Climate Change Resources For Minnesotans
Studies done by the Center for Climate Change Communication have shown that in communities where local weather forecasters are reporting on the climate crisis, people DO understand that climate is personally relevant to them.
Minnesota is incredibly fortunate to have several accurate news sources for science-based climate (and weather) information. Not every state does. If you want to stay abreast of developments in climate science, here are a few people you can follow:
- Mark Seeley, U of M professor, climatologist and meteorologist. He is active in the NOAA Climate Literacy Program. He writes for the University Extension Service “Minnesota WeatherTalk.”
- Paul Huttner, chief meteorologist for Minnesota Public Radio on “ClimateCast” every Friday and produce a weekly science podcast for a public radio show called “Jet Streaming.”
- Paul Douglas, meteorologist, Republican and evangelical Christian, writes on weather for the Star Tribune.
- Minnesota Climatology Working Group
- Minnesota Environmental Quality Board: This group produces reports on the impacts of climate change.
Who Can Help?
This list may not be complete. If there are organizations or companies you would like to see added, please email the webmaster to request consideration for inclusion. Resources found on the Transition Twin Cities website are for informational purposes only and listing does not constitute endorsement. Transition Twin Cities does not receive any financial support from companies listed here.
| Organization | Description | Categories | categories_hfilter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Club | The North Star Chapter of the Sierra Club seeks to advance our abundant renewable energy resources and end our dependence on fossil fuels to provide cleaner, healthier air and a stable climate. This group also works on the issues of climate change, conservation, and improving land use. The Clean Energy … | Climate Action, Climate Information, Electric Vehicles, Land Use, Plants & Animals, Renewable Energy, Transit Advocacy, Transportation | climate-action climate-information electric-vehicles land-use plants-animals renewable-energy transit-advocacy transportation climate boost-natural-systems energy |
| Citizen’s Climate Lobby | CCL is a good resource for sourcing speakers for educational events about alternative energy and clean community energy solutions. This is a good group to partner with for any sort of legislative efforts. Contact: Email: ccl@citizensclimatelobby.org | Climate, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy | climate climate-policy energy energy-advocacy |
| Alliance For Sustainability | The Alliance for Sustainability brings municipalities and community volunteers together to create opportunities to scale up clean energy actions and community sustainability efforts. Contact: sean@afors.org, Phone: (612) 250-0389 | Climate, County/City Plans, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Renewable Energy, Transportation, Waste Reduction | climate county-city-plans energy energy-advocacy energy-policy renewable-energy transportation wastereduction |
| Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership | MCEP is a partnership between the City of Minneapolis, Xcel Energy, and CenterPoint Energy to support the city’s climate action plan and 2040 energy vision. Contact: https://mplscleanenergypartnership.org/contact/ | Climate, Climate Action, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Renewable Energy | climate climate-action energy energy-advocacy renewable-energy |
| MN350 | MN350 is a volunteer-led climate justice organization working to organize and mobilize Minnesotans to take action on climate issues. MN350 has committees working on energy, food systems, transportation, pipeline resistance, and other areas of climate concern. Contact: Email: info@MN350.org, Phone: (612) 440-5350 | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Transit Advocacy | climate climate-action climate-justice climate-policy energy energy-advocacy energy-policy transit-advocacy transportation |
| Minnesota WeatherTalk | WeatherTalk is UMN climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley’s blog where he writes weekly about climate and weather observations in Minnesota. Contact: Mark’s Email: mseeley@umn.edu | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
| Jet Streaming | Jet Streaming is a Minnesota Public Radio program that gives in inside look to the states weather and climatology with host Paul Huttner. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
| Minnesota State Climatology Office | The MN DNR’s Climatology program exists to gather, archive, manage, and distribute climate information answering questions of the impacts of climate and climate change on Minnesota’s population. Contact: Kenny Blumenfeld, senior climatologist: Email: kenneth.blumenfeld@state.mn.us , Phone: (651) 296-4214 | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
| Minnesota Environmental Quality Board | Minnesota Environmental Quality Board publishes reports about climate change, its economic and environmental effects, and how it is effecting Minnesotans. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
| Climate Generation | Climate Generation is a Twin Cities based organization working to build a youth climate movement by improving climate literacy and education, engaging youth climate leaders, as well as providing valuable momentum to many projects, such as organizing public opposition to shut down Xcel Energy’s coal plants. Contact: Email: info@climategen.org , … | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Information | climate climate-action climate-information |
| Cool Planet | Cool Planet is a community empowerment group based in Edina that organizes opportunities for citizens to join together in local, homegrown solutions to climate change. Contact: Email: info@coolplanetmn.org , Phone: (952) 920-1547 | Climate, Climate Action | climate climate-action |
| Minneapolis Climate Action | Minneapolis Climate Action works on addressing climate change through neighborhood organizing, education, and by implementing innovative programs such as community solar, home energy efficiency improvements, and reusable bags in Minneapolis communities. Contact: Email: info@mplsclimate.org | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
| 100% Campaign | The 100% campaign is a climate justice group working towards an equitable clean energy future for all Minnesotans. The group is building a powerful campaign to pressure industry and government to move towards an 100% clean energy future. Contact: Get in Contact with 100% Campaign by signing up here: https://secure.everyaction.com/u5LidtE0hU2id9-x_J8mVQ2 | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
| Extinction Rebellion Twin Cities | Extinction Rebellion is a International organization with a group in the Twin Cities that works with inner resilience and handling climate grief. Contact: Email: xrtwincities@gmail.com | Climate, Climate Action, Inner Resilience | climate climate-action inner-resilience |
| Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Webinar Series | CLEAN’s webinar series offers free videos and lectures about climate and energy. | Climate, Climate Information | climate climate-information |
| Saint Paul Climate Action Planning | As part of the city’s dedication to reducing the impacts of climate change through policy and action, the City of Saint Paul has released drafts of several plans for climate action related to resilience, energy, and building. The drafts for these plans are hosted on the website for the St. … | Climate, Climate Action, County/City Plans, Ramsey County, Resilience | climate climate-action county-city-plans ramsey-county resilience |
| Minneapolis Climate Action Plan | This climate plan adopted by the Minneapolis City Council in 2013 outlines a roadmap for guiding the City of Minneapolis to its greenhouse gas reduction targets. Contact: Email: sustainability@minneapolismn.gov | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Hennepin County | climate climate-action climate-policy county-city-plans hennepin-county |
| Washington County 2040 Comprehensive Plan: Resilience and Sustainability | Washington County’s 2040 plan includes this section addressing resilience and sustainability in future county operations and outlines a path towards achieving specific goals for resilience and sustainability. | Climate, Climate Action, County/City Plans, Resilience, Washington County | climate climate-action county-city-plans resilience washington-county |
| Thrive MSP 2040 | Thrive MSP 2040 is the Metropolitan Council’s long term plan covering all seven metro counties and addressing issues that transcend any one neighborhood, city, or county. The plan covers topics including land use, energy, transportation, housing, and natural resources. | Anoka County, Carver County, Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Dakota County, Energy Policy, Hennepin County, Metro-Wide Resource, Ramsey County, Resilience, Scott County, Washington County | anoka-county carver-county climate-policy county-city-plans dakota-county energy-policy hennepin-county metro-wide-resource ramsey-county resilience scott-county washington-county climate energy |
| Anoka Area Climate Action | Anoka Area Climate Action is a grassroots organization based out of Anoka working to: Communicate with Anoka area communities of local legislation that impacts Climate Change Highlight local businesses, group and individuals that are making a positive difference in Climate Change Work with local communities and legislatures in raising concerns and providing solutions to … | Anoka County, Climate, Climate Action, Climate Information | anoka-county climate climate-action climate-information |
| Sunrise Movement Twin Cities | Sunrise is a movement of young people uniting to stop the climate crisis and create millions of good-paying jobs in the process. Sunrise Twin Cities works to mobilize public action on climate change and is a good organization to contact for engaging youth working on climate issues. Contact: sunrise@macalester.edu | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice | climate climate-action climate-justice |
| Metropolitan Council Local Planning Handbook | The Met Council has produced a Local Planning Handbook to help communities update their local comprehensive plans in the areas of land use, transportation, water resources, parks and trails, housing, energy infrastructure, resilience, health, economy and social connection. See the workbook at https://metrocouncil.org/Handbook/Plan-Elements/Resilience.aspx | Climate Policy, County/City Plans, Energy Policy, Food Systems, Housing, Land Use, Metro-Wide Resource, Policy & Advocacy, Preparedness, Resilience, Transportation, Waste Reduction, Water Protection | climate-policy county-city-plans energy-policy food-systems affordable-sustainable-housing land-use metro-wide-resource policy-advocacy preparedness resilience transportation wastereduction water-protection climate energy food boost-natural-systems |
| Post Carbon Institute | The Post Carbon Institute is a national level partner organization of Transition US. It promotes energy literacy, connects the dots between energy and the economy, and provides a reality check on the stories we’re being told about the energy systems we rely on. | Big Picture, Climate, Climate Information, Economy & Sharing, Energy, Energy Policy, Resilience | big-picture climate climate-information economy-sharing energy energy-policy resilience |
| Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy | The Center for Earth, Energy and Democracy’s mission is to ensure that communities and policy makers have the tools and information they need to create just, sustainable energy and environmental policy. CEED researches vulnerability to rising energy costs and the many reasons it is a greater burden in EJ communities. … | Climate, Climate Action, Climate Justice, Climate Policy, Energy, Energy Advocacy, Energy Policy, Preparedness | climate climate-action climate-justice climate-policy energy energy-advocacy energy-policy preparedness |
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