In this virtual session, Kate Konschnik, director of the Nicholas Institute's Climate and Energy Program, will describe the overlapping environmental authorities of U.S. federal agencies and how these institutions work together (or don’t) on far-reaching challenges, as well as unforeseen disasters

Increasing the capacity and performance of electric transmission is key to achieving state goals, from increased resilience to integrating renewables. On this webinar by the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners’ Center for Partnerships & Innovation, experts will discuss improvements in advanced transmission technologies and regulatory options for deploying these solutions.

Moderator: Chairman Sally Talberg, Michigan Public Service Commission

Speakers: 

The Natural Capital Symposium is a major convening of leaders advancing the science and practice of incorporating nature’s diverse values into decisions. Each year, participants representing universities, NGOs, businesses, governments, multi-lateral development banks, and other institutions learn about and share their own experiences advancing the frontiers of science, the development and application of practical tools and approaches, and how natural capital understanding is being used today to transform decisions. 

As states advance their climate policies with ambitious clean energy targets, wholesale market operators are grappling with questions about if and how electricity markets should evolve as a response. Several ISO/RTOs are looking to change their market rules to include carbon pricing, but there is a diversity in approaches.

Jennie Chen, senior counsel at the Nicholas Institute's Climate and Energy Program, will discuss her experience working at organizations that shape energy policy, what they do, and how they work.

Kay Jowers, senior policy associate in the Nicholas Institute's State Policy Program, and Chris Timmins, professor in the Department of Economics, will explore avenues for working with nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and communities to support and resource progress toward environmental justice.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill will host the seventh annual UNC Clean Tech Summit. The event convenes more than 1,000 students, business professionals, international speakers, policy members, and academics for two days of engagement to foster leadership, share new ideas, and bring growth opportunities to the Southeast’s clean tech economy. The Summit is co-hosted by the UNC Institute for the Environment and the UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Earth’s carbon is stored in reservoirs, such as the atmosphere, the ocean, sediments, and trees. In the United States, forests store the equivalent of 52 years’ worth of US carbon emissions. This reservoir is expanding by about 0.5 percent per year; however, net growth is expected to decline over the next 30 years, primarily due to land use changes and forests aging.