Citizens' Climate Lobby

Join CCL for a learning series exploring what a decade of real-world carbon pricing can teach us and how that knowledge shapes stronger, more durable climate advocacy. 

A central consideration for policymakers today is affordability. On the surface, this is a problem for carbon pricing, because the whole point is to change behavior through higher prices on pollution. However, carbon prices also raise a lot of money, and how policymakers use that money can have a big impact on affordability. This webinar will cover some recent research from RFF on the carbon pricing/affordability nexus, including research t...

Stories are one of the oldest ways human beings make meaning, share our values, and imagine what might be possible. In BRIDGE, we’re learning to become more powerful advocates by building stronger relationships, understanding what matters to others, and communicating in ways that can shift perspectives. Today, we’ll explore how our own impact, solution, and motivation stories can bring climate advocacy from the head to the heart, reveal shared values, and create a natural bridge from personal connection to meaningful action.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Inro & Agenda 
(6:02) Lessons from Great Story...

Hear from CCL leaders across the country who are participating in election engagement work about how you can be active with your chapter! Each month, Citizens’ Climate Lobby supporters gather locally for a monthly meeting where we educate ourselves by listening to a guest speaker. Go to your local chapter's page to find out more about your chapter's plans for listening in. Our monthly action sheets are posted by the Saturday ahead of the monthly call and post any questions you have about this event in the comments below.

Skip ahead to the following section(s): 
(0:00) Int...

Join Citizens' Climate Lobby and Resources for the Future for a learning series exploring what a decade of real-world carbon pricing can teach us and how that knowledge shapes stronger, more durable climate advocacy. 

This session, led by RFF's Carbon Pricing Initiative Director Marc Hafstead covers the basics of carbon pricing to give a good grounding for those new to carbon pricing. For those already familiar with carbon pricing, you’ll see how researchers who have made substantial contributions to the field in the academic literature talk about it. The content will cover the textbook case for car...

Recognize the difference between “High Conflict” and “Good Conflict,” understand the emotional and social forces that fuel polarization, and practice strategies, such as curiosity, looping, and resisting the binary to help move conversations from division to dialogue.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(6:49) High Conflict vs. Good Conflict 
(10:10) The Understory 
(12:48) Conflict Entrepreneurs
(19:30) Looping in Pairs
(22:12) Debrief & Key Takeaways

Presentation Slides:  https://cclusa.org/bridge-8-slides  
Log your training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/log_training?sf_id=a5yUP000000EAkHYAW  
CCL Community Training Page: https://community.citiz...

For the 2026 election season, the Election Engagement Action Team is focused on helping CCL volunteers take meaningful, nonpartisan action—connecting with candidates, supporting voter turnout, and strengthening grassroots engagement. Join this training to explore the three key areas that the team supports CCL volunteers and chapters stay engaged in meaningful action.
Build relationships with candidates across the aisle. Engage early in primary and general election cycles to understand candidates’ priorities, share CCL’s approach, and lay the groundwork for future congressional relationships.
Support voter turnout through trusted partners. Collaborate with groups like the Environmental Voter Project to help m...

Our August meeting, hosted by CCL Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Flannery Winchester, will debrief CCL’s 2026 Summer Conference and Lobby Day. From the impact and impression we made on Capitol Hill, to the insights and inspiration we got during conference programming — this call will catch you up on it all! 

Skip ahead to the following section(s): 
(0:00) Intro and Road Map 
(4:22) Conference Recap 
(20:10) Mindy Ahler's Reflections and First Time Lobbyists 
(31:10) Volunteer Highlights 
(33:23) August Action Sheet 
(36:43) Inclusion Conference 2026 
(41:19) Live Action 
(46:50) BRIDGE Training 

August Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/act...

Learn the core mindset and tools of Motivational Interviewing from long time CCL leader John Sabin, including how to use OARS and listen for change talk so others discover their own reasons to support climate solutions. This training is being held before CCL's annual lobby day by request to help support all our volunteer leaders preparing for their meetings with Congress become more fluent with Motivational Interviewing approaches.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/BRIDGE-7-Slides  

Join CCL's Vice President for Government Affairs Jennifer Tyler, Congressional Liaison Program Director Mindy Ahler, and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli for a training that will review the updates and context for CCL's Summer 2026 Primary and Secondary Asks as well as guidance for lobby teams as they plan their in-person meetings. This is a recommended training for any CCL volunteer planning on being a part of their group's Summer 2026 Lobby Meeting (as well as the July 21 Lobby Training #2 - CCL's Lobby Plans and Q&A).

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

Permitting reform has emerged as the biggest and most important clean energy and climate policy area in the current session of Congress. But what are 'permitting' and 'permitting reform,' why does CCL consider it such an important climate solution, and what is the data underpinning that conclusion? Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn the answers to these questions and why CCL is leaning into permitting reform as the key climate policy solution of 2026.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

(https://cclusa.org/p...

Passing federal climate legislation is extraordinarily difficult and understanding that reality helps us better appreciate the impact of effective advocacy. This training explores the complex ecosystem surrounding Congress: the legislative process, committee politics, bipartisan dynamics, competing lobbying interests, funding realities, and the many pathways organizations use to pursue climate solutions.

Join CCL Policy Fellow and long-time leader Dr. Danny Richter for a behind-the-scenes look at how legislation actually moves (or doesn’t move) through Congress, participants will gain a deeper appreciation for the persistence, relationship-building, and strategic timing required to create meaningful change. We’ll also examine wher...

Practice assessing where your Member of Congress stands on one of policies CCL supports and choose a realistic next-step ask that strengthens trust and steadily builds political will over time.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/BRIDGE-6-Slides   
BRIDGE # 6 Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/BRIDGE/Unit-2/Training-3
Log Your Attendance: https://community.citizensclimate.org...

Are you curious about what to expect about CCL's Summer 2026 Conference and Lobby Days or have a question about any final details? Join Alison Kubicsko, National Events Director and Mindy Ahler CCL Congressional Liaison Director for a final walk-through of the who, what, and where for CCL's Conference and Lobby Days to help you prepare for what to expect with the schedule, logistics, and details.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:46) Conference Details 
(14:58) Lobby Day Logistics

Presentation Slides: http://cclusa.org/lobby-conference-qa 
Log your attendance: https://community.citizensclimate.or...

Tyson Bertone-Riggs has a diverse background in forest policy and conservation work with both field experience and policy expertise. Along with Annie Schmidt, he served as the staff co-lead for the congressionally chartered Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission. Tyson’s past experience includes five years with the Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition as Executive Director and Policy Manager where he was responsible for coalition development, management, and political strategy. Tyson also brings experience working for state and federal forestry agencies, as well as having worked on state and local elections and in the U.S. Senate.

Sk...

Join CCL's Sr. Director of Field Operations Elli Sparks for a training that specifically addresses how to prepare yourself for a successful meeting with a member of Congress. You will learn about CCL's methodology, research tips, available tools, lobby meeting roles and parts, the value of practice, and the power of listening.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(1:29) Purpose of Citizen Lobbyist
(5:55) Building Relationships
(18:52) Lobby Team Roles
(24:52) Meeting Outline

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/prepare-to-lobby  
Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/events/item/24/21052 
Log Your Tra...

This training is an expansion of BRIDGE Training 5: The Advocacy Detective and examines how Generative AI can be used to move beyond surface-level searches to better understand your Member of Congress, district dynamics, committee priorities, and trusted messengers. It covers practical prompting techniques, how to spot and reduce hallucinations, and the importance of verifying outputs. It also briefly discusses how CCL approaches AI through the lens of clean, reliable energy. The throughline is that Generative AI is an additional tool option to support advocacy, but it is not a replacement for the relationships at the heart of CCL's work.<...

This final session in our permitting reform training series brings everything together with a focus on effective communication. We’ll recap key concepts across the major topics and highlight tailored messages that resonate with different audiences—including Republican and Democratic offices. Participants will learn how to confidently apply these messages to advance durable permitting solutions. 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(1:34) Effective Permitting Conversations
(4:10) Permitting Reform for Republicans
(16:44) Permitting Reform for Democrats
(30:13) Key Takeaways

Training Slides: https://cclusa.org/permitting-messages-slides  
Permitting Reform Trainings:  https://community.citizensclimate.org/topi...

The Advocacy Detective is about becoming a more strategic, relational climate advocate by learning how to better understand the political world your Member of Congress operates within. Before we can effectively persuade, we first need to understand — their district, their pressures, their priorities, the language they use, and the communities they feel accountable to. In BRIDGE, we talk a lot about meeting people where they are. Tonight is about learning how to actually find where that is using practical research tools to understand your Member of Congress’s district realities, incentives, influencers, and language—so your outreach is specific, respec...

This month, we're featuring Shane Londagin, Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Climate for Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO), manages Senator Hickenlooper’s energy portfolio on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee and supports the Senator’s leadership in bipartisan permitting reform negotiations, grid modernization efforts, and critical minerals policy. 

(0:00) Intro and National Highlights
(11:48) Local Highlights
(12:44) Interview with Shane Londagin, Senior Policy Advisor for Energy and Climate for Sen. John Hickenlooper (CO)
(39:40) May Action Sheet
(41:56) Take Action
(44:00) BRIDGE Exercise

Register for Summer Conference: https://cclusa.org/summer 
May Action Sheet...

It's important for energy project developers to engage local communities in order to address any local concerns and adverse impacts that may arise from new infrastructure projects. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler, Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli and Mindy Ahler
Congressional Liaison Director to learn about how community engagement may be addressed in the permitting reform process, and key messages for congressional offices.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(1:48) Community Engagement Background
(12:50) Recognition of its Importance
(14:18) Engagement Policy Proposals
(19:01) Key Messages

Log Your Training...

This training walks you through the process of securing and delivering policy support from county commissioners on both sides of the aisle and provides specific examples of CCL volunteer success stories with community leaders in Montana. We’ll also talk about identifying and connecting with trusted messengers and why it’s effective and efficient to start with the ones in your direct network.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(3:18) What Is A Trusted Messenger?
(4:25) Why County Commissioners?
(12:48) How To Build A Strategy To Get Letters
(20:00 ) Case Study: Montana
(29:27) Taki...

From a review of CCL's history to a focus on our shared work ahead, learn how climate progress becomes possible when your Member of Congress experiences Strong Conviction, Political Safety, Undeniable Support—and how your chapter’s actions intentionally build those conditions.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:23) CCL's History
(6:03) Theory of Change
(13:26) Three Conditions
(17:30) Name The Condition
(29:36) Power vs. Force in Advocacy
(33:14) Final Takeaways

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/BRIDGE-4-Slides    
CCL Training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/BRIDGE/Unit-2/Training-1 
Log Your Training...

Join CCL Communications & Media Manager Charlotte Ward for a training that will review CCL's Earth Month Media Opportunities available for CCL chapters and volunteers to boost awareness and engagement with climate solutions. 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(1:00) Why Activate Local Media?
(4:26) Letters to the Editor
(7:56) Writing Op-Eds
(11:51) Moral Foundations Application
(20:24) Resources To Help You

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/earth-day-media-slides  
CCL Training Event: https://community.citizensclimate.org/events/item/24/20755  
Log Your Training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/log_training?sf_id=a5yUP000000AHfVYAW 

Join CCL Staff Mindy Ahler, Jennifer Tyler, and Alison Kubicsko to review the Congressional Asks for lobby day and what to expect during the Virtual Conservative Conference & Lobby Day. Registered attendees for the virtual Conservative Conference should plan to attend. If you are interested in attending the conference, you can find more information and apply from the conference website. The conference is designed for politically right of center attendees.

(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:20) Conference Overview
(5:52) What to Expect on Lobby Day
(20:46) Lobby Day Asks
(35:00) What Happens Next?

Presentation Slides:  https://cclusa.org/lobby-conference-qa 

Presidents from both political parties have taken steps to interfere with the permitting of certain types of energy infrastructure that they oppose. These executive actions create uncertainty that inhibits the development of new energy sources in the United States. For this reason, ensuring fair permitting certainty is a key aspect of permitting reform that enjoys bipartisan support. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn about how Congress can ensure certainty in a permitting reform package, and key messages for congressional offices.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00...

Building on Moral Foundations Theory, CCL's BRIDGE Training #3 dives into exploring how moral reframing helps people maintain openness to ideas they might otherwise resist. Practice bridging the “moral empathy gap,” so that conversations around climate policy feel more respectful, persuasive, and relationship-centered, even when people see the world differently.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:49) Building on BRIDGE Foundations
(5:09) Moral Reframing
(12:58) Expanding Climate Messaging & Practicing Listening 
(18:28) Role Play: County Commissioner
(26:06) Group Reflection Activities
(32:48) Recent Research & Concluding Thoughts 

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/BRIDGE-3-slides   
BRIDGE T...

Clean energy projects often encounter long, complex permitting steps that slow construction and raise costs. Practical permitting reforms can help ensure that good projects move forward faster while upholding environmental and community protections. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn about permitting reforms to build clean energy infrastructure faster, associated tensions and compromises, and key messages for congressional offices.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(1:53) Why Building Faster is Important
(8:03) What’s the Political Climate?
(11:32) NEPA and Judicial Reforms
(23:41) Other Related Pe...

Marija Verner is the Digital Education Manager and Research Specialist at YPCCC. She studies how people around the world understand, experience, and respond to climate change, with a focus on cross-national public opinion, gender and development, and the spatial distribution of climate risks. Her research has appeared in World Development, Latin American Politics and Society, European Political Science, Nature Climate Change, Comparative Political Studies, and other scientific journals. In parallel, she co-leads the design and instruction of a professional education program in strategic climate communication for global audiences

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro...

Join us for a training gearing up for Earth Month this April, when members of your community are out and about attending fairs, festivals, art walks, and other climate-related events. Join CCL's Senior Director of Field Operations Elli Sparks for a training that will help you and your team identify, reserve, and schedule summer tabling and clipboarding, bring CCL materials and other engaging activities to the events, and educate, activate and recruit the people you meet about climate action. 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

America's old and outdated power grid has become a critical bottleneck preventing the country from adding the needed new clean energy sources that will reduce climate pollution while improving energy affordability and security. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn about why transmission reforms are a crucial climate solution, the details of potential transmission permitting reform provisions, and key messages for congressional offices.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

This training will dive into CCL's BRIDGE Training #2 and explore how Moral Foundations Theory helps us better understand the values that shape how people interpret climate solutions and public policy and explain why people can care deeply about the same world—but prioritize different values. We’ll practice noticing which moral values may be shaping a conversation and learn how to communicate in ways that resonate across political and cultural differences. Participants will have space to explore their own moral foundations and how those values influence how they show up in conversations and advocacy. This session builds skills for relati...

Join CCL Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Flannery Winchester, for a deep dive into CCL’s recently updated mission statement and new policy commitments. These statements were presented during CCL’s February meeting and are also available in an updated version of CCL’s 2026 Strategic Plan. 

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(2:34) Why & How
(4:37) CCL's Mission Statement
(10:41) CCL's Policy Commitments
(18:47) Practice Activity & Wrap-up

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/mission-policy-commitments-slides  
2026 Strategic Plan: https://cclusa.org/2026-strategic-plan 
Log Your Training: https://community.citizensclimate.org/log_training?sf_id=a5y8...

Our guest speaker for the February Meeting is William J. Doherty, Ph.D., Co-founder of Braver Angels. Bill has built a lifetime of work around helping people bridge deep divides. A co-founder of Braver Angels, Bill is the chief designer of the organization’s foundational workshops that bring Americans together across political differences to restore trust, understanding, and healthy democratic dialogue.

Join CCL: https://cclusa.org/join

February Action Sheet: https://cclusa.org/actionsheet

Explore CCL's BRIDGE Program: https://cclusa.org/BRIDGE 

As election season picks up steam, this training will equip volunteers with a review of CCL's advice on engaging candidates and members of Congress effectively during campaign season and public events. Participants will learn how to ask concise, solution-oriented questions, connect climate solutions to local priorities, and build relationships that make climate action feel constructive and achievable. We’ll also cover how to stay proudly nonpartisan while encouraging science-based climate ambition and documenting outreach to strengthen long-term advocacy. Whether you’re new or experienced, this session will help you show up with confidence, curiosity, and a focus on building poli...

Electrification is a key climate solution in the transition to clean energy sources. But electricity rates are rising fast and face surging demand from artificial intelligence data centers. Expensive electricity and an insufficient power supply could endanger electrification efforts. Fortunately, in an age of high costs of living, policymakers are very interested in finding solutions. Join CCL's Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli, supported by CCL's Electrification Action Team to learn what's behind rising electricity rates and energy insecurity, and how we can solve these problems.

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/energy-affordability-slides 
CCL's Permitting Reform Training Topic: https://c...

Join Mindy Ahler, CCL's Liaison Program Manager, for a training will provide an overview of Citizens’ Climate Lobby’s Congressional Liaisons Program, what the responsibilities are for the role, how to get involved if you are interested, and how to find out if there is a liaison need in your Congressional district.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agenda
(3:26) Our Values & Theory of Change
(8:17) Liaison ABC's
(17:45) Liaison Resources

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa.org/becoming-liaison-slides 
CCL Training Page: https://community.citizensclimate.org/resources/item/19/400 

Join us for a training that will begin to explore the first training in CCL's BRIDGE Advocacy Program. In this session, we’ll take a deeper look at how all of us arrive at decisions and form beliefs, using insights from behavioral science. We’ll explore why intuition and emotion usually come first, and how reasoning often follows to justify those initial reactions, and why this matters for our climate advocacy. Our focus will eb on self-awareness as a foundation for stronger, more respectful climate advocacy across differences.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & Agen...

Permitting reform is a complex topic that touches on many politically sensitive topics including the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), judicial reforms, and federal involvement in interstate project permitting processes. Join CCL's VP of Government Affairs Jenn Tyler and Research Manager Dana Nuccitelli to learn about the permitting players, politics, problems, and how and why CCL is engaging in this challenging landscape.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):

(0:00) Intro & Agenda

(2:06) Why Permitting Reform Now?

(13:42) Permitting Scrambles Traditional Alliances

(33:27) Data From Trusted Messengers

Presentation Slides: https://cclusa...

Kick off the year with a State of the Organization message from CCL leaders, celebrating our recent fundraising milestones, sharing leadership updates, and previewing where things stand as we begin 2026. CCL Vice President of Field Operations Brett Cease will also debut BRIDGE —Building Relationships in Dialogue, Growth, and Engagement — our robust new relational advocacy training program designed to strengthen your communication skills and deepen your relationships with congressional offices in the year ahead.

Skip ahead to the following section(s):
(0:00) Intro & State of the Organization
(20:05) Local Chapter Highlights & Volunteer Spotlight
(26:25)  BRIDGE: Conversation with Brett Cea...

Join CCL’s VP of Field Operations for a training that will preview CCL’s new “BRIDGE” program - Building Relationships in Dialogue, Growth, and Engagement. Brett will preview the framework that offer practical insights for having more effective, empathetic climate conversations that build understanding and momentum for change. A relational advocacy program based on behavioral and social science from Drs. Haidt, Willer, Cialdini; Amanda Ripley; and more. The program will serve as one of the foundational building blocks for Citizens’ Climate’s advocacy. Understand people’s underlying moral foundations, and learn to practice moral reframing across political perspectives. The program wi...