Johanna Bozuwa
Researching climate + economic justice.
Direct Climate and Community Institute.
- DC folks, come thru tonight and hang out with Sandeep @katearonoff.bsky.social and @advaitarun.bsky.social to talk about Sandeep’s new book and discuss how we can learn from the past to fight for every justice now. 6pm Creative Grounds www.eventbrite.com/e/looking-to...
- New polling out today -- voters SUPPORT phasing out fossil fuels. The last election cycle, both Harris and Trump said "drill baby, drill" but it turns out that this doesn't track with popular opinion. 👇 climateandcommunity.org/research/vot...
- We can't continue down this "all of the above" energy policy road. It caters to corporations and to elites, not people and planet. In this moment of reassessing our strategies, this shows that we can walk and chew gum at the same time-- build up renewables while directly taking on fossil fuels.
- Major shoutout to @markpaulecon.bsky.social @gruberte.bsky.social @holcaggiano.bsky.social for this really great analysis! climateandcommunity.org/research/vot...
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- thanks John!
- I’m going to be in DC in December to celebrate Sandeep Vaheesan’s new amazing book Democracy in Power. Come by Tues, Dec 17 for our panel to talk energy justice in the age of a new Trump Admin. And tell me if you’ll be in DC so we can get coffee! www.eventbrite.com/e/looking-to...
- Wow so many new ppl on Bsky 💗 Excited to reactivate myself. The moment is dark, but so many are ready to fight. Let’s go. Including a pic of my pup Leon for sweetness factor. 🐶
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- Oh yes pls. Pepper, Arrow, Leon. There are so many Good Dogs.
- Extremely cool event in DC next month! Join @cplusc.bsky.social for a conversation ft @jbozuwa.bsky.social @advaitarun.bsky.social & Kate Aronoff with Sandeep Vaheesan on his new book, Democracy in Power on the history and future of public power. Register here: www.eventbrite.com/e/looking-to...
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- Hey! Jumping in here to say happy to chat.
- 🥹 TFW your comrade starts an incredible new organization that is the piece of movement infrastructure that public power + energy justice organizers DESPERATELY need!!! @sevier.io
- NEW REPORT! Planning to build faster: a solar case study. We argue that fast, equitable solar deployment requires the federal government take a more active role in coordination and planning. @cplusc.bsky.social @rooseveltinstitute.bsky.social rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
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- We propose they think of just that!
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- thank you!
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- I would obviously
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- ty isaac!!
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- bsky.app/profile/jboz... It is LIVE!
- NEW REPORT! Planning to build faster: a solar case study. We argue that fast, equitable solar deployment requires the federal government take a more active role in coordination and planning. @cplusc.bsky.social @rooseveltinstitute.bsky.social rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
- We wrote about permitting last year, arguing that most reform proposals obfuscate the real problems at a play. rooseveltinstitute.org/publications... This year, we’re detailing the alternative pathway, using solar as a case study.
- This paper is rich and cross-disciplinary (just as our solar planning should be!). Huge shoutout to the team incl @dustinmulvaney.bsky.social @isabelestevez.bsky.social Kristina Karlsson, Adriana DiSilvestro, + Sunny Malhotra! Read the full thing here: rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
- Instead of laying a complex system of carrots and sticks for private developers, the fed gov can just build itself! -Reactivate the existing federal public developers like Bonneville Power -Create new vehicles for solar dev (incl. local/state) -Nationalize transmission planning
- The past 2 yrs, permitting reform has been the answer to speed. Latest version = the Manchin-Barroso bill. Some argue we need to cut permitting red tape to unleash the private sector’s full force to build a lot of renewables. EVEN if it means building some fossil fuels.
- We propose a range of interventions to build community capacity and interest in projects: -Integrate community at earlier planning stages -Respect Free, Prior, & Informed Consent -Use Project Labor Agreements -Share benefits (eg. revenue sharing)
- PUBLIC SOLAR Sometimes, deploying renewables—particularly in an equitable way—just isn’t profitable. Public enterprises could be key actors to help fix this market failure and quickly deploy solar in coherent, ecologically safe, and socially useful places.
- Among our proposals, we include: - Proactively plan transmission land use - Create consistent interconnection protocols - Support capacity-building for local and state zoning regulations -Create reinforcing DER incentives across scales
- EMBEDDING BENEFITS When projects are being deployed on a project-by-project basis without analysis of why a project or piece of infrastructure is best suited for that area, communities can feel frustration about why the project is in their backyard instead of somewhere else.
- Considering viability at scale for best potential sites regionally can cut out inefficiencies for developers, increase social acceptance, + plan for potential unintended consequences. We created a mapping tool: umbc-ges.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapview...
- COORDINATING FED & LOCAL GOV Federalism means the fed gov can’t do it alone. The federal gov needs to build coherence between top down and bottom up priorities, and coordinate between solar siting and critical social/physical infrastructure.
- It is time to PLAN for speed. The federal gov needs to invest in planning solar deployment to accelerate speed, secure community benefit, and support ecological subsistence. We can walk and chew gum at the same time. 🤷♀️ 4 key interventions:
- LAND USE & SITE PLANNING Renewable energy like solar will forever change the built environment. That is why we looked for high-benefit, low-harm solar sites. We found 226 million acres– 15-60x what we need– available for solar.
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- Just wait, Ketan! Next week we have a follow up paper 👀
- Today is giving me all the feels. Climate & Community Project turns into Climate & Community INSTITUTE! I'm so proud of what we have built over 4 yrs. We are more than a short-term project-- we want to be an institutional home for the climate left. climateandcommunity.org
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- much appreciation, Amelia!
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- thanks so much Leah!
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- this is so amazing Mijin!!
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- Thank you!!
- Check out all of the incredible fellows that have joined us here. *New website feature* -- You can click on their image, get their bio, and see any external research they've done with us! climateandcommunity.org/fellows/
- Thank you to everyone who has helped to build Climate and Community into the *institute* it is today. To envisioning better worlds, building more power, and winning transformative climate policy. ❤️🔥✊
- We worked to make the Inflation Reduction Act accessible for working people, providing a how-to guide to organizers on decarbonizing homes without displacement. climateandcommunity.org/research/dec...
- We've fought for a ceasefire and arms embargo as a core climate justice demand, linking the threads of the polycrisis to the reality of fighting for Palestinian freedom. climateandcommunity.org/research/cea...
- We've helped prove that transformative climate policy can win. Our first report was A New Era of Public Power that we developed w Public Power NY to prove the benefits of building public renewables. Now the BPRA has been passed into law. climateandcommunity.org/research/a-n...
- We changed the story on the transportation transition and minerals by proving with cutting edge modeling that we can have more mobility with less mining while achieving zero emissions by 2050. climateandcommunity.org/research/mor...
- I quit my job to follow a dream w/ @aldasky.bsky.social + @joobilly.bsky.social to create a think tank committed to envisioning the world the Green New Deal could create and building the power w movements to make that a reality. Now we have 9 staff, 60+ fellows, and a thriving jr fellows program.
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- I downloaded the app! Look at me!
- Out Today - A Progressive Take on Permitting Reform Dustin Mulvaney & I argue that we don't need to cut red tape to accelerate renewables. We need: - way more coordination and planning - enhanced community participation + consent - a mandated transition rooseveltinstitute.org/publications...
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View full threadWe also argue for early community participation and consent in project deployment. The transition to renewables DOES have tradeoffs. If we sweep those under the rug, we do a disservice to the communities that feel the impact. And can create enemies where we could have partners.
- Last, we argue to mandate the transition. The IRA was mostly carrots, not sticks. While incentivizing the transition and building jobs is crucial, it HAS to be complemented with policies that limit extraction + emission -- forcing industry to transition.
- So what is the alternative? How should progressives be answering the speed question?
- We argue that we need to invest in coordination and planning. Instead of restraining permitting agencies, let's INVEST in them. Let's do real land use planning for transmission and green energy infrastructure. Let's build public infrastructure where private industry won't go.
- The alluring draw of "permitting reform" as the answer to our "speed" question is that it feels straightforward & simple. The claim is that by eliminating pesky review processes, we’ll see an explosion of new projects. Boom. Done. Let green capitalism thrive!
- But that view is dangerous + misdiagnoses the actual holdups in building out green infrastructure. We can’t afford to fast-track new fossil fuels w/ green energy, + we can’t replace one unequal system w/ another that sends its benefits to the elite while others bear the brunt.
- The IRA is 1 year old. Folks are rightfully worried — how to build new renewables projects fast enough to fend off climate crisis? Some politicos say: Deregulation! Cut the red tape! But calls for “permitting reform” are a neoliberal answer at best + could boost fossil fuels.
