Jay Butera
Founder and director of the Climate Solutions Project
Jay Butera has spent more than a decade working to move Congress toward bipartisan action on climate change. He is founder and director of the Climate Solutions Project, a collaboration of scientists, stakeholders, and policy experts working to develop a science-based Menu of Legislative Options for Congress.
Jay was the concept-originator and driving force behind formation of the bipartisan Climate Solutions Caucus in the U.S. House of Representatives. His three-year quest to bring Republicans and Democrats together to form the Caucus finally succeeded in 2016. Newsweek called it “A historic first” and The New York times called it “A promising step toward sanity.” At the end of 2018, ninety Members of Congress belonged to the Climate Solutions Caucus, 45 from each party.
“Jay has played a crucial role in the creation and growth of the Climate Solutions Caucus,” said Congressman Ted Deutch, co-chair of the Caucus. “Thanks to his hard work, our caucus has started to bridge the partisan divide on climate.”
Congressman Carlos Curbelo, who called Jay the “architect of the Climate Solutions Caucus,” said “Jay Butera has been a tireless advocate for action on climate. He is a coalition builder, helping bridge the partisan divide, bringing Republicans and Democrats together in good faith to tackle this threat head-on.”
For many years, Jay served as CCL’s Senior Congressional Liaison in Washington, working to maintain a continuous year-round presence for CCL in the Halls if Congress. His efforts helped CCL volunteers from across the country build and maintain deep relationships with their Members of Congress.
Jay helped pioneer CCL’s presence in South Florida. Commuting at his own expense from his Pennsylvania home to Florida, Jay founded the Miami Chapter of CCL and he formed a coalition of south Florida leaders— including mayors, commissioners, university presidents, and chambers of commerce presidents— which worked to press Congress for climate action. The coalition later became the model for CCL’s Endorser Project.
In 2016, Jay’s work with CCL and his efforts to form the Climate Solutions Caucus were profiled in the National Geographic Channel “Years of Living Dangerously” documentary episode starring actor Bradley Whitford.
Prior to focusing his efforts on climate change, Jay built, managed and sold several entrepreneurial businesses including Cedar Fresh Home Products, a consumer products manufacturing firm which he started in a two-car garage and built to industrial scale with branded international distribution.
A graduate of Brown University, Jay lives in Gladwyne, PA. His climate work is non-partisan, non-profit, and funded entirely from personal finances.
