CLIMATE CABINET ACTION


Helping local leaders run, win, and legislate on the climate crisis.

THE CLIMATE CABINET SCORECARD


The first national tool to hold state legislators accountable for their votes on climate and environmental justice legislation.
Explore the 2022 Climate Cabinet Scorecard

Who We Are

Climate Cabinet Action began as a volunteer-based team in 2018, when a Texas state legislature candidate asked for climate talking points and policy solutions that were relevant to her district. We realized that this need was not unique: many candidates want to run on strong climate platforms but don’t have the time to simultaneously run a full-time campaign and do cutting-edge policy analysis. Thus, Climate Cabinet Action was born.

Climate Cabinet Action has supported candidates and pushed climate on the campaign trail in five campaign cycles since 2018. In 2022, we worked with over 200 campaigns, and 80% of our priority candidates (ClimateSlate.com) won. On average, campaigns more than double their climate-related social media engagement after our outreach.

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What We Do

Think of us as a climate campaign staffer - at scale. We deliver local climate talking points, messaging, policy solutions, and incumbent voting records for any district in the US.

Through early, proactive outreach, strategic engagement, and accountability campaigns - we're ensuring that a just, job-creating clean energy transition is a priority for decisionmakers at the state and local level.


We focus on climate solutions as they interact with other critical issues:

Jobs & Economic Growth

Investing in a clean energy economy will create jobs and help our communities thrive.

Public Health

Cleaning up our air means protecting our health - a fact which is more apparent than ever as we grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Racial justice

Communities of color are disproportionately burdened with the toxic facilities that power our society. We are working towards a clean, healthy future for everyone.

We're currently providing campaign support for the following regions:
Texas State Legislature
Minnesota State Legislature
Michigan State Legislature
Pennsylvania State Legislature
North Carolina State Legislature
Arizona State Legislature
Virginia State Legislature

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Testimonials

"The climate crisis is the defining issue of our time, and we can't wait any longer to respond in a way that meets the scale of this crisis. Americans overwhelmingly support action to protect our air and water for future generations, and every candidate up and down the ballot needs a plan and the tools to win the debate over the future of our planet.

Climate Cabinet is helping candidates rise to meet this challenge. I was proud to run for office as a clean energy advocate, I encourage anyone seeking office to do the same."

Congressman Mike Levin

“Until Climate Cabinet reached out to us, we weren’t going to make climate change part of our campaign – not because we didn’t care, but because it’s difficult to find climate information that’s relevant to our district. Now, climate is a key part of our platform. Climate Cabinet has helped us integrate climate into our strategy to win.”

Danny Diaz, Campaign Manager, Sara Stapleton Barrera for TX SD 27

Publications

Collaboration with Beto O’Rourke: An Open Letter on Climate to Texas (August 12, 2020)

“Dear Texas: We need state representatives who bring clean energy jobs to Texas — and tackle climate change at the same time. Three things have become clear: Texans are worried about climate change and want to see government action. Communities of color and low-income communities already bear the burden of environmental pollution — and will be hit hardest by a failure to solve the climate crisis. Climate solutions will revitalize our economy…”

Full REPORT:
Climate Cabinet Scorecard for State Legislators

The first national scorecard to hold state legislators accountable for their votes on important climate and environmental justice legislation.

September 2021.

Full REPORT:
Climate Cabinet Scorecard for State Legislators

The first national scorecard to hold state legislators accountable for their votes on important climate and environmental justice legislation.

September 2021.

Full REPORT:
Climate Cabinet Scorecard for State Legislators

The first national scorecard to hold state legislators accountable for their votes on important climate and environmental justice legislation.

September 2021.

On Twitter with Beto O’Rourke: Top 10 worst climate voters in Texas (August 12, 2020)

“Three years after Hurricane Harvey, it’s past time Texas elects leaders who will take climate change seriously - and create good-paying jobs while doing it. Luckily, 10 of the worst climate voters in the Texas House are running in flippable districts. (Thread)”

News & Media

Check out our recent news coverage:

Bucks county beacon:Heather Boyd wins in Delco, democrats keep control of the House

Voters in Delaware County’s 163rd District made their voices heard and they weren’t buying what Republicans were selling.

NBC NEWS:EPA proposes emissions caps on existing power plants in major climate effort

The Biden administration on Thursday proposed new carbon pollution standards to restrict greenhouse gas emissions released by fossil fuel-fired power plants...

Blue Virginia:Every Virginia GOP Legislative Official Receives Failing Grade in Climate Cabinet’s 2023 Scorecard

“Climate Cabinet’s 2023 Scorecard proves climate is now firmly and unnecessarily entrenched in the partisan culture wars.”

AP:Minn. governor trusts energy law will survive ND suit threat

Democratic Gov Tim Walz signed a bill Tuesday that requires Minnesota utilities to get 100% of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040...

Washington Post:Minn. governor trusts energy law will survive ND suit threat

Democratic Gov Tim Walz signed a bill Tuesday that requires Minnesota utilities to get 100% of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040...

Route 50:WHy the midterms have made climate activists hopeful

The Midterm Elections may have resulted in a divided Congress, but environmentalists still saw plenty to celebrate, with wins in several key races that could reshape climate politics in the country over the next few years.

VOx:6 wins and 2 losses on climate in the midterms

Climate action could be moving forward in Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, and even Texas.

Route 50:Rise of the state & Local climate candidate

With action at the federal level stalled and their communities hit by drought and extreme heat, a growing cohort of down-ballot candidates are prioritizing climate policy. Donor and activists groups are taking notice and lining up to back them.

Cool solutions:When One Door Closes: Climate action post-SCOTUS

With federal climate policy blocked by Congress and the Supreme Court, we look at opportunities to advance climate action at state and local levels. Caroline Spears explains how the Climate Cabinet uses big data to find...

Scientific American:What's on the table for post-SCOTUS climate action

As the smoke clears from the Supreme Court’s major climate ruling last week, legal experts and clean energy groups say the country still has options...

E&E NEws:What's on the table for POst-SCOTUS Climate Action

As the smoke clears from the Supreme Court’s major climate ruling last week, legal experts and clean energy groups say the country still has options...

Tallahassee DemocratKristin Dozier picks up Climate Cabinet endorsement

Climate Cabinet PAC announced it is endorsing Leon County Commissioner Kristin Dozier in the race for Tallahassee mayor.

My climate journey:Why these 19 states hate building electrification

By July 2021, nineteen states had passed laws crushing building electrification, and four more had legislation pending. Find out why in Caroline Spears's guest blog.

My climate journey:Interview with Climate Cabinet's Founder Caroline Spears.

A podcast for those seeking to better understand climate change and how to help. Today's guest is Caroline Spears, Founder & Executive Director of Climate Cabinet.

GRIST:Nine changemakers in the climate space share one lesson from a mentor that has guided their path.

Caroline Spears, Executive Director of Climate Cabinet, shares a lesson that helped her get started.

CLIMATE CABINET PUBLICATIONS:The Climate Cabinet Scorecard - full Report

The first national scorecard to hold state legislators accountable for their votes on important climate and environmental justice legislation.

Red Lake Nation News:New scorecard ranks minnesota legislators on key climate votes

"St. Paul - MN350 Action, national Climate Cabinet Action group praise climate champions and call on climate laggards to step up."

Data journalism:In state legislatures, the partisan divide is deepening

"As a Republican with a superb environmental record, Senator Kip Bateman is a member of an increasingly endangered species..."

Quartz:Which US state legislators have the best records on climate-change policy?

"Climate Cabinet Action set out to analyze state politicians' votes on climate policy over the last six years. It evaluated more than 3,300 state legislators across 25 states..."

2021 Grist Fixers:
#Grist50: Caroline Spears

"She's bringing climate to a political platform near you. Caroline Spears heard wildly divergent things about climate change while growing up in Houston. The confusion sparked her curiosity and led her to solar finance, where she soon recognized the enormous power that states wield over clean energy."

One Breath Houston:We can't solve the climate crisis wthout state legislators

"Caroline Spears grew up in Houston, the oil and gas capital of the world. In 2018, a candidate running for election to the state legislature asked her for help talking with voters about climate action. Spears soon realized that many smaller, down-ballot campaigns needed that help..."

thE Great Battlefield Podcast: Fighting Climate change at the local level - with Caroline Spears

"Caroline Spears joins The Great Battlefield podcast to talk about her career fighting climate change and founding Climate Cabinet where they provide tech-enabled climate policy solutions to candidates across America."

New Media Ventures:Climate Cabinet Action Fund is one of 14 INvestees

"1400 applications. 100 interviews. 14 investments. Our 2020 portfolio is an investment in the future of the progressive movement. These outstanding leaders are developing infrastructure, building Black and Indigenous power, protecting our democracy, and transforming the local media landscape..."

Political Climate Podcast:Electing Climate Candidates

"How do you elect political candidates who will make tackling climate change a priority? In this episode, we speak to two groups attempting to figure that out and put climate change at the center of races up and down the ballot. In 2018, Caroline Spears launched the Climate Cabinet Action Fund to offer bespoke climate data, policy ideas and messaging suggestions to candidates and lawmakers. The organization currently focuses on the state level, where races are low-budget but highly consequential..."

CNN feature: New Climate Group Will Offer District-specific Policy 'menus' To Every Congressional Candidate

“As concern over climate change grows and high profile progressive political figures embrace ambitious ideas, candidates with limited resources and time are facing a new challenge: how to craft winning political messages tailored to their districts and backed by the most recent science, health and economic data…”

Collaboration with Beto O’Rourke: An Open Letter on Climate to Texas

“Dear Texas: We need state representatives who bring clean energy jobs to Texas — and tackle climate change at the same time. Three things have become clear: Texans are worried about climate change and want to see government action. Communities of color and low-income communities already bear the burden of environmental pollution — and will be hit hardest by a failure to solve the climate crisis. Climate solutions will revitalize our economy…”

On Twitter with Beto O’Rourke: Top 10 worst climate voters in Texas

“Three years after Hurricane Harvey, it’s past time Texas elects leaders who will take climate change seriously - and create good-paying jobs while doing it. Luckily, 10 of the worst climate voters in the Texas House are running in flippable districts. (Thread)”

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Contact Us

Send us a message at info@climatecabinet.org if you have questions about how we can support your campaign, are interested in volunteering, or want to learn more!
For press inquiries, contact: press@climatecabinet.org