Melinda Hanson

The recent announcement from the Vermont Council on Rural Development could have a transformative impact on communities that are urgently navigating a multitude of necessary infrastructure renewals and adaptations to climate change. The trust fund structure provides a mechanism for financial stability but is not a panacea; it demands diligent long-term management. Woodstock, VT, for instance, is in an advantageous position, benefiting from a private endowment designed to help secure its future prosperity. Despite the financial boon from this endowment, Woodstock, VT, continues to experience persistent municipal financial constraints preventing major upgrades in critical infrastructure. This is largely due to inadequate long-term financial planning. Additionally, the increasing frequency of significant climate events exacerbates these challenges, posing a severe risk to our community’s resilience. Trust funds are both important and necessary, but equally critical are capacity building and maintaining fiduciary responsibility.

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Ambitious #climate goals are bringing #cities and counties face-to-face with a serious reality: the need for carbon dioxide removal in addition to #decarbonization. As some local governments start to look at carbon removal strategies, experts say the public sector entering the ring could help bring down the cost for everyone. My story for Smart Cities Dive:

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Just returned from Environmental Finance's Natural Capital Investment conference in NYC. A few takeaways: 🦋 Amazing level of interest in biodiversity credit from institutions and investors. I don’t know that I’ll ever stop being surprised that we can now pack a room by talking about nature and money at the same time. Stop making it hard for ourselves. Instead of trying to turn struggling or failed carbon projects into nature ones. Or dealing with wicked additionality issues from avoided loss forest preservation projects. Why not focus the first years of the market on uplift/restoration projects on places that even one’s mom could tell are different before and after. Buyers should start being a little clearer about what they want (i.e. forests, grasslands?) and where they want it (Ghana, Poland?). Give the market more of a head-start so they can provide it. Paula DiPerna's excellent keynote on the need for profit and loss accounting for the planet made me write down this: “If we care about minimum wage, why are we making Mother Nature work for free?” 💵 Who knew that there are already $1 billion in assets put into biodiversity funds this year?  I did not know.   Biodiversity credits are old, not new. First wetland ecosystem bank – 1982. First wildlife bank (seabirds) – 1986. First riparian ecosystem bank – 2000. First Indigenous-owned and operated bank – 2012. First comprehensive regulatory credit system for all of nature – 2024 (England). I’ve never been an a finance meeting where financial experts don’t sardonically say that capital is sitting on the sidelines waiting for someone to make conditions more attractive to them while simultaneously explaining that they have already put money on the table. 🙊 20% of nature-based carbon projects on the market are solid and 80% are questionable? One opinion that I won’t forget to keep gut-checking. Nature deserves to be able to take advantage of the full suite of capital tools that are available in other sectors – this is a public policy goal I’m going to keep under my pillow. Thanks Environmental Markets! Genevieve Redgrave Ruben Ortiz Hernandez Chris Martin Julia Santander Megan Reilly Cayten Nkwi Flores Manesh Lacoul Jessica Smith Sacha Spector

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On the heels of announcing how San Francisco has reduced citywide emissions by nearly half, I am excited to share that the San Francisco Environment Department has been awarded a $1 million grant from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to bolster climate action in our city’s most vulnerable communities. This significant funding is a leap forward in our mission to ensure a sustainable and equitable future for all San Franciscans. San Francisco's climate ambitions and successes are driven by the belief that true progress starts at the community level. By empowering local neighborhoods and fostering strong partnerships, we aim to create enduring and impactful climate solutions. This new EPA grant funds will be redirected and support local community organizations to: 🌞 Expand access to renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies 🌱 Enhance community resilience to climate impacts 🤝 Forge strong partnerships to co-create solutions Equity and environmental justice are at the core of our climate action plan. We are committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, enjoys the benefits of a healthy environment and a resilient community. A huge thank you to my team and our community partners (as always) for successfully applying for and winning this grant. Together, we’re going to continue to set an example for others by pushing the boundaries and working towards an equitable and sustainable future! 🌍💚 #ClimateAction #Sustainability #environmentaljustice #SanFrancisco #Bayarea

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So important to have #diverse voices at the table—to understand how they’re being impacted by #climatechange AND so they can participate in the development of #mitigation & #adaptation solutions. #ClimateWeekNYC

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Climate Justice has become a catch phrase for addressing the inequities in the climate movement. As small funders/foundations and CSR enter the space we need to insure that we meets the needs of the most vunrable communities, and not just further exasperate injustice. In the article for Alliance Magazine, I explain how focusing on a just transition and decarbonisation is in it self an injustice to millions around the world. https://lnkd.in/d8h2AbtF

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In advance of  #ClimateWeekNYC, We Mean Business Coalition have updated the Responsible Policy Engagement (RPE) Framework with new resources (https://lnkd.in/eM73JgjC). These resources cover a range of tools to help companies advocate responsibly, including ⬇️    ✔️ A guide for companies to follow to align their business association memberships with positive climate policy engagement - Exponential Roadmap Initiative ✔️ An updated EU policy advocacy toolkit for companies by Corporate Leaders Groups ✔️ Corporate political responsibility decision-making tool by the University of Michigan - Erb Institute ✔️ The current best in class corporate climate advocacy and trade group misalignment report by Unilever - Fiona Duggan + Volans   These are great resources to help companies in practicing Responsible Policy Engagement, but there is more to come later this year as we are developing a climate advocacy reporting template and a tool to evaluate corporate climate advocacy spend. Our wider partners also have lots more in the works (Tessa Vincent Elisa Leimer Amy Meyer Anne White Anne L. Kelly Zach Friedman Deborah Rigling Gallagher Ewan Livingston-Docwra Clare Everett Romain Pardo Dylan Tanner Ed Collins). I hope to see many of you next week at the events we and our partners are hosting on corporate climate advocacy.   📢 For any companies on the ground who would like to meet for a coffee in NYC and discuss how they are practicing responsible policy engagement message me!

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🌍🎧 I recently joined the Climate Confident podcast with Tom Raftery to talk about the role of clean energy in building community resilience and how Mercy Corps is doubling down to tackle the climate crisis.   At Mercy Corps, we believe clean energy is crucial not just for powering homes but for driving economic opportunity, climate resilience, and long-term sustainability—especially for vulnerable communities. We discussed innovative solutions like solar microgrids, cold storage for farmers, and improved water access in regions facing extreme climate impacts. We also tackled the challenges of deploying energy solutions in fragile regions and the need for a just energy transition— one that prioritizes both decarbonization and support for the world’s most climate-impacted populations. Key takeaways: - Climate action must be human-centered. Mercy Corps bridges the gap between local realities and global decision-makers. - Clean energy is key to climate resilience, unlocking innovation and opportunities. - The gap between urgent climate impacts on the ground and slow global responses can be closed by elevating local voices and prioritizing community-led action.   Thanks Tom for the great discussion! Listen to the full episode here 👉https://lnkd.in/eKmdjdju #ClimateAction #CleanEnergy #Sustainability #ClimateResilience #ClimatePossible

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As we are at the #ClimateWeekNYC and #UNGA, read our 2023 Annual Report demonstrating its growing impact. The Green Climate Fund has now committed $13.5 billion to 243 projects across 129 developing countries, leveraging over $50 billion in co-financing for climate action. In 2023 alone, GCF approved $2.1 billion for 34 new transformative projects. The Fund is maintaining a 50-50 balance between mitigation and adaptation funding, with over half of adaptation funding going to particularly vulnerable nations. Green Climate Fund is making climate finance more accessible. 63% of its partners are now Direct Access Entities from developing countries. Private sector engagement is increasing, with $5 billion now committed to 60 private sector projects mobilizing over $17 billion in co-financing. These results show that the GCF is living up to its core values of being committed to climate action, innovative, responsive, and trusted. However, we need to do more.....! With the Leaders here and our complex challenges due to #climatechang, the #GCF's role in channelling and catalyzing climate finance to developing nations is more crucial than ever. We need to accelerate ambitious climate action where it's needed most. Report for 2023 is here: https://lnkd.in/gSY2wwGh #climateaction

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Last week, J-PAL North America’s Co-Executive Director Vincent Quan presented at the Center for an Urban Future's “What’s Next for Economic Mobility in NYC?” event, focusing on evidence-based programs that can expand economic mobility in the city. Vincent spoke on the complexity of poverty and the need for intersectional approaches to address it. Programs such as sector-focused job training, housing navigators, and summer youth employment are evidence-based approaches that can offer the city of New York opportunities to advance economic mobility. Watch the full panel to learn more from all of the experts who participated: https://lnkd.in/dQFae_Rv Interested in more evidence-based programs that can alleviate poverty? Sign-up for our newsletter to stay informed: j-p.al/NAnewsletter

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Hello Climate Colleagues & Friends! 👋 Are you in New York this week? Join me and a team of distinguished global climate thinkers and leaders at the BSR x Debatable at #ClimateWeek2024 for a timely, fun, and stimulating debate on the subject: "Climate action needs American political leadership." I'll join a team including Kirsten Dunlop, Sandrine Dixson-Declève , Genevieve Guenther, PhD & Aron Cramer Clover Hogan, Gerald Butts , Azeem Azhar, & Tim Brown! And a bonus - Sophie Lambin 🪁 & Paul van Zyl as moderators! Monday, 23 September, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. Since the end of WWII, the United States has consistently been considered the “indispensable nation,” with the power to shape the global economy and geopolitics. While the U.S. remains the world’s largest economy – with global reach through business, culture, and military strength – deep polarization, neo-isolationism, political uncertainty and low levels of institutional trust jeopardize its position on the world stage. Meanwhile, new centers of influence and reckoning with America’s domestic and foreign policies have led many to wonder whether a rebalancing of global powers is now long overdue. Is American leadership too divided and inward-looking to lead the global climate fight? Does climate action still need American political leaders to lead on global cooperation, demonstrate the economic and social value of climate action, and make investments at scale in a clean energy economy? What say you? Rachel Kyte Valeria Ramundo Orlando Carine de Meyere Emma Howard Boyd CBE Leslie Johnston, M.Sc. Lisa Witter Climate Resilience for All

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At Mercy Corps, we believe a climate resilient future is possible -- if we take bold action to support communities with proven climate adaptation solutions. One such solution is access to clean, affordable energy. It’s not just about decarbonization – it’s a cornerstone of climate adaptation. In the first of our newly launched Climate: Possible position paper series, we share five recommendations for how to not only expand energy access – but ensure energy systems are resilient, sustainable, and capable of supporting communities to adapt to our rapidly changing climate. Read the paper here: https://lnkd.in/ejx9gK2b

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Come hear Zack Aders, Sylvie Binder and I talking about reducing embodied carbon in construction materials and deconstruction policy in NY!

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Join us in celebrating the remarkable work of the second cohort of the National Equity Atlas Fellowship! These visionary fellows have developed innovative data projects that address critical issues like housing affordability, transit deserts, the digital divide, wage theft, economic instability, climate change, and environmental hazards. The National Equity Atlas is a pioneering data and policy tool that equips community leaders and policymakers with the resources they need to build an equitable, resilient, and prosperous new economy. By tracking, measuring, and advocating for racial equity and inclusive prosperity, the Atlas serves as a comprehensive resource for data across America’s regions, states, and nationwide. In these recorded presentations, each fellow shares their journey in sharpening their data skills and leveraging both quantitative and qualitative data to strengthen policy and advocacy initiatives within their communities. Their work exemplifies the power of data and research justice in shaping and sustaining equitable communities. Learn more about the National Equity Atlas Fellows and their projects to see how they are driving change: https://lnkd.in/gWTs6YKM #Equity #DataJustice #PolicyChange #CommunityLeadership #NationalEquityAtlas

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Happy Tuesday Friends and Collaborators. I hope you are doing well. Let us talk about the MOUTH and the HEART. It's disheartening that in climate discussions, leaders in Massachusetts and elsewhere seem to prioritize reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions everywhere except in low-income households. Massachusetts, for example, is enthusiastic about a Three-Year 2025-2027 Draft Plan that aims to reduce 1 million metric tons of GHG emissions, with the lowest reductions projected in the low-income sector. It's concerning that while we claim to care about vulnerable populations, our actual planning neglects their needs. The high cost of reducing GHG emissions in low-income areas is often cited as a reason, but we can't postpone addressing this issue as a strategic solution. This behavior is reminiscent of the biblical saying on honor with lips but hearts being far away, in our case low-income households are honored in words about equity (MOUTH), but in reality, the allocation of resources is far from equitable (HEART), as seen in our public plans. Check out this research from The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) maybe it will help most of us do the right thing. #energyjustice https://lnkd.in/ejuhVerY

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I’m thankful the Biden administration is funding this critically important work. There is a lot that climate scientists agree on in terms of medium and long-term increases in climate risk exposure and at a pretty granular scale geospatially. But the big unknown is how an increase in average risk exposure over 10-100 years translates to actual increases in the number of or intensity of extreme weather events. You know, what people and communities actually experience and need to adapt to. I’m hoping for some insights into the Great Lakes and our unique climate here in the Midwest. So many unknowns and “known unknowns” here. #ClimateRisk

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The final episode of #Capitalism podcast series from Scene on Radio brings it all home with a visit to Mondragon, discussion of regenerative economy with John Fullerton and rematriation of land. The wrap up includes comments I made to host John Biewen, "we need to end . . wealth supremacy, and the damage done by profit maximization. And we need to structure things so power is shared more equally, so people can be in 'right relationship.'" Whether we call it a #regenerative economy or a #democratic economy, we need an economy designed for people and the planet to flourish.

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