Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)

This was the first of the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI)'s three-part Rapid Readout briefing series about updates from 2026’s United Nations climate negotiations in Antalya, Türkiye (COP31). Speakers across this series assessed progress made toward climate goals, provided updates on country commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve adaptation and resilience, and explained what it all means for U.S. climate policy. The Readouts also unpacked key announcements and commitments and highlighted U.S. presence at COP31—including federal, subnational, and private sector roles in the proceedings.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing about what Congress can expect during the upcoming United Nations climate negotiations in Antalya, Türkiye (COP31). Hundreds of negotiating sessions and thousands of events will take place over the course of the two-week UN session. This briefing guided policymakers on how to engage effectively. The briefing highlighted key issues on the negotiating agenda, including fossil fuel phase-out, climate adaptation metrics, and international finance goals. Panelists described the role of the joint Türkiye-Australia COP31 Presidency; unpacked the Presidency's priorities, including waste management and electrification; and highlighted expected U.S. state and local government and private-sector engagement. It also previewed possible outcomes from COP31 and what they meant for U.S. climate policy.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) held a briefing about the benefits of interregional transmission for the economy, climate, and grid reliability. The U.S. electric grid is undergoing unprecedented transformation, driven by rising electricity demand, the growth of renewable energy, and security threats posed by extreme weather and cyberattacks. Building more interregional transmission lines—the cables that move power across different regional grids—can bolster grid resilience and move cleaner, more affordable electricity from lower to higher-priced regions. Yet planning for interregional transmission has lagged behind regional transmission planning, and implementation gaps remain. This briefing explored policy levers and best practices for long-term, future-proof interregional transmission planning. Panelists discussed the current state of interregional transmission, and outlined the regulatory and institutional hurdles to progress. The briefing also identified emerging policy solutions—pulling from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s 2024 regional transmission framework as a model—for lawmakers, federal regulators, and regional grid operators alike that can save ratepayers money and reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a briefing about the environmental and economic impacts of Super El Niño. El Niño is a natural phenomenon that occurs every few years when the ocean waters of the equatorial Pacific warm beyond normal temperatures. The 2026-2027 Super El Niño is projected to be the largest in 150 years and is expected to result in more frequent and intense extreme weather events across the United States and the world. This briefing examined the meteorological causes and anticipated impacts of Super El Niño, including flooding, droughts, extreme heat, wildfires, and severe winter storms.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) held a briefing about tracking and reducing agricultural nitrous oxide, a major greenhouse gas. Nitrogen is a key component in fertilizer, making it critical to food security. Unfortunately, due to overapplication, only about half of nitrogen fertilizer is actually absorbed by crops. This leads to high levels of nitrous oxide emissions and threatens drinking water, ecosystems, and public health. Nitrous oxide has a global warming potential 273 times greater than carbon dioxide over 100 years and is the primary driver of stratospheric ozone depletion, increasing UV exposure and associated health risks. Nitrous oxide measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification mechanisms are essential to reducing these emissions and supporting profitable and sustainable farm management. This briefing showcased findings from a new research roadmap that identifies opportunities for measuring and reducing agricultural nitrous oxide emissions. Panelists pinpointed areas of innovation, as well as opportunities for reducing uncertainty, improving accuracy, bringing down costs for farmers, and reducing nitrogen loss from fields. The briefing also helped policymakers identify research and development needs, and highlighted the role of federal and state legislatures in improving environmental, economic, and public health across the country. 

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a Rapid Readout on the far-reaching implications of intensive drought across the country. For example, in the West, a lack of rain and snow this past winter, along with record-high temperatures, has sparked fears of a long wildfire season. In addition, a record-low snowpack means less water for reservoirs, which could lead to water shortages during the summer months, affecting economic activity, hydropower generation, and agriculture. This Rapid Readout connected the dots between this year’s water shortage and the broader multi-year megadrought in the West, and discussed the role of federal policymaking in safeguarding communities from impacts and generating long-term solutions.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) held a Rapid Readout about the recently announced reorganization and restructuring of the U.S. Forest Service. Housed within the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Forest Service manages nearly 200 million acres of federal land, mostly in western states. Because the service’s focus is primarily on the West, the Administration is proposing to move the agency’s headquarters from Washington, D.C., to Salt Lake City, Utah. It also intends to reorganize staff into state hubs and eliminate 57 research labs. The Rapid Readout explored how these changes could impact decades of science, including key climate-related forest research. The session also covered the implications of the reorganization on both wildfire preparedness and response and annual budget and appropriation conversations. 

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and American Rivers held a briefing about America’s most pressing water infrastructure challenges, and solutions to close the gap between investment needs and reliable water services. Today, U.S. waterways—and our drinking water—are vulnerable to aging infrastructure, stormwater and sewage overflows, and extreme weather. In January 2026, Washington, D.C., saw the consequences of such aging infrastructure when a sewer line collapsed, discharging 200 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River—one of the largest spills in U.S. history. This briefing convened practitioners and policy experts who presented innovative policy and financing solutions—from smart monitoring systems to credit trading—to improve water infrastructure across the country. Panelists also highlighted key existing programs, like the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund, which help states catalyze water innovation and address water affordability.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Climate Central held a briefing to discuss a key underpinning of the U.S. economy: publicly-available weather and climate data. Federal data is used as an input to weather models that are essential to public safety and helps businesses—from farms and insurance companies to airlines and utilities—make daily decisions. Historically, Congress has played a central role in directing federal agencies to collect, analyze, and report weather and climate data. But today, hundreds of federal scientific datasets and reports, like the national climate assessments, have been removed from public access, altered, or buried. Popular climate webpages (e.g., climate.gov and EJScreen) have been taken down or archived.  In this new information environment, universities, nonprofits, and national associations are stepping up to fill the gaps in maintaining weather and climate data left by the federal government. Panelists shared where to look for these datasets and explore how these organizations are maintaining public access to critical information without the resources afforded by the federal government. They also described the implications of these changes for end users, from individuals using weather apps to multinational corporations making significant business decisions. 

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Alliance to Save Energy (ASE) held a briefing about readily-available solutions to help reduce energy costs for homes and small businesses. Together, rising energy demand, extreme weather events, and aging infrastructure are straining the U.S. electric grid, leaving homes and small businesses to feel the impacts of higher utility bills. With U.S. electricity prices having risen an average of 40% since 2020, affordability is now at the center of many conversations on energy policy. Upgrades to heating and cooling systems, insulation, and a wide range of household appliances can add up to cost-effective energy improvements that boost comfort in harsh weather, uplift consumer confidence, expand freedom of choice, and give consumers more control over their utility bills. Appliances with the ENERGY STAR® label, for example, can save a single household $450 annually. This briefing convened experts from around the country with on-the-ground experience in bolstering energy efficiency and delivering savings to consumers. These panelists explored the benefits of energy-saving solutions available to households and small businesses. They also identified key federal programs that support these initiatives, such as the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program.