Southern Regional Environmental Legislators Conference

Southeastern Legislators Convened for NCEL’s First-Ever Southern Regional Environmental Legislators Conference

On May 20-21, over 35 state legislators from nine Southern states convened in Atlanta, Georgia, for NCEL’s first-ever Southern Regional Environmental Legislators Conference. 

The event was in partnership with Dream Corps Green For All and brought together a group of bipartisan southern lawmakers to discuss climate, the clean energy transition, low carbon transportation, and coastal resilience. Sessions included passing climate and energy policies in the South, unpacking the Southeast Energy Market (SEEM), smart coastal resilience, climate messaging, advancing equity through the clean energy transition, and more.

Attendees heard keynote addresses from Van Jones, Jeremy Tarr, and Quill Robinson. Van is the Founder of Dream Corps and highlighted many political issues including climate and energy where both parties have worked together to pass transformative policies. Jeremy is the Senior Advisor for Climate Change Policy for NC Gov. Roy Cooper and shared his experience developing ambitious climate policy within the divided government of North Carolina. Quill is the Vice President of Government Affairs at the American Conservation Coalition and focused his remarks on the budding conservative youth climate movement.

At the end of the conference, legislators were joined by EVHybridNoire, the nation’s largest network of diverse electric vehicle (EV) drivers and enthusiasts, for an EV experience and test drive opportunity. Legislators were about to view multiple EVs and learn more about how to make policy so that EVs are accessible to everyone.

During the conference, NCEL unveiled its new Southern Climate Solutions Briefing Book. The book provides a pool of successful climate and clean energy policies in states across the South and beyond for state legislators to reference and inspire action in their own states.

This conference is the first step in creating a stronger bond amongst southern environmental legislators. Legislators from this event will continue to work together regionally to pursue sound climate and energy policy by sharing resources and lessons learned in their effort to build thriving communities and a clean economy that lifts up everyone in the South.

Created by and for state legislators, the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that organizes over 1,000 environmentally-committed state legislators from all 50 states and both parties. NCEL provides venues and opportunities for lawmakers to share ideas and collaborate on environmental issues.