Moving Forward
As new decarbonization ventures and investments shape the region for generations, new systems to manage and measure these actions are needed to determine what success should be. These innovative approaches to community engagement and measurement and accountability systems can enable the change needed at a sustainable scale.
Entities:
ReImagine Appalachia
Topic: Community Benefit Agreements (CBA)
Overview: many new federal programs related to decarbonization require formal agreements to ensure the benefits of government funding is optimized for communities. CBA’s can include commitments to hire directly from a community, contributions to economic trust funds, local workforce training guarantees, and much more.
Read more about the basics of Community Benefit Agreements and more here: https://reimagineappalachia.org/community-benefits/
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Topic: Climate Reporting
Overview: the SEC has proposed new rule changes that would require the inclusion of climate-related disclosures in registration statements and periodic reports. Reported information would include disclosures of greenhouse gas emissions, including direct emissions (Scope 1), indirect emissions from purchased electricity or other forms of energy (Scope 2) as well as emissions from upstream and downstream activities in a value chain (Scope 3).
Read more about the SEC’s proposed rules to enhance and standardize climate-related disclosures for investors here: https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2022-46
Sustainable Pittsburgh
Topic: Community Development
Overview: Sustainable Pittsburgh has organized a set of sustainability networks that bring professionals from business, government, non-governmental organizations, academia, research, and other fields together to increase connectivity and accelerate sustainable solutions across southwestern Pennsylvania. First, the Sustainable Community Development Network connects local government leaders across the region to provide resources and supportive services. Next, the CEO’s for Sustainability is the nation’s only executive network providing regional thought leadership on business sustainability. Also, the Clean Energy Workforce Development Roundtable convenes business, workforce trainers, and community organizations to improve ecosystem connectivity.
Read more about Sustainable Pittsburgh’s Sustainable Community Development Network, Clean Energy Workforce Roundtable, and CEOs for Sustainability here: https://sustainablepittsburgh.org/
Congress of Neighboring Communities
Topic: Community Engagement
Overview: “CONNECT convenes over 43 neighboring municipalities, including the City of Pittsburgh, that share borders, challenges, and opportunities and its leadership represents nearly 900,000 residents of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Serving as a local government policy and program innovation and incubator, the CONNECT network provides resources, research, relationships, and the trust to act together.”
Read more about CONNECT here: https://www.connect.pitt.edu/
Local Government Academy
Topic: Promoting excellence in local government
Overview: The Local Government Academy (LGA) is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization, promoting excellence in local government. LGA offers a breadth of educational programs. The organization “supports and promotes a strong and responsive local government system, develops effective local leaders, educates public officials, public employees and citizens, and builds collaborations and partnerships.”