Renewable Energy Transition in Rural America, a Human & Planetary Health Action Lab

Catalog description

Climate change is considered the greatest public health threat of the 21st century. To address it, 180 major medical and public health organizations have identified transitioning to cleaner forms of energy as essential to protect both immediate health from polluting fossil fuels while protecting long-term health from the pernicious effects of climate change. To achieve the scale of renewable energy needed in the U.S., rural areas will be essential to a clean energy transition. Rural energy cooperatives serve 42 million people - selling energy for industrial uses; at the same time, rural cooperatives are heavily reliant on fossil fuel, including coal, gas, and oil, at 61% of their energy mix compared to 19% nationally. Without dedicated policy and resources, rural America risks being left out of a clean energy transition, which has profound implications for health, equity, and financial opportunities. Recently, guidance for the Empowering Rural America program under the Inflation Reduction Act was released, which provides financial assistance for rural cooperatives to transition to clean energy. However, several barriers exist to a just and equitable transition, from shifting political landscapes to undemocratic structures of cooperatives to the risks of lost jobs as fossil fuel plants shutter. This Action Lab, as part of the Human and Planetary Health initiative, will partner student teams with two community-based organizations in rural areas. These client organizations have identified data and policy needs to ensure rural America can take full advantage of the benefits of the Inflation Reduction Act. These include direct and indirect health impacts; logistical, political, and socio-economic barriers; and policies facilitating or hindering the clean energy transition. In addition to Stanford Law students, graduate students from other Schools are invited to apply --…