Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)

Environmental and Energy Study Institute's (EESI) mission is to promote environmentally sustainable societies through transitions to social and economic patterns that sustain people, the environment and the natural resources upon which present and future generations depend.EESI's goal is to be a catalyst for an energy revolution that moves us away from fossil fuels and towards a clean, safe and secure energy future. To accomplish this, EESI educates policymakers; and develops innovative policy solutions through coalition building, media outreach, publications, Congressional briefings, workshops and task forces. EESI brings the best science/ technology information, diverse perspectives and policy options that accomplish multiple goals into policy debates on environmental and energy issues.

EESI's impact can be seen in our successful effect on many policy initiatives over the years and the people who turn to us to learn and become involved. Our network includes more than 15,000 individuals engaged in energy and climate change. We produce 3 highly acclaimed electronic newsletters. Our Climate Change News, Sustainable Bioenergy, Farms, and Forests, and EESI Update e-newsletters reach thousands, including every Congressional office. Our factsheets, policy papers and other materials are often used by media and other environmental groups to educate their members.

Our top ten accomplishments in 2010 were:
1. Showed our nation’s policymakers that clean energy and a healthy economy go hand in hand.
EESI highlighted the latest economic research and local stakeholder feedback on the economic and job creation benefits of addressing climate change and investing in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and public transportation through briefings, webinars, meetings with Congressional staff and partners, and stories on our website and social media. Staff from nearly 100 Congressional offices attended briefings in this series.

2. Demonstrated that climate change and oil dependence are national security issues.
Climate change and U.S. dependence on oil are national security risks. EESI published a paper on the role of climate change as a “threat multiplier.” We brought Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, U.S. Navy (Ret.), Brigadier General Gerald Galloway, U.S. Army (Ret.), and other leaders in the defense community to brief Congressional staff and the public on why and how the military is helping lead the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy.

3. Testified before Congress on high performance green buildings.
EESI testified before the U.S. Congress on the importance of the federal government’s incorporation of high performance building practices into the renovation and construction of U.S. government buildings. With about three billion square feet of floor space, the federal government has an opportunity to lead by example and drive the high performance building market.

4. Brought U.S. policymakers lessons learned from other countries pursuing low-carbon economies.
EESI partnered with the Swiss Embassy to convene a high-level dialogue between Doris Leuthard, the Swiss President, and senior U.S. officials on developing a clean energy economy. We also worked with the Nordic Council to bring speakers from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Iceland to Capitol Hill to tell the stories of how their nations responded to the oil crises of the 1970s by investing heavily in energy efficiency and renewable energy. Our work showed U.S. policymakers that greenhouse gas reductions are not only achievable, but in fact can be part of a successful economic development strategy.

5. Examined the health impacts of U.S. energy choices.
We conducted a Congressional briefing on the health costs of our reliance on fossil fuels and personal vehicles; for example, the air pollution from coal-fired power plants cost us $58 billion in health and climate damages in 2005. We also highlighted the health consequences of black carbon, a component of soot produced by diesel engines, inefficient biomass cookstoves, and open fires. Reducing black carbon emissions would be a win for public health and the climate.

6. Evaluated strategies to reduce oil consumption.
The tragic oil blowout in the Gulf of Mexico gave us one more urgent reason to reduce our nation’s oil consumption. We wrote about these issues on our website and social media, held briefings, and conducted one-on-one meetings on broader oil supply and demand issues and potential policy solutions. We also held briefings on electric vehicles, public transit, high speed rail, and cellulosic biofuels to examine the economic and environmental impacts of each. Staff from more than 100 Congressional offices attended briefings in this series.

7. Highlighted the many renewable energy technologies that contribute to U.S. energy supply.
From offshore wind to renewable biogas, EESI has engaged with policymakers to showcase the latest renewable energy technologies to our nation’s leaders through fact sheets, briefings, and personal meetings. One noteworthy event was the 13th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO. The EXPO featured more than 50 sustainable energy exhibitors, presentations by several Members of Congress and Obama administration representatives, and a policy forum chaired by EESI’s Carol Werner.

8. Showed Congress that public support exists for action on climate.
As the Senate prepared to take up climate legislation in the summer of 2010, EESI convened a briefing on public opinion on the issue. A Stanford public polling expert presented his research, which found that a strong majority of Americans wanted the federal government to limit greenhouse gas emissions – refuting polls that appeared to show climate change as a low priority for Americans. We also continue to meet the demand for the latest climate science, business, and policy news in our weekly Climate Change News, which is emailed to nearly 4,000 subscribers every Monday morning and reprinted in the U.S. Climate Action Network’s weekly news.

9. Demonstrated that energy efficiency is a key aspect of affordable housing.
EESI advanced policymakers’ understanding of the potential for energy efficiency measures to reduce the amount of money Americans spend on utility bills. Appliance standards, building energy performance codes, the incorporation of energy efficiency into the mortgage underwriting process, and the inclusion of energy efficiency procurement specifications for federal disaster housing are some ways the government can help improve housing energy efficiency and affordability.

10. Launched a Rural Energy Savings Program in South Carolina.
In October, EESI launched a partnership to carry out an innovative pilot project to finance energy efficiency improvements for rural South Carolina homes with low-cost loans repaid through customers’ electric bills. Our partners on the project – the Electric Cooperatives of South Carolina (ECSC) and Central Electric Power Cooperative – aim to expand the program to eventually upgrade 225,000 homes and save co-op members $280 million a year in energy costs. EESI provides strategic input to the project design and implementation and will help bring the lessons learned to the federal level and other states.


Goals for Current Year (2011)
Grow our database
Find new sources of funding
Grow our individual donor base by launching our new Clean Energy Champions donor giving program