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| Vermont Climate Council | |
|---|---|
| Name | Vermont Climate Council |
| Formation | 2020 |
| Headquarters | Montpelier, Vermont |
| Jurisdiction | State of Vermont |
Vermont Climate Council The Vermont Climate Council advises the Governor of Vermont and informs policymakers on statewide strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase resilience to climate change. It develops the Vermont Climate Action Plan and coordinates across state agencies, regional bodies, and stakeholder groups to implement mitigation and adaptation measures. The council draws expertise from state officials, scientific institutions, municipal leaders, tribal representatives, and private-sector partners.
The council functions as a convening body linking the Office of the Governor of Vermont with the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Vermont Agency of Transportation, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and other executive offices. It engages with academic institutions such as the University of Vermont, Middlebury College, Champlain College, and research entities like the Vermont EPSCoR program and the U.S. Geological Survey regional offices. Municipal partners include the City of Burlington, Vermont, Rutland (city), Montpelier (city), and regional planning commissions such as the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission. The council collaborates with federal agencies including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and U.S. Department of Energy.
Established by executive directive of the Governor of Vermont in the wake of the 2019 legislative debates over climate policy, the council was formalized amid national and international pressures following events like the Paris Agreement and the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference. Its formation paralleled efforts by other subnational actors including the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, the State of California Air Resources Board, and the Northeastern Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers’ Partnership. Early convenings drew representatives from environmental NGOs such as The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, Vermont Natural Resources Council, and scientific stakeholders from NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center and the Harvard Forest.
Membership includes cabinet-level officials from state agencies, appointed experts from institutions like Dartmouth College, Yale School of the Environment, Cornell University extension services, and representatives from municipal governments such as Burlington Electric Department leadership. The council features working groups focused on sectors aligned with bodies like the Vermont Department of Public Service, Vermont Economic Development Authority, and agencies coordinating with tribal governments including representatives from the Elnu Abenaki Tribe and Nulhegan Abenaki Tribe. Advisors have included public health experts from the Vermont Department of Health, forestry scientists with ties to U.S. Forest Service research stations, and transportation planners familiar with Metropolitan Planning Organization processes.
The council’s statutory and executive responsibilities encompass developing the Vermont Climate Action Plan, setting statewide emissions reduction targets consistent with obligations under initiatives like the Global Warming Solutions Act (analogous frameworks), and advising on resilience measures after extreme events such as Hurricane Irene and Nor’easters that impacted the region. It issues recommendations affecting energy policy involving partners like Green Mountain Power, regulatory inputs to bodies such as the Vermont Public Utility Commission, and land-use guidance informing municipal bylaws and conservation work with Vermont Land Trust. The council liaises with workforce and economic institutions including Vermont State Colleges and Vermont Chamber of Commerce to align climate goals with job training and economic transition.
The council produced multi-sector plans addressing buildings, transportation, agriculture, forestry, and energy. Strategies reference technologies and programs from entities such as Vermont Energy Investment Corporation, Efficiency Vermont, and federal programs like the Department of Energy’s Weatherization Assistance Program. Agricultural recommendations intersect with research from U.S. Department of Agriculture extensions and links to markets through New England Farmers Market networks. Forest and land-use measures coordinate with the Green Mountain National Forest stewardship concepts and regional conservation easements promoted by Land Trust Alliance partners. Implementation relies on grant administration through sources like the EPA Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool frameworks and coordination with interstate efforts such as the Transportation and Climate Initiative.
Funding streams include state appropriations authorized by the Vermont General Assembly, federal grants from agencies including the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and programs administered by the Economic Development Administration. Philanthropic support has come from foundations such as the Vermont Community Foundation, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, and environmental funders like the Heinz Endowments. Technical assistance is provided by academic partners including University of Vermont Extension and consulting firms experienced with National Renewable Energy Laboratory analyses.
Critiques of the council have cited tensions similar to debates involving the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, disputes over carbon-pricing mechanisms like those discussed in California Cap-and-Trade Program debates, and concerns raised by agricultural stakeholders comparable to controversies in New York State related to dairy sector transitions. Some municipal officials and industry groups—drawing parallels to debates in Massachusetts and New Jersey—have argued implementation timelines risk economic disruption without additional workforce supports from institutions like Vermont Technical College. Environmental advocates have both praised and pushed the council for more aggressive actions akin to demands seen from groups active during the Green New Deal discussions. Legal and legislative scrutiny has involved testimony before the Vermont Legislature and public comment processes engaging civic organizations such as Vermont Public Interest Research Group and Conservation Law Foundation.
Category:Organizations based in Vermont