The CCL Fall Virtual Conference
Positioning for Progress
CCL's Fall Virtual Conference
December 6-7, 2024
Conference Overview
Join us at our fall virtual conference for an insider’s look at what Congress is expected to tackle on climate change. We’ll cover the key opportunities during the lame duck session at the end of this Congress, as well as exciting possibilities emerging for 2025. No matter the election outcome, CCL stands ready for action as a trusted and essential partner in Congress.
Virtual Action Team Fair & Reception
On Friday, Dec. 6th starting at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT meet with Action Team members to learn more about their projects, then attend our reception to socialize and party with fellow conference goers before we officially kick off the conference on Saturday, Dec. 7th.
New to CCL? Come to Climate Advocate Lobby Training
**Additional registration via Zoom is required to attend, please register here.** If you plan to lobby with CCL, you are required to have taken this training in person or online. Whether you’re new to CCL’s climate advocacy or a seasoned volunteer who wants a refresher, this training offers a valuable opportunity to contribute to our shared goal of a livable world. Happening right before the conference on Saturday, Dec. 7th at 11 a.m. ET / 8 a.m. PT, the session will cover CCL’s approach, the climate solutions we are fighting for, and the ways you can effectively advocate for them. As we gear up for virtual lobby week Dec. 9-13, you’ll learn everything you need to know about participating in a successful lobby meeting.
Featured Speakers
Rep. John Curtis
U.S. Senator-elect (UT)
Rachel Kerestes
Executive Director, CCL/CCE
Adam Met
Multi-platinum musician from the band AJR & Executive Director of Planet Reimagined
Ben Pendergrass
Vice President of Government Affairs, CCL/CCE
Ben Stillerman
Documentary Filmmaker, Social Cohesion Lab
Program
Friday, December 6, 2024
Visit participating CCL Action Teams to chat with Team members, learn about their mission and projects. Teams are planning 15 minute rotations, so you can visit three Action Teams during the fair. Find the list of CCL Action Teams on CCL Community: cclusa.org/action-teams.
Let’s get excited and have a chance to connect with fellow attendees before we kick off the conference, and we’ll review some helpful logistics to get you ready for the conference on Saturday! Pick your way to party: we’ll have trivia and chatting/networking rooms.
Saturday, December 7, 2024
**Additional registration via Zoom is required to attend, please register here if you plan to attend.** If you plan to lobby with CCL, you are required to have taken this training in person or online. Whether you’re new to CCL’s climate advocacy or a seasoned volunteer who wants a refresher, this training offers a valuable opportunity to contribute to our shared goal of a livable world. This session will cover CCL’s approach, the climate solutions we are fighting for, and the ways you can effectively advocate for them. As we gear up for virtual lobby week Dec. 9-13, you’ll learn everything you need to know about participating in a successful lobby meeting.
Brett Cease
VP of Programs, CCL/CCE
Elli Sparks
Senior Director of Programs, CCL/CCE
Join CCL’s Executive Director Rachel Kerestes as she sets the tone for a weekend of inspiration and transformational advocacy. Rachel will reflect on our progress this year, outline our path forward as a new Congress commences, and lay out our priorities and focus heading into 2025. Be sure to join us as Rachel reinforces CCL’s commitment to bipartisanship during polarized times and why this approach not only makes us uniquely effective but remains crucial to the incredible work our volunteers do.
Rachel Kerestes
Executive Director, CCL/CCE
Senator-elect John Curtis
Current House Rep. (R-UT03)
Throughout the year, CCL’s policy roadmap has steered us on our journey to influence America’s climate policy. Join CCL’s Vice President of Communications, Flannery Winchester, for a review of the advancements we’ve made this year and what’s on the road ahead as we travel into 2025.
Flannery Winchester
VP of Communications, CCL/CCE
Zoom in for an inside look at the upcoming legislative landscape and what we can expect moving forward. Join our legislative team — Ben, Danny, and Mindy — for an in-depth update on our goals for the remainder of this Congressional session and what’s on the horizon as a new Congress moves into focus. Learn why Permitting Reform will continue to be a policy priority and what work we can do before this Congress ends in a few weeks. We’ll also review our upcoming Lobbying Asks.
Mindy Ahler
North Wind Regional Director & Liaison Program Coordinator, CCL/CCE
Ben Pendergrass
VP of Government Affairs, CCL/CCE
Dr. Danny Richter
Policy Fellow, CCL/CCE
The urgency of the climate crisis demands bold action to cut net emissions as swiftly as possible. With the U.S. currently off-track to meet Paris Agreement commitments, Clean Energy Permitting Reform offers a critical opportunity to make substantial progress. Join our expert panel as we discuss the need for more permitting reform and why CCL believes the Energy Permitting Reform Act can lead to meaningful emissions reductions.
Dana Nuccitelli
Research Coordinator, CCL/CCE
There’s a reason CCLers won’t stop talking about a carbon fee and dividend — it’s the most effective solution! With the election behind us, we’ll have a clearer picture of the opportunities and constraints the new Congress may present for implementing a carbon price. Join Dr. Danny Richter, CCL’s Policy Fellow as he walks us through the lay of the land and how carbon pricing policy could evolve and tie in with tax policy reform. We recommend tuning in to Danny’s Oct. 17th webinar session (cclusa.org/Oct17) as a primer!
Join us for a special screening of True False Hot Cold, a compelling series of short films created by climate-focused filmmaker Ben Stillerman. Ben’s documentary series takes viewers to Utah’s climate-skeptical Emery County, where he spent over three months immersing himself in the community and documenting the diverse perspectives and passions of its residents. Building on his session from CCL’s Summer conference, Ben will share insights on how we can organize film screenings and facilitate meaningful discussions as part of our climate advocacy. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore new ways to engage communities and foster climate conversations.
As the political landscape alters after the election, CCL’s Diversity and Inclusion Director Karina Ramirez and Conservative Outreach Director Drew Eyerly, will discuss creating meaningful connections, regardless of whether a preferred candidate won. Participants will gain practical strategies to stay engaged, empathetic, and focused on shared goals, ensuring that CCLers can continue to compel their members of Congress to act on climate.
Are you a social-media savvy CCLer? Do we have a job for you! Join CCL's Content Marketing Manager, Elissa Tennant, for an overview of #TheSocialClimate, CCL's newest online initiative. We're shaping the conversation around climate on TikTok by posting volunteer-created videos starting in 2025. Tune in to this session to learn more about this group project, see video examples, and get the deets on how to join up.
Adam Met
Multi-platinum musician from the band AJR & Executive Director of Planet Reimagined
Frequently Asked Questions
Registration
Who is invited to attend the Fall virtual conference?
Everyone is invited to participate. There are many ways to contribute to the success of CCL’s mission, and we encourage those who are able to join us for this year’s Fall virtual conference.
How do I register?
You can register above, or go to our Eventbrite registration page.
Is there a registration fee?
No, this is a free event. If you would like to support our work, including the virtual conference in December, you can make a donation to either Citizens’ Climate Lobby our 501(c)(4) [not tax-deductible] or Citizens’ Climate Education our 501(c)(3) [tax deductible] on our website or make an additional donation to Citizens’ Climate Education our 501(c)(3) [tax deductible] when you complete your registration.
What should I do if I need to cancel?
Am I required to attend the conference if I plan to lobby during the fall?
You are not required to attend the conference on December 6-7 in order to lobby, but participating in the conference may help you with your lobbying and outreach efforts. You can find out more about training for the Lobby Days (which are separate from this conference) on the Preparing For Fall Conference & Lobby Week CCL Community training page.
Does my registration for the conference include the virtual lobby days?
No, it doesn’t include our lobby days. The process for forming lobby teams varies from district to district. Contact your local chapter leader, congressional liaison, or regional or state coordinator to find out the local process and availability of slots on the team, and let them know your interest in participating. All meeting team assignments, meeting plans and practice meetings for this Fall will be handled locally, similar to in-district meetings. Schedules will not be sent out by CCL Headquarters. We encourage lobby meetings to be scheduled the week of December 9-13.
Program & Agenda
Where can I find the conference schedule?
We’ll be making updates to the program as we get closer to the virtual conference, so be sure to check back for the most up-to-date agenda. The program will include session titles, descriptions, and speakers. You do not have to sign up for specific sessions (**with one exception: Climate Advocate Lobby Training on Saturday, Dec. 7th at 11 a.m. ET requires separate registration, you can register here**), you can log in to whichever session you choose the day of the conference. Video conferencing information will be made available the day of the conference. You can check back on the program page to find the access information closer to the event date.
Technology
How do I connect to the virtual conference?
We’ll be using Zoom for this conference. For the best experience on Zoom, be sure to update your Zoom app to the latest version. We’ll be sending reminder emails in the week leading up to the conference with more details on how to access each session.
Getting Help in Zoom
If you have any issues connecting to Zoom or experience audio or video problems, visit the Zoom Support Help Center.
Video conference etiquette & tips:
- We suggest you use earbuds or headphones rather than your computer speakers & mic for better sound quality and reduced feedback.
- Please mute your mic when you are not speaking. All conference sessions will mute participants upon entry.
- If you have unstable internet, try to turn your video off and close all internet browsers and windows on your computer.
- Plan to restart your computer before the event begins.
Conference sessions descriptions can be viewed on the conference website (in the program section higher on this page). You can see the session titles, times, descriptions, and speaker names. On the day of the conference, Zoom connection information will be available. We recommend you keep the Program page open in your web browser so you can refer back to it, and easily switch sessions through the conference.
Click the “Join via Zoom” button next to the session you’d like to join. Zoom will open in your web browser, and give you the option to open the meeting in your Zoom Application if you have it downloaded.
Once you are in a meeting, to join a different session, you will have to leave the Zoom meeting you are currently in, and then click another “Join via Zoom” button from the program for the session you want to switch to.
If you are joining by phone, find your local number to dial: https://citizensclimate.zoom.us/u/adtOOuWWAo, or, U.S. Toll-free 1-877-369-0926 or 1-855-880-1246. Each session’s Zoom Meeting ID will be available in the program section above which you can enter when prompted on the phone.
What if I have technical issues participating virtually?
To improve audio/video quality, close all applications and other browser windows. You can read this support topic to learn how to turn on closed captions. If you have problems connecting, please contact our video and audio conference provider’s support site.
How do I find the video conference login information for each session?
You can check back on this conference website (scroll up on this page) the day of the conference to find the video conference access for each session.
All conference sessions can be viewed on the conference webpage. You can see the session titles, times, descriptions, and speaker names. On the day of the conference, Zoom connection information will be available. We recommend you keep the conference webpage open in your web browser so you can refer back to it, and easily switch sessions through the conference.
Click the Join via Zoom button next to the session you’d like to join. Zoom will open in your web browser, and give you the option to open the meeting in your Zoom Application if you have it downloaded.
During the breakout session time, there will be up to five breakout sessions happening concurrently on separate conference lines. You will have to Leave the Meeting you are currently in to exit one session, and then rejoin the meeting you desire by clicking the Join via Zoom button from the program section for the session you want to switch to.
