Event Planning
Princeton Sustainability Summit

We are hosting a statewide stakeholder forum on climate policy to reduce New Jersey’s emissions.

Burgess COMMENTARY

Peter Burgess

Maurie Cohen 5:14 PM (2 hours ago)
to matthew, Donald, Jonathan, schoepf.walter, kent, William, Aaron, Michael, Ashwani, Larry, Donald, rhoda.schermer, asmmckeon, Jim, JHarmon444@aol.com, Wim, Jeana, Adam, Jill, pkasabach, Marty, rlawton, Melanie, Randall, eric.stromfeld, joshua.melchor, Michael, Susan, Larry, me, Ira, rezwan, john, cmontgom, David, info, orders, aaron.hyndman, Madeline.Urbish, sobrien7

I don't mean to be out of order here, but this seemed like the best distribution list to circulate this announcement from a group of students at Princeton who reached out to me the other day. A couple of my own students have gotten involved on a volunteer basis in the lead-up to the event and it sounds like this initiative has some momentum. Feel free to pass along as you see fit.

Maurie

New Jersey Climate Policy Stakeholder Forum Saturday, September 15th, 2018, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

We are hosting a statewide stakeholder forum on climate policy to reduce New Jersey’s emissions. We aim to create dialogue between a broad spectrum of groups in sectors including sustainability, environmental justice, academia, labour, business, energy, and policy. This summit will be organized and moderated entirely by students, providing students an invaluable opportunity to learn about the whole spectrum of stakeholders and policy options for our state, critical to the education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and policymakers.

After an introductory session, stakeholders will work in small focus groups to articulate their concerns and vision for New Jersey’s climate future, and ultimately formulate effective strategies toward achieving these goals. By the end of the summit, we will have a detailed report that maps out policy strategies and stakeholder viewpoints. It will inform policymakers, advocates, and students (the policymakers and advocates of tomorrow) on the paths toward effective climate policy in New Jersey. The summit will last a single full day and be organized, led, and moderated by students.

No legislation will be written or promoted during this summit. This is an opportunity for stakeholders to build relationships and enter productive dialogue not only with each other, but also with the students engaged in shaping New Jersey’s climate future.

If you are interested in attending, please email nj.climate.summit@gmail.com

For more information, see the one-pager at https://tinyurl.com/nj-onepager

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Jonathan Lu
Founder and Summit Director Princeton Student Climate Initiative
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New Jersey Climate Policy Stakeholder Forum Saturday, September 15th, 2018, 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

MOTIVATION

New Jersey has begun to take action on climate change, demonstrating leadership by strengthening our Renewable Portfolio Standard and choosing to rejoin the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. However, both initiatives are limited to the electric power industry, which covers only 15% of New Jersey’s carbon dioxide emissions. The remaining 85% of emissions, including transportation and building heating, will require effective and appropriate policies.

As students, we would like to understand how stakeholders in New Jersey respond to the question: what are the policies that NJ should pass in the next 10 years in order to achieve its 2050 emissions goals?

Achieving New Jersey’s target of 80% GHG emissions reductions by 2050 will require multiple policies that balance the needs of all concerned stakeholders, including energy, sustainability, business, environmental justice and labor groups. There is a need for more dialogue between different stakeholders on:
what policies they prioritize,
what policies would be most effective at reducing emissions, and
what policies would be politically, technically, and economically feasible.

Additionally, we believe that students will play a large role in formulating and advocating for future climate policy. To do so effectively, we need to listen to the diverse perspectives of all those affected by climate change and all who have a stake in building a low-emissions New Jersey economy.

LOGISTICS We are hosting a statewide, student-led stakeholder forum on climate policy to reduce New Jersey’s emissions. We aim to create dialogue between a broad spectrum of groups in sectors including sustainability, environmental justice, academia, labour, business, energy, and policy. This summit will be organized and moderated entirely by students, providing students an invaluable opportunity to learn about the whole spectrum of stakeholders and policy options for our state, critical to the education of the next generation of scientists, engineers, and policymakers.

After an introductory session, stakeholders will work in small focus groups to articulate their concerns and vision for New Jersey’s climate future, and ultimately formulate effective strategies toward achieving these goals. By the end of the summit, we will have a detailed report that maps out policy strategies and stakeholder viewpoints. It will inform policymakers, advocates, and students (the policymakers and advocates of tomorrow) on the paths toward effective climate policy in New Jersey. The summit will last a single full day and be organized, led, and moderated by students.

No legislation will be written or promoted during this summit. This is an opportunity for stakeholders to build relationships and enter productive dialogue not only with each other, but also with the students engaged in shaping New Jersey’s climate future.

SCHEDULE
8:30-9 Registration and Breakfast 9-9:30 Introduction 9:45-10:45 Focus Group: Priorities 11-11:50 Focus Group: Policy 1 11:50-12:35 Lunch 12:50-1:40 Focus Group: Policy 2 1:55-2:45 Focus Group: Policy 3 3-3:30 Focus Group: Recap 3:45-4:15 Whole Forum Recap 4:15-6:00 Networking and Refreshments

FOCUS GROUP TOPICS
... Long-term Emissions Reduction
... Transportation
... Buildings
... Just Transition
... Climate Change Resiliency
... Air Pollution
... Methane
... Highly Warming Gases
... Solid Waste
... Agriculture/Food System

INVITEES
... Government
... Environmental justice groups
... Labor
... Traditional environmental groups
... Utilities/energy
... Concerned businesses
... Eco-friendly businesses

CONFIRMED ATTENDEES
... Food and Water Watch
... The Climate Mobilization
... Sustainable Princeton
... Environment New Jersey
... League of Conservation Voters

... State Assemblymembers Andrew Zwicker, Nancy Pinkin, and Roy Freiman
... State Senator Kip Bateman

... PSEG
... NJ Utilities Association President & CEO Andrew Hendry

CONTACT

If you are interested in participating in this forum, please email us at nj.climate.summit@gmail.com and any focus groups you would be interested in participating in.