We’re All in This Together
Maine Climate Advocates
Go to Capitol Hill
By Clara Parker
This June, thirty-six Maine advocates took their growing climate anxiety to Washington D.C to ask our national lawmakers for effective and equitable solutions. These meetings and the preceding 3-day training conference, are the cornerstone of what Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) volunteers do. Specifically, advocate for climate solutions that meet the scale and ambition necessary to ensure a livable world.
As a college intern at Portland’s CCL chapter, attending this conference and lobby day was eye-opening.
The passion and commitment of CCL volunteers from across the country was palpable. It’s easy to feel cynical about politics and government today. However, it gave me hope to see over 1,000 volunteers from every district and diverse backgrounds fighting for a livable world. Not only that, I saw firsthand that lobby meetings have tangible impacts. The record breaking climate provisions in both 2021’s bipartisan infrastructure law and 2022’s Inflation Reduction Act immediately followed CCL lobby days, proving that these meetings work. However, those provisions are just the beginning of what our organization is capable of doing and what needs to be done for our world.
For the first time, this year’s conference featured a student summit for the over 180 youth who made the trip to D.C. As a rising junior at UPenn, it was inspiring to meet fellow youth climate advocates and discuss our roles in the fight. The following days consisted of learning not only about effective policy measures, but how to have climate conversations with a diverse range of people.
The most inspirational part of the weekend, however, was lobby day.
After we gathered on the steps of the Capitol for a photo, we divided into groups to meet with senators and representatives from every state. This year, our primary focus was the PROVE IT Act. This measure would provide comprehensive data collection on U.S. products’ carbon emissions to bolster international trade negotiations and bipartisan climate support. Additionally, we advocated for clean energy permitting reform, which aims to streamline the inefficient permit approval process hindering clean energy projects, which often face years of delays.
This transformative four-day experience not only connected me with passionate advocates, but also highlighted the impactful work being done by Mainers. Most importantly, it highlighted the immense value in grassroots action in combating climate change, affirming that anyone can make a difference starting right in their own community.
Learn more at cclusa.org. Or check out our local CCL chapter which meets at 9 a.m. on the 2nd Saturday of each month at 133 Pleasant Street, Portland.
Clara Parker is a UPenn rising junior, Cape Elizabeth resident, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby intern.
