November 2022 - View online

A Message from our Climate Action Director

Hard to believe 2023 is just around the corner! I’m excited to share what our Climate Action team has been up to this fall.

We’ve made huge strides with the Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative (RCC) the last few months. We hosted eight listening sessions with dozens of participants from across our 10-county region, ensuring that the RCC Working Groups are designed to meet community needs. Check out how we’ve structured the working groups based on your feedback. With your insights in hand, our team was able to open the RCC for membership and have been meeting with local governments as they explore participating and prepare their applications.

Savannah and Tyeisha during a recent meeting with the Planning and Development Services of Kenton County, KY.

Savannah with Regional Collaboratives Forum representatives from Georgetown Climate Center, Institute for Sustainable Communities, the San Diego Regional Climate Collaborative, and Capital Region Climate Readiness Collaborative at the National Adaptation Forum.

The Climate Safe Neighborhoods Partnership has been busy. We’ve moved from planning to action in several neighborhoods–check out our new blog below to learn more about this fall’s resident-driven tree plantings in Bond Hill, Lower Price Hill, and South Cumminsville. Green Umbrella and Groundwork Ohio River Valley are currently finalizing our Climate Safe strategic implementation plan for 2023, and will announce next steps early next year.

Our team has been a key player in the development of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan. We supported the City of Cincinnati’s Office of Environment and Sustainability in the Climate Safe Community Meetings and Focus Area Meetings from August through October. Currently city staff and the GCP Equity Committee (on which Tyeisha and I both serve) have been organizing the feedback received. The next GCP Steering Committee Meeting is on December 8th; stay tuned for updates and the release of a draft plan for a comment period in the new year!

I had the opportunity to travel to a couple of conferences to connect with regional and national partners. First, I attended the  Urban Sustainability Directors Network’s Midwest Regional Meeting in Indianapolis, IN. Led by Shauna Sylvester, the new USDN Executive Director, and her staff, the meeting brought in local government staff from across nine states who are working to create and implement equitable climate action plans in their communities. Next, I attended the 5th National Adaptation Forum in Baltimore, MD, where resilience managers, policy professionals, and adaptation scientists from across the country convene to share cutting edge ideas and collaboratively solve shared problems. Secretary of the Department of the Interior, Deb Haaland (the first Native American cabinet secretary), was the keynote and I was able to attend sessions related to forthcoming federal funding, flood risk, youth engagement, and more. I even got to visit a Baltimore Community Resiliency Hub, an effort partners are beginning to identify local opportunities for in Greater Cincinnati. I’m looking forward to sharing resources from these events and more in upcoming Regional Climate Collaborative convenings.

As always, thank you for your interest in and support of this work. Until next time!

Savannah Sullivan, Climate Action Director
savannah@greenumbrella.org

SPOTLIGHTS

Greater Cincinnati Regional Climate Collaborative is Open for Membership

Membership & Partnership applications for Green Umbrella’s new Regional Climate Collaborative (RCC) are now open! Counties, cities, universities, NGOs, villages, districts, and more can join the RCC. Members & Partners will receive access to special climate trainings, funding attained by the RCC, and more.

The RCC will take action through five working groups: Building Local Capacity, Community Listening & Engagement, Elected Officials, Preparing Partners & People, and Regional Funding & Resources. To see the RCC's projects, visit the link here.

Click here to learn more about joining the RCC! Sign up before January 31, 2023 to receive a Founding Member/Partner discount.

Tyeisha Cole Elected as NAACP Environmental Climate Justice Committee Chair

Tyeisha Cole, Climate Action Coordinator for Green Umbrella, was recently voted as the new chair for the NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Committee. In this role, Tyeisha will further the Committee’s mission of educating and mobilizing the community to address the disproportionate impact of climate change on communities of color in Cincinnati. At Green Umbrella, Tyeisha works on 

the Climate Action team to support the recently launched Regional Climate Collaborative, engages with the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Partnership, and assists with development of the 2023 Green Cincinnati Plan.

Five Highlights From 2022 UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)

Did you know the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27) just wrapped up? Leaders and advocates from across the world came together to establish strategies and agreements to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. There were some wins, such as the long awaited establishment of a Loss and Damage fund for climate vulnerable countries like Pakistan, which experienced devastating floods this summer that

resulted in 1,700 deaths and $40B in damages; and some challenges, such as limited progress on phasing out fossil fuel dependency commitments. Read more here for highlights of from COP27.

FEATURED COMMUNITY

Keep Norwood Cool

Keep Norwood Cool (KNC) launched in 2018 to bring awareness to and advocate for healthier microenvironments in Norwood. KNC Founder, Dana Boll, kickstarted the effort to address the fact that density of impervious surfaces has increased and green perimeters decreased in the City of Norwood due to urban expansion and loss of tree canopy. A key issue identified was Norwood’s five schools are close to highly traveled roads and are surrounded by asphalt playgrounds, exposing students to potential heat islands 

and poor air quality. Remediations have included tree planting events and planning sessions where residents, designers, and others create block-level visions for development and share data. KNC looks forward to continuing to work with Green Umbrella, the City of Norwood, and other partners to improve the sustainability, equity, and resilience of Norwood neighborhoods!

NEW ON THE CLIMATE ACTION BLOG

Historic Funding Available via DOE’s Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation Grant Program
Krutarth Jain, AIA Cincinnati 

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law includes historic funding levels - a total of $225 million – for building energy codes updates, adoption, and implementation. It will be available through the Department of Energy’s new Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation grant program, with the application process expected to open in fall 2022. Read more from the American Institute of Architects here.

Climate Policy: Fall 2022 Update
Kylie Johnson, Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund

In 2022, the OEC Action Fund continues to speak out for clean air, safe water, vibrant public lands, bold climate action, and a strong democracy. The fight to protect our environment has never been easy, but Ohio’s future is worth it. The OEC Action Fund provides a brief update on the latest federal, state, and local policy news for you here.

First Tree Plantings via the Climate Safe Neighborhoods Partnership

Tanner Yess, Groundwork Ohio River Valley and Savannah Sullivan, Green Umbrella

EVENTS

Cincinnati Bar Association

Join Cincinnati Bar Association on December 5th for their in-person Environmental Law Update. The agenda for this event includes introductions, conversations, and a panel covering topics such as Environment, Social Governance, and Environmental Justice. 

Green Umbrella Annual Meeting and Celebration

Join us for an in-person celebration to end another exciting year of growth and impact. We'll be sharing highlights from each of our programs and a glimpse into what's in store for 2023. All event proceeds go to support Green Umbrella's work to lead collaboration, incubate ideas and catalyze solutions that create a resilient, sustainable region for all!

Green Umbrella leads collaboration, incubates ideas and catalyzes solutions that create a resilient, sustainable region for all.