Inside the Greenhouse is a monthly update on FCNL’s environmental advocacy and the climate crisis.
A New Farm Bill Must Drive Conservation Foward
Last week, House and Senate Agriculture Committees leaders released separate Farm Bill proposals with the goal of passing a new bill this year. The Farm Bill is comprehensive legislation that addresses a range of agricultural concerns, such as conservation, nutrition assistance programs, and rural development.
Farmers are at the forefront of the climate crisis.
Farmers are at the forefront of the climate crisis. The agriculture sector contributes around 11% of total annual U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, farming and food security are at risk from climate change. Congress must support farmers so we can leave a habitable world for future generations.
We are urging members of Congress to support the Conservation and Regenerative Optimization Practices (CROP) for Farming Act (H.R. 5922/S. 2564). The bill would prioritize funding for voluntary conservation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and prepare farms to withstand extreme weather events.
FCNL’s Climate Team Talks Climate-Smart Agriculture Policy in Ohio
Last week, members of FCNL’s team traveled to Wilmington, Ohio to participate in a workshop at Wilmington College focused on the intersection of climate change and agriculture.
Daren Caughron, FCNL’s legislative manager for sustainable energy and the environment, was a panelist. He said that the CROP for Farming Act would encourage climate-smart agriculture practices. These practices would reduce greenhouse emissions and keep farms healthy.
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| Daren spoke to Wilmington College students about climate change |
News and Updates
FCNL and Faith Partners Celebrate Earth Day at the Capitol
On April 18, FCNL’s sustainable energy and environment team and the Washington Interfaith Staff Community hosted an Earth Day celebration at the U.S. Capitol. Faith leaders, advocates, activists, White House officials, and congressional staffers reflected on our shared responsibility to care for the planet. Earth Day, celebrated every April 22, is a reminder that we must act decisively to steward our planet and its people.
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FCNL staff celebrated Earth Day with interfaith partners, congressional staff and administration officials at the US Capitol |
African Leaders Ask for More Aid to Counter Climate Change
African leaders called on developed countries to increase their contributions to international climate assistance.
African economies are facing a “deepening development and debt crisis that threatens our economic stability, and urgent climate emergencies that demand immediate and collective action for our planet’s survival.”
FCNL continues to urge Congress to stand in solidarity with the most vulnerable nations and robustly support international climate assistance.
New Solar Facility Will Replace MN Coal Plant and Create Jobs
Xcel Energy is building a new solar facility in Minnesota that will be the largest solar project in the Upper Midwest and the fifth largest in the U.S. The facility will replace its current coal plant, the biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the state. The company expects to transition from coal to solar without laying off any employees. This project is possible through the Inflation Reduction Act (Public Law 117-169), which provides targeted funding to repurpose existing energy infrastructure with clean energy, while maintaining and creating new jobs.
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