Wisconsin Climate Table

The Wisconsin Climate Table is a network of more than 30 diverse member organizations from across Wisconsin working together for equitable solutions to the climate crisis. We share the common goal to equitably eliminate greenhouse gas emissions in Wisconsin by the year 2050. Climate Table operations and projects are supported with grant funding from the RE-AMP network.

Who We Are

Members of the Climate Table represent a range of expertise in environmental justice, renewable energy, public interest advocacy, interfaith organizing, grassroots organizing, public health, climate policy, conservation, and more. The Wisconsin Climate Table continues to grow and diversify our membership. If you would like to learn more about the Climate Table or join as a member organization, contact us.

How We Work

The Wisconsin Climate Table is not a public facing organization. It is intended to foster strategic collaboration and communication between member groups and will not take public positions on policy, legislation or other matters. As a network, we excel at using our collective knowledge to create tools and resources, educate our members, and amplify strategies that will help us reach our climate goals. We continue to build relationships with community-based organizations and increase our capacity at the grassroots level.

Our Work

Community Commitments Campaign

Since 2019, the Community Commitments Campaign (CCC), a subgroup of the Climate Table, has supported localities in passing clean energy resolutions and climate plans.

The CCC released a Tool Kit for Equity & Justice in Climate Action Planning in April 2023. The tool kit guides municipal planners and local elected officials in making sure equity is at the center of climate planning, and the second for community-based organizations to track processes and hold local leaders accountable during implementation. The Climate Table Coordinator and members of the CCC held a series of webinars and conference presentations to promote the tool kit.

The next iteration of the tool kit will include resources for advocates.

Clean Energy Tool Kit

In 2020, the Wisconsin Climate Table released the Wisconsin Clean Energy Tool Kit with a coalition led by Sierra Club Wisconsin, RENEW, and Conservation Voters. The tool kit offers ideas and resources to help Wisconsin communities of all sizes make the transition to clean energy.

Clean Energy Plan (CEP) Campaign

The Clean Energy Plan (CEP) was released in April 2022 by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers and was prepared by the Office of Sustainable and Clean Energy (OSCE), Great Plains Institute, and Slipstream Inc (Slipstream is a WCT member organization). Climate Table members are organizing to boost engagement efforts as the CEP rolls out, communicate funding opportunities from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act to municipalities and nongovernmental organizations, and strengthen statewide collaboration efforts around equitable access to clean, affordable energy.

Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change

Soon after Governor Evers was elected, Climate Table members rallied local governments and organizations around the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change. Climate Table members helped provide input to task force members in the process of writing a report that was released in December 2020. The task force report will inform state plans and policies to address the climate crisis. In the current legislative landscape, it is more crucial than ever for Climate Table members to advocate and organize to keep communities engaged in these processes.

Resources

The WCT Newsletter comes out every month, and features campaign updates and news from member organizations – events, awards, job postings, etc. Newsletter items should be submitted to the WCT Coordinator by noon the first Friday of the month. Send 100-200 words with any images and links to susan@1kfriends.org.