(Washington, DC) – Today, Great Plains Institute joined more than 160 companies, labor unions, conservation and environmental groups, and other organizations from around the nation in a letter to Congressional leaders urging the inclusion of a comprehensive suite of bipartisan carbon management policies in any larger legislative vehicle this Congress. Continue reading »
Natural gas is an important energy source for Minnesota’s homes and businesses. But it’s also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. So what do we do?
July 13, 2020, Minneapolis — Natural gas used in homes and businesses is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions in Minnesota, and has been increasing over the last 15 years. These rising emissions threaten our ability to meet state emissions reduction goals. At the same time, natural gas is an especially important fuel in our state, providing heat for most of our buildings and fueling many of our largest businesses. To better understand the complex challenges around reducing emissions from natural gas in Minnesota, the nonprofits Center for Energy and Environment and the Great Plains Institute brought together a broad coalition of stakeholders, including gas and electric utilities, labor representatives, and clean energy advocates. Continue reading »
An equitable energy transition is a moral necessity. Implementing equitable climate solutions is not just the right thing to do; it is essential to achieving our goals. Climate change and racial inequities often are discussed as if they were separate issues. In truth, they are deeply intertwined. Continue reading »
GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom wrote “Not Your Grandparents’ Infrastructure: What Businesses Should Be Thinking About” for the Forbes Business Council website where it was originally published.
“Infrastructure” is like the tofu of buzzwords — it doesn’t express much by itself. Given the transformational infrastructure investments under consideration in the U.S., it’s worth thinking about what kinds of 21st-century infrastructure we need and what they would make possible for businesses and for society as a whole. I’ll wager it’s different than you think. Continue reading »
GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom wrote “How Companies Can Help Create a Net-Zero Carbon Economy” for the Forbes Business Council website where it was originally published.
Eliminating carbon dioxide emissions from our economy has taken on an air of inevitability. Now it’s just about how fast, who benefits, who pays and what a net-zero carbon economy will be like in practice. Continue reading »
MINNEAPOLIS—The Great Plains Institute released the following statement today, which can be attributed to GPI President and CEO Rolf Nordstrom, on the newly announced target to cut US carbon emissions in half by 2030:
“The amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere today is higher than ever in human history, making it all the more urgent for nations of the world to act with urgency to usher in a prosperous net-zero carbon economy that benefits all. More and more people, businesses, cities, states, and countries that account for 70 percent of global GDP, know we must cut emissions in half by the end of the decade if there is any hope of protecting both our environment and economy. Continue reading »
With the rest of the world, we waited nervously for the outcome of the trial of the officer who killed George Floyd. We hope that the jury’s guilty verdict brings some measure of peace and accountability to Mr. Floyd’s family, friends and community, knowing that there is no compensation for their loss, or his. Continue reading »
Stakeholder Group Report Recommends Key Steps for Modernizing Maine’s Electric Grid
For Immediate Release: April 14, 2021
Media Contacts:
Jeremy Cluchey, [email protected], 207-233–2795
Rebecca Lentz, [email protected], 612-978-2849
BRUNSWICK, MAINE — A stakeholder group representing environmental nonprofits, renewable energy developers, electric utilities, consumer advocates, and other energy sector stakeholders has issued a set of nine consensus-based recommendations for steps to plan, build, and operate the electric grid that is needed to meet Maine’s recently established climate and energy requirements. Continue reading »
Federal investments can create jobs, promote equity, and reduce emissions
Diverse stakeholders draft 32 recommendations around increasing equitable opportunity, reducing greenhouse gases.
Broad Coalition Supports Statewide Minnesota Clean Fuels Standard
Automakers, biofuel, EV advocates back new bipartisan, bicameral legislation Continue reading »
