ASC's Intersections Newsletter — December 1st, 2023
Nora's Note
Coming together for climate action. It’s the start of the Conference of Parties, or COP28, an annual meeting of UN members to plan climate action—and this year, the forum will focus on the first-ever Global Stocktake, a comprehensive assessment of progress since the 2015 Paris Agreement. The big (but not surprising) news: we’re not on track to meet the goals to push global warming to 1.5°C and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. The meeting is on the heels of the release of the US’s Fifth National Climate Assessment, which highlighted the need for swift and significant action to mitigate the harmful effects of climate change across the US. 4 out of 5 people favor doing whatever it takes to limit the effects of climate change—as renewable energy developments, emissions reduction programs and environmental justice initiatives pick up speed across the US, public engagement will be front and center in building awareness and ensuring equity in the battle for a more sustainable future.
Transportation
Ahead of busy Thanksgiving travel, improvements to air transportation touted. This past Thanksgiving saw record-low aviation cancellation rates, which U.S. Secretary of Transportation Peter Buttigieg attributes to the Biden Administration's investments into infrastructure programs supplying billions to help airports. According to the White House statement earlier this month, the GOP spending proposal would fall short of giving airports and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) the technology and funds needed. Read more on the progress of airports and the potential impact of the proposed Congressional spending bill. (Source: Route Fifty)
Climate
New federal grants will help Colorado groups address environmental injustices across the state. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently awarded 186 grants nationwide for initiatives that seek to address harm done to poor communities that bore the brunt of past infrastructure work. In Colorado, the grants, funded through the Inflation Reduction Act, are set to support a variety of community-driven initiatives that educate, provide fresh produce, and mitigate climate impacts in environmental justice communities that struggle with poor air quality, negligible tree canopies, and other negative public health impacts. Read more on the EPA's impact on these communities. (Source: CPR News)
Route Fifty: White House finalizes rule requiring states to target vehicle pollution
Canary Media: Heat-pump water heaters are a winner for the climate — and your wallet
Smart Cities Dive: EPA announces $2B for local environmental justice projects
Economic Development
US government deploys $41M to train clean energy workforce. Thousands of new workers are set to enter the clean energy economy thanks to nearly $41 million in funding from the Biden administration for new training centers. Recent landmark legislation to boost renewable energy and support new infrastructure could create up to 2.9 million new jobs every year in the United States. Some of the new funding will go to building 27 new training centers to equip workers with skills in energy efficiency, decarbonization and clean energy manufacturing. Read more on the initiatives of the new workforce development centers. (Source: Canary Media)
Bennington Banner: New mentoring program matches Vermont energy professionals with business coaches
CBS News: Berkeley City Council approves plan that could add over 2,000 housing units near university
Route Fifty: Apprenticeship programs are growing as the public sector faces workforce shortages
Digital
New Jersey Unveils AI Policy to Guide Use by State Employees. Governor Phil Murphy unveiled a new policy to guide the use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) by state employees. This initiative builds upon the groundwork laid by the recently established Artificial Intelligence Task Force, which aims to assess AI's impacts and offer ethical use recommendations. Alongside the policy, the state Office of Innovation released an explanatory video, the first in a series of extensive training resources for state workers on AI development, use, and risks. Read more on the implementation and safety guidelines of the New Jersey AI Policy. (Source: Government Technology)
Route Fifty: FCC wants to improve cyber protections for schools, libraries
Cyber Scoop: Researchers want more detail on industrial control system alerts
State Scoop: California publishes first report on generative AI risks, potential use cases
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