Audubon In Action
You Did It! Light Rail to Expand after Prop 105 Soundly Defeated by Phoenix Voters
Updated August 27, 2019
State Climate Policy
Audubon protects birds from climate change, one statehouse at a time.
Audubon protects birds from climate change, one statehouse at a time.
Audubon members, staff, and volunteers descend on the Washington state capitol to speak with their local representatives on Environmental Lobby Day in January of 2019. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon
Climate change affects regions and communities in different ways, which means that bird lovers across the country are engaging at the local level to protect the birds that they love. The National Audubon Society works alongside state offices, local chapters, and community partners to identify and address specific climate solutions. Here are some highlights of our recent work.
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The light rail system in Phoenix creates jobs, generates non-sprawling urban development, and reduces the carbon emissions of over 45,000 daily riders. Despite its multiple benefits to the city and its citizens, the light rail program in Phoenix was under threat. For the fourth time in 19 years, Phoenix voters affirmed their support for the light rail system, with nearly 2/3 of voters supporting the continued use of city funds to develop, explain, and maintain the light rail system. Expansion plans for this light rail system include a route that would take riders to Audubon’s Rio Salado Audubon Center, connecting more of the community to this nature center.
Updated August 27, 2019
Fires and drought put increasing stress on western forests and the birds who live there.
New Audubon report shows about half of Arizona’s birds are vulnerable.
Audubon built and led a broad coalition to pass the Solar Access Act in 2019. Work now moves to implementing the mandates in that Act. That means Audubon will engage with the Arkansas Public Service Commision (PSC) to ensure that the goals of the legislation are fully implemented and the benefits for consumers and businesses are realized.
Grassroots organizing and advocacy helped make Arkansas a regional player in the clean-energy movement.
Audubon Arkansas enters the solar arena by fueling renewable energy innovation at the Little Rock Audubon Center.
Little Rock Audubon Center will launch a Solar Learning Lab to provide community education on clean energy
For over a century, Audubon has been the most influential conservation voice in the state of Florida. Adapting to new challenges posed by climate change, Audubon Florida has recently claimed significant victories in helping Miami-Dade County electrify its fleet of buses, and securing the approval of the largest community solar program in the country.
Audubon supports the introduction of the Blue Carbon for Our Planet Act.
Roseate Spoonbills faced a tough nesting season.
The hurricane's storm surge created optimal nesting habitat for Snowy Plovers and other beach birds, newly released data show.
Senator Braun joined Audubon Great Lakes, the American Conservation Coalition, and the Indiana Federation of College Republicans for a discussion on climate solutions good for the economy, birds, and people.
Providing farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners with incentives to capture and store greenhouse gases will help rural economies, fight climate change, and improve habitat for birds.
The legislation helps the agriculture and forestry industries naturally remove carbon from the atmosphere, creating a cleaner future for birds and people.
Working in partnership with Energy Future New Orleans, a coalition of local and national organizations and businesses, Audubon Louisiana and the National Audubon Society supported a clean energy standard for the city of New Orleans that would require 100% clean energy by 2050, and an offsetting of carbon emissions by 2040. The standard was approved in April 2020. Audubon and EFNO are currently working on outlining regulations to implement the standard.
Historic measure commits New Orleans to a zero-carbon energy portfolio by 2050, phasing out fossil fuels.
The proposal, submitted by the Energy Future New Orleans coalition, will establish a 100 percent Renewable Energy Standard by 2040 and result in more jobs, greater emissions reductions, and more local investment than alternatives
Governor John Bel Edwards sets targets for reducing carbon emissions and establishes resilience strategies across state government.
In 2019, New York set a bold example for the nation when Governor Andrew Cuomo officially signed New York’s ambitious Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) into law. Audubon New York —alongside many local Audubon chapters and environmental partners—successfully advocated for this ambitious climate bill, which puts the state on the path to achieving the highest reduction of greenhouse gases in the country by 2050. Next step: A Climate Action Council will develop a scoping plan to reach net-zero emissions goals across all economic sectors.
The sweeping climate legislation sets the target of creating a net-zero carbon economy in the state by 2050.
The Governor's proposal includes measures to protect threatened and endangered species.
With the federal government failing to act, many states and cities are taking it upon themselves to cut emissions and increase resiliency.
Audubon North Carolina has been working with advocates to deliver climate and clean energy victories for years. In 2017, Audubon led a successful campaign to establish a new competitive marketplace for solar energy in North Carolina that would nearly double the amount of installed, large-scale solar energy over a four year period. Since then, Audubon advocates have been leading the way in speaking out against legislation that would slow North Carolina’s transition to cleaner energy and establishing North Carolina as a leader on clean energy.
A study commissioned by Audubon shows that North Carolina has an opportunity to lead in battery storage.
New collaborations between Audubon chapters and Audubon campus chapters makes advocacy much more effective.
In Spring 2019, thanks in part to the efforts of Audubon members across the state, the South Carolina legislature nearly unanimously passed the Energy Freedom Act to help ease restrictions on solar energy in the state. Keeping up that momentum, Audubon Ambassadors continue to support statewide efforts to expand renewable energy to promote cleaner air for people and wildlife, while creating jobs.
Audubon South Carolina Applauds the Senate for its leadership
At lobby day, Audubon South Carolina members take action to ensure a healthier future for the state and birds.
Audubon South Carolina's newly commissioned report shows that the solar energy industry has a $1.5 billion impact in the state.
As a strategic partner with the Virginia Clean Economy Act coalition, Audubon supported the Virginia Clean Economy Act by enhancing grassroots, communications, and outreach capacity in the state. In March 2020, grassroots advocates helped push passage of the landmark VCEA, setting a roadmap for Virginia to provide 100 percent of its electricity from carbon free sources by 2050 by increasing investment in energy efficiency and giving homeowners, businesses and municipalities the ability to generate their own power through wind and solar.
The 100% clean energy standard legislation gives birds and people of Virginia a “fighting chance against climate change.”
The new law will accelerate the adoption of clean-energy innovation and help Virginia go carbon-free by 2050.
Gov. Ralph Northam gives the birds and people of Virginia hope for a clean energy future with the Virginia Clean Economy Act.
Efforts by Audubon Washington contributed to historic clean energy policies and a bill to help farmers and working lands capture carbon emissions. Work continues on initiatives like the Clean Fuels Standard.
Statewide grassroots effort by Audubon Washington and partners paved way to establishing a 100 percent clean energy standard.
Policy discussions on a clean fuels standard, carbon pricing, and other economy-wide approaches to carbon reduction lays groundwork for substantive climate action in 2021.
This legislative session, the Evergreen State can help lead the way in using its own natural resources to capture and store harmful emissions
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