Policy Resources

Every elected official in America has a role to play in tackling climate change. And every policymaker needs to take office on day one with a climate plan that works for their district.

This resource library is designed to help state and local decisionmakers navigate the climate powers of their specific offices and learn best practices from examples across the US – centering policy solutions that create jobs, address injustice, and improve quality of life in communities.

POLICY PATHWAYS TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC AND DELIVER LASTING BENEFITS

Hyperscale data centers are arriving faster and larger than the institutions governing electricity systems can keep up with. This report gives policymakers three practical pathways — protect the public, build the capacity to govern, and deliver durable public benefits — for sequencing the nine protections states need most.

STRENGTHENING STATE OVERSIGHT OVER SURPLUS LINES

This report explains what surplus lines insurance is and how it's regulated differently from standard policies, why its rapid growth threatens affordability for consumers, state budgets, and affordable housing providers and tenants, and outlines policy recommendations to strengthen state oversight.

UNDERSTANDING THE INSURANCE CRISIS IN MINNESOTA

Climate change is threatening the affordability and availability of property insurance throughout the United States. Growing losses from wildfires, hurricanes, severe storms, and other disasters are causing insurance companies to raise rates, cancel coverage, and even withdraw from entire markets. Read these briefs to better understand the scale of the crisis happening in each district in Minnesota.

RESILIENT STATES START WITH RESILIENT HOMES

As states work to address insurance affordability and availability, resilient home programs—grants for home hardening and roof fortification—have become a popular intervention. This report examines the landscape of roof fortification programs, reviews lessons learned, and outlines 19 policy principles for designing or improving state programs.

ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY IN GEORGIA

Georgian families are feeling the squeeze from rising gas prices and rents, with no relief in sight. This set of district-level briefs lays out the true scale of the state's affordability crisis and offers common sense solutions that cut both bills and pollution.

ADDRESSING AFFORDABILITY IN NORTH CAROLINA

Rising gas prices and rents are straining North Carolina families' budgets, with little relief in sight. These district-level briefs break down the scale of the state's affordability crisis and outline common sense solutions that lower bills and pollution together.

PENNSYLVANIA SOLAR AND AFFORDABILITY

Pennsylvania is one of the last states in the region without a community solar program — leaving billions in savings on the table as energy costs rise. These briefs detail the specific savings community solar could unlock for families in every State House and State Senate District across the Commonwealth.

TAMING DATA CENTER TURMOIL

While states are making infrastructure and financial commitments today that will shape household bills and the power system for decades to come, these reports off a new data center decision making approach for policymakers to protect consumers, the economy, and the climate.

HISTORIA Y GOBERNANZA DE LAS COOPERATIVOS

Las estructuras de gobernanza determinan cómo las cooperativas toman decisiones sobre generación, transmisión y servicios para lograr objetivos climáticos. Este documento describe ese contexto para que sea más fácil comprenderlo y conectarlo con el contexto de su cooperativa específica.

CUTTING POLLUTION AND HOUSEHOLD BILLS TOGETHER

For the first time, more Americans say that they are struggling than thriving. From skyrocketing gas prices to rising rents, families’ day-to-day costs keep going up with little relief on the horizon. The affordability crisis and the climate crisis have the same causes and the same solutions. Learn more about Climate Cabinet Education’s platform to cut four of the biggest household bills – and cut pollution at the same time.

HOUSING POLICY THAT SOLVES CLIMATE CHANGE

Americans are facing three overlapping threats: the climate crisis, an affordability crisis, and a housing crisis, and state legislators are on the front lines of all three. This paper moves beyond charged housing debates to offer 16 actionable policies states can adopt now to make housing more affordable, available, and climate-smart.

PJM’S CAPACITY MARKET: MECHANICS, STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES, AND THE PATH FORWARD

In 2025, PJM’s record capacity prices—after an 800% surge—are driving higher bills, market distortions, and undermining clean, affordable energy, exposing a capacity market out of step with today’s grid. This report examines how PJM’s policies are raising costs for families by stacking the deck in favor of fossil fuels.

ARIZONA DISTRICT-SPECIFIC AFFORDABILITY BRIEFS

These briefs make clear that addressing the climate crisis is a crucial step towards addressing the affordability crisis Arizonans are facing today. From energy rate hikes and rising utility bills to wildfire-driven insurance and housing costs, the cost of living crisis across Arizona is forcing constituents to make difficult economic decisions.

STATE ECONOMIC POWER PROJECT

The State Economic Power Project at Climate Cabinet helps state governments drive climate action by developing and promoting policies that recognize climate change as an economic issue. Check this page for our policy resources related to insurance regulation, disaster recovery policy, and more.

INSURERS OF LAST RESORT: WHY TODAY’S FAIR PLANS NEED A REDESIGN TO ADDRESS THE HOME INSURANCE CRISIS

As extreme weather worsens, insurance costs rise and companies pull back, leaving state insurers of last resort as the only option for many. This report reviews their history, governance, and risks—spotlighting CA, FL, and NM—and offers recommendations for FAIR Plan reform.

TRANSPORTATION 101 POLICY GUIDES

The Transportation 101 guides provide easy summaries of policy solutions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. They highlight how each policy solution works, benefits and challenges to consider, best practices, and the role they play in improving people’s quality of life, healthy economies, and reducing climate change emissions.

ILLINOIS LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT TRANSIT BRIEFS

These district-specific briefs show the need to increase state funding for transit across Illinois and transit governance reform in Northeast Illinois. They highlight transit’s positive impact on the state’s economy and the important role transit plays in millions of people’s daily lives. They also show how many people still lack adequate access to reliable transit, costing them time and money.

EXPLAINING PJM'S RELIABILITY CRISIS

PJM’s outdated market rules are driving up costs, slowing clean energy, and putting reliability at risk for over 65 million Americans. Unbalanced Power: How PJM's Market Rules are Causing a Reliability Crisis breaks down the problem and offers a clear roadmap for building a more affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy future.

PENNSYLVANIA LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT TRANSIT BRIEFS

These district-specific briefs show the need for increased and sustained investment in transit services across Pennsylvania. They show that stabilizing state transit funding is a cost-effective strategy to support families and vulnerable residents, grow the economy, and meet climate goals.

NAVIGATING ELECTRICITY DEMAND GROWTH AMIDST THE CLIMATE CRISIS

After a prolonged period of stagnant growth, the demand for electricity is now on the rise. This report offers concrete recommendations for how policymakers can meet the challenges of swelling electricity demand head-on to facilitate responsible economic growth in their states.

NORTH CAROLINA DISTRICT-SPECIFIC CLIMATE OVERVIEWS

Want to learn more about how transportation, insurance, and energy work in your specific district of North Carolina? You can use this resource to get a snapshot of your district and how climate policies could impact its economic future.

MICHIGAN STATE LEGISLATURE TRANSIT BRIEFS

These district-specific briefs show the need for increased investment in public transit across Michigan. They show that stabilizing transit funding is a cost-effective strategy to support families, grow the economy, and meet climate goals.

MEMO: GREEN BANKS

Green banks exist to drive public and private investment toward projects that reduce greenhouse gas pollution through clean energy deployment, energy efficiency, transportation infrastructure, and more. Learn about why and how states can leverage green banks to unlock an equitable clean energy transition.

FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CONSTITUENTS

The Inflation Reduction Act included new and increased federal tax credits that will lower energy, housing and transportation costs for Americans. Download our consumer-facing fact sheet that you can share with constituents, and explore additional resources.

CLIMATE RISK AND STATE INSURANCE POLICY

Insurance is a key channel through which climate risk is transmitted through the financial system, and it is almost entirely regulated at the state level. As the climate crisis has intensified, insurance markets have begun to dysfunction, and consumers have suffered from insurance company withdrawals, premium spikes, cancellations, and other hazards.