CFF24, building on the success of CFF19 and CFF22, helped participants gain new skills and knowledge to implement climate actions in their communities and work while at the same time showcase their own initiatives, gain insights from fellow organizations, and foster enhanced collaboration to advance climate action – all with the aim to accelerate transformative change. This year CCF24 was supported by the State of WI’s Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy (OSCE) WI Climate Action Navigators (WI CAN). In order to foster deeper community dialogue and exchange that will advance climate action, CFF24 made this a two-day event with the second day dedicated sector specific collaborative spaces led by WI CAN area experts. The desired outcomes of these collaborative spaces were:
- More collaborative relationships that last beyond the conference
- Increased alignment between organizations working on similar goals
- Progress on climate change action
- Collect data that is useful to and can be directly submitted the State of WI’s Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy(OSCE) in support of the 2050 Comprehensive Climate Action Plan (CCAP).
- Increase participant’s of empowerment to directly contribute to decision making processes, including the CCAP
Workforce Development
The future of working people and the health of the environment are inextricably linked. Federal investments like the Inflation Reduction Act and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will help to create millions of new jobs across a variety of industries, as we transition to a clean energy economy. In this session we discussed the opportunities and challenges in ensuring that green jobs are good jobs.
Track Leaders: Carly Ebben Eaton, PhD, and Lindsay Blumer
Transportation
Transportation emissions are responsible for 25% of greenhouse gas emissions in Wisconsin. Transportation is also deeply embedded in a number of health and equity issues that impact marginalized and disadvantaged communities in Wisconsin; these include air pollution, traffic violence, and access to essential services. The goal of this session was to provide feedback to the Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy as they consider the role of transportation in the state Comprehensive Climate Action Plan.
Track Leaders: Kaleb Vander Wiele and Susan Gaeddert
Natural Climate Solutions
Natural climate solutions (NCS) are land management practices, protection and restoration practices that measurably (i) draw carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and hold it for the long-term in the form of above- and below-ground biomass and soil organic carbon, and (ii) reduce emissions of other greenhouse gases (like methane and nitrous oxide) through a reduction of inputs and improper fertilizer management. NCS present important opportunities for a state like Wisconsin, which has extensive natural landscapes covered in forests and wetlands existing side-by-side with landscapes used for agriculture. This track built on the Academy’s continuing work on climate-critical lands in Wisconsin to advance strategic, cohesive state-wide collaboration, and to identify the policies, state incentive programs, and supply-chain infrastructure development needed to remove existing barriers and bottlenecks that prevent widespread implementation of these practices as we work to meet or exceed net-zero emissions by 2050.
Track Leaders: Fred Clark, Nancy Turyk, Cassandra Flagg, and Kata Young
Clean Energy
Clean Energy and Electrification are crucial today for combating climate change, cutting emissions, and enhancing energy security. Transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy not only reduces environmental impacts but also drives economic growth and creates jobs. This session explored key opportunities, challenges, and innovative solutions in clean energy adoption. By fostering collaboration between stakeholders, we aimed to generate actionable strategies that accelerate the transition to clean energy, lower carbon emissions, and build a more sustainable, resilient future for our communities.
Track Leaders: Francisco J. Sayu and Abigail Corso
Buildings
The buildings and the construction of these buildings are large contributors to greenhouse gases, which UNEP accounts as 37% of global emissions. While addressing the energy efficiency of building operations (such as heating, cooling, and lighting) will help to greatly stem the sector’s emission for years to come, additional focus on the production and use of materials used in construction (such as cement, steel and timber) is needed. This collaborative space explored the entire lifecycle of buildings as well as our relationship to buildings as we envision our homes, places of work, and our communities.
Track Leaders: Robin Lisowski, Montre Moore, and Kahya Fox
