with

construction projects) as we learn more about the prospects for ESH?

• Key point to consider: how do we estimate emission consequences of long-term capital project like building electrification?
• According to NYSERDA, standard is to assess building electrification based on long-run

emissions rates

• Short-run vs. long-run marginal emissions rates
  • Short-run MERs
    • Resource mix available on the grid is assumed to be fixed
    • Increased demand (e.g., from heat pumps) is met by marginal unit on grid
    • In New York this is usually a gas plant
  • Long-run MERs
    • Resource mix available on the grid is allowed to change
    • Increased demand leads to increased supply in the long run
    • In New York this may be met by a combination of resources: 1) Building new wind/solar; 2) Retaining old gas longer; and 3) Imports (e.g., from Quebec or Pennsylvania)
  • Short-run rates seen as a poor estimate of impacts
  • Energy Policy (June 2024): “Short-run marginal emission factors neglect impactful phenomena”
  • iScience (March 2022): Short-run rates “overpredicted the emissions induced by all the load interventions we examined, often quite significantly.”
  • In context of IESC goals, we want to assess whether adding GSHPs in near term would result in emissions reductions relative to status quo operations
  • We will do this on the basis of estimated long-run emissions rates, in contrast to prior analyses from Cornell

Fenya Bartram

• IESC requires phase-out of fossil fuels for new construction by 2026, but ESH is not expected to come online until 2035 at earliest – Cornell requesting amendment to IECS as result
• How should Cornell provide heat to new construction and renovations before Earth Source Heat (ESH) is targeted to come online?
• Following IESC requirements, new construction on Cornell campus before 2035 would require installation of heat pumps
• We consider three major emissions sources:
• Use of natural gas in the Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant
• Electricity needed to power alternative heating systems (GSHPs, ESH)
  • Assumed to come from the grid
  • ESH more efficient than GSHPs
  • Replacing lake source cooling (LSC) with GSHPs for cooling
• Electricity co-production at the CHP
  • Assumed to displace electricity from the grid
• Illustrative test case: Emissions impact of near-term versus delayed decarbonization for current construction projects ongoing at Cornell (2024)
  • 8 major new construction or renovation projects planned or underway at Cornell in 2024
  • 48% of campus total square footage → Assume 4.48% of energy use (for both heating and chilled water)
• Engineering feasibility: We assume that buildings can remain on the district energy system; GSHPs provide an additional infusion point into the system.
• Implementation of the New York Climate Act (CLCPA) will reduce grid emissions
• How does falling behind on grid decarbonization goals impact findings? Our model considers different scenarios for grid decarbonization:
  • CLCPA decarbonization: Emissions reductions consistent with CLCPA targets (Emissions factors taken from E3 report produced for NYSERDA, assumed to fall to zero in 2040)
  • Delayed (CLCPA+3) decarbonization: Decarbonization rates from above case are delayed by 3 years
  • “No CLCPA” decarbonization: Long-run marginal emissions rates for PJM-East, a nearby region with weaker decarbonization policy (Emissions rates modeled by NREL and remain positive through 2050)
• What might be the long-run emissions impact of installing GSHPs in 2026?
  • Results: Installing ground-source heat pumps in 2026 leads to emissions reductions even when CLCPA goals are not being met
• What happens to the benefits of GSHPs if they aren’t installed until 2030 instead of 2026?
  • Results: Smaller but still significant emissions reductions from GSHPs as we approach completion of ESH

Jacob Mays

• Is our “pessimistic” case for grid decarbonization pessimistic enough?
• Prospects for grid decarbonization
• The Good News
  • Nearly everything being added to the grid is clean
  • Nationwide, 2.5 GW of gas capacity added in 2024 out of 62.8 GW of new generation
  • In New York, only two gas projects in interconnection queue, both recent additions
• The Bad News
  • Pace of new additions in New York is well behind CLCPA targets
  • Ongoing challenges with supply chains, siting, permitting, and interconnection (nationwide, but even more challenging in New York)
  • Unclear outlook for Federal policy in the near term
• New York grid projections currently available from NYSERDA and NREL are over-optimistic, but believe that using short-run rates is too pessimistic
  • No higher long-run rates are available in the published literature
  • Using short-run rates known to be incorrect
• Intent of NYSERDA projections is to support decision making on vehicle and heat electrification across the state
• Estimates of long-run rates implicate the entire IECS and the decarbonization strategy of the state, not just Cornell’s district energy system
• Need to regularly refresh estimates of long-run emissions rates taking into account recent trends in generation deployment

Conclusion

• IECS decarbonization depends on two things happening in parallel:
  • Decarbonization of electricity grid
  • Electrification of building heat
• We find 54–92% emissions reduction (GWP20) from installing GSHPs in 2026
• using a range of estimates for long-run grid decarbonization available in the literature
• While these estimates could be refined with more detailed building modeling (as performed by the Cornell Energy Team), we believe the most critical input assumption is long-run emissions rates

Q&A

• Peter (to Jacob): What do you see as the main point of the argument presented today?
• Jacob: Decarbonizing grid is most important factor – important to make sure we actually accomplish this
• bethany ojalehto mays (in chat): Can you say a bit more about how Princeton is undertaking building decarbonization?
• Jacob: Princeton installing geothermal heat pumps across campus – much dirtier grid in NJ than in NY – not familiar with details of their analysis of consequential emissions but they must have been using scenario that assumed declining rates over time
• Sarah Carson: Key difference between Princeton and Cornell is that Princeton does not have lake source cooling – latter many more times efficient than even best GSHPs
• Impact of lake source cooling left out of group’s white paper and today’s presentation – need to take into account cooling as well as heating
• We agree that portfolio of solutions makes sense but we think moving forward with GSHPs while waiting for ESH would have negative impact on environment – will increase emissions in short term
• We would love to continue to collaborate and work on refining models with better data
• Peter asked Jacob if he wanted to address how they took into account impact of lake source cooling
• Jacob: Ours if very much top-down model but in our analysis lake source cooling does not make that much difference due in part to how clean upstate grid is
• Tony Ingraffea: If we only use short-run marginal emissions rates in our analysis, it negates any effort to install ground source heat pumps both on and off campus
• Fenya: We’re not advocating to convert entire campus to GSHPs, but rather just new construction going forward – also GSHPs could be used to supplement lake source cooling
• Bob Howarth points out group is using GWP20 (Global Warming Potential over 20-year time period) as required by NYS law and Cornell is using GWP100 – as result, less weight given to methane in Cornell’s accounting
• Fenya: We still see benefits in using GSHPs even with GWP100, although not as much
• Wayne Bezner Kerr: Amount of new load involving wind and solar in NY much less than what’s expected in places like Texas – also we know what short term marginal rates are as opposed to uncertainty about what long term marginal rates might be
• Jacob: Less an issue of what is being deployed in NY (renewable vs. fossil) than an issue of not enough renewable energy being deployed – what is being deployed is overwhelmingly clean
• We need to work on refining our understanding of what the long-term marginal rates are but despite this, Jacob believes it’s a better approach than using the short-term rates
• Wayne pointed out that as result of Trump’s threatened tariffs, Canada likely to cut off export of its clean hydro power which will lead to greater reliance on natural gas from south of NY
• David Kay agreed with Jacob that question of how quickly we can decarbonize grid just as important as decarbonization of buildings – unfortunately, there is growing pushback against largescale solar in particular in NY – would be very surprised if NY meets its decarbonization goals