Frequently Asked Questions 

About The Center For Climate Strategies

What is the Center for Climate Strategies (CCS)?

CCS is a Policy Center of Enterprising Environmental Solutions, Inc. (EESI, www.eesi21.org ), a nonprofit 501c3 organization. CCS’s mission is to help states and the nation tackle the issue of climate change through the development of consensus based policies and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. EESI’s mission is to provide public information exchange, education and innovation to foster the integration and expansion of economic and environmental opportunity.

Why was CCS created?

Many governors and other state leaders are addressing the problem of climate change by planning and implementing proactive solutions to the pollution caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs). CCS was formed to help these leaders develop effective, consensus based policy solutions through analysis, planning and collaboration with stakeholders, state agencies and other institutions. CCS has provided assistance to 18 US states involved in state or regional climate action planning, as well as Canadian Provinces and the border states of Mexico.

Where is CCS located?

The administrative headquarters of CCS are located in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with a supporting office in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Members of the CCS field staff are located across the US.

What are the qualifications of CCS team members?

The facilitation and technical team of CCS is comprised of highly experienced and well-known professionals specializing in the identification, design and analysis of GHG mitigation policies at local, state, national and international levels of government. Team members hold advanced degrees in economics, law, policy, business, science and other disciplines, and focus their interdisciplinary work in key economic sectors, including energy, transportation, natural resources, and economic policy issues. Many CCS members hold additional posts in academia, policy institutes or other consulting organizations. Bios are available at www.climatestrategies.us/team.cfm. 

Are any team members economists?

Yes, quite a few team members either have advanced degrees in economics or have served as professional economists in government service. For example, the executive director of CCS served as an economist with EPA from 1991-2001, on top of extensive course work in the field. CCS’ macroeconomic modeler earned his PhD in economics from Cornell University. Our transportation and land use specialist served as a transportation economist for both EPA and the US General Accounting Office. Our energy supply specialist has a diploma in Economics from the London School of Economics, and served as a staff economist for the state of Massachusetts. This is a partial list of credentials in economics, but provides an indication of the professionalism and expertise that the CCS team has available to meet the needs of state policy planners.

What does CCS do?

The CCS team provides a forum for advanced learning and joint decision-making on climate strategies and solutions in an open, inclusive, non-partisan, fact-based, and collaborative environment. We provide impartial and expert analysis, planning, facilitation and technical assistance toward development of highly customized, consensus-based policies and plans to reduce GHG emissions. CCS works jointly with state officials, agency staff, and stakeholders to develop actions that meet or exceed state or regional GHG emission reduction goals and targets through a “portfolio” of coordinated actions, developed through the consensus building process. CCS provides similar assistance for the development of response actions and plans for adaptation to climate change impacts.

How is CCS funded?

States fund part of CCS’s assistance through grants and contracts, and CCS provides additional cost share as needed by through development of private donor support. CCS works with over 20 national and regional foundations to provide this assistance. CCS does not accept funds with contingent outcomes, or allow individual donors to provide a majority of funding for any project. The convener of the process approves all project-funding sources, typically the Governor. 

How are state climate planning processes initiated?

Climate policy planning processes are convened through Executive Order of the Governor, by law, or directive of a convening organization. CCS provides start-up assistance as needed during this phase. 

Who oversees the climate action planning process?

The convener oversees the planning process, typically the Governor’s office or a cabinet official. The convener sets the timetable, purpose and goals, appoints the participating stakeholders and technical work group members, appoints a facilitation and technical analysis team, approves a work plan and funding sources, and assigns staff to oversee and coordinate the process. 

How does the CCS collaborative process work?

The CCS planning process is straightforward and involves a stepwise, fact-based process that involves the following steps: 

• Identify a full range of potential solutions (including existing and innovative new approaches for each state);     
• Identify initial priorities for development and analysis of draft policy actions;     
• Craft initial design proposals for specific draft actions;     
• Develop customized analysis of costs, benefits and co-benefits of draft actions;     
• Identify potential barriers to consensus and alternative solutions; and     
• Iterate to final agreement on the design, implementation and analysis of climate actions; and     
• Provide a final report with recommendations to the convener of the process.
  

Do stakeholders vote on decisions?

Yes. Key decisions in each step of the process (including final recommendations) are made by vote of stakeholders, using a procedure that recognizes objections at three different levels of consensus (unanimous, supermajority, simple majority). This process is highly participatory and involves from 20 to 50 stakeholder representatives who work closely with CCS over the course of a year to complete interim and final recommendations for delivery to the Governor, legislature or other convening authority. Stakeholders participate on Technical Work Groups that also include representatives from a variety of other organizations who provide technical advice, assistance and feedback. The final level of consensus for specific recommended actions is typically very high (90 percent or more of all recommendations are unanimously approved) because the collaborative process provides extended opportunities for the identification and resolution of potential conflicts.

How do outcomes of CCS processes compare across states and regions? 

CCS projects result in high levels of collaboration and stakeholder consensus on specific recommended policies to reduce GHG emissions. Because the consensus building process developed by CCS works through self-determination, the policy outcomes of its projects both vary and have similarities from state to state. Typically, comprehensive climate action plans include about 40 to 70 actions across all economic sectors. Many of the actions chosen by stakeholders are similar in order to harmonize geographic markets or regulations, as in the case of market trading programs, low carbon fuels standards, vehicle emissions standards, or appliance efficiency standards. Other actions are highly customized and innovative to address unique local and state needs and opportunities, as in the case of voluntary industry agreements, residential and commercial building efficiency, transportation efficiency improvements, or land protection.

Does CCS conduct economic analyses of climate actions?

Yes. During the analysis phase of the process, CCS quantifies the impacts of climate policy actions, including estimates of GHG reduction potential, and total costs or cost savings of implementation for individual and aggregate portfolios of actions. CCS also analyzes job creation, distributional impacts of costs and benefits, macro economic impacts, and local economic development for key measures as needed. CCS develops customized analysis of climate actions based on the needs and preferences of stakeholders and technical work group members. In addition, CCS has developed a “scale up” analysis of the impact of state leadership actions on national and global GHG emissions reductions and economic impacts if state GHG plans were adopted in all 50 US states. All analyses are transparent and open to group review and revision, including data sources, methods and key assumptions.

Are CCS projects open to the public?

Yes. Members of the public can attend all stakeholder meetings and technical work group discussions to observe and provide comment. In addition, all materials and proceedings of CCS planning processes are provided on a public project website.

Why are CCS projects important to states and the nation? 

US states are among the largest GHG emitters in the world. The actions they take not only reduce global GHGs, but they provide roadmaps for others and stimulate collective actions that lead the way to national approaches to reduce GHG emissions (including application of the federal Clean Air Act in response to the US Supreme Court ruling of April 2, 2007). Throughout our nation’s history many of our most effective national laws have and policies been based on state leadership actions. States are also the primary implementers of national polices and have a large stake in the formulation of policies that affect them and in the avoidance of climate damages that result from inaction. 

What position does CCS take on climate issues or legislation?

As an impartial party, CCS does not take positions on climate policy issues or legislation. CCS supports the purpose and goals of the Executive Orders or other directives that establish its processes, and does not dispute the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) or the National Academies of Science (NAS) on the science of climate change often-cited in Executive Orders establishing planning processes.

Where can I learn more about CCS and state and national strategies to address global climate change?

Please visit our website at www.climatestrategies.us, call us at 717-230-8044 for more information about us or our state and regional projects.