Climate and Clean Energy Lobbying in Wisconsin
The Climate and Development Lab is a student-faculty think tank informing a more just, equitable and effective climate change policy.
Our Projects
The CDL has ten active projects being advanced by small teams of students working with faculty and post-doctoral research fellows and external partners
The CDL headquarters the global Climate Social Science Network a research network focusing on understanding the organizations blocking action on climate change.
![Screen Shot 2023-06-26 at 10.05.05 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_20d6eff356484521a3b12ee985e27335~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_81,y_0,w_1527,h_1568/fill/w_71,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-26%20at%2010_05_05%20AM.png)
A CDL team is developing methodologies, datasets and web tools to help nonprofits understand who they are associating with when they take grants and gifts and sign contracts.
![Screen Shot 2023-06-26 at 10.20.26 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_6d72b80b738545969768d3a95ac84eb0~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_399,w_1548,h_1320/fill/w_85,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-26%20at%2010_20_26%20AM.png)
With support from a Brown alum, the CDL teamed up with Synapse Energy Economics and Climable to hold twelve stakeholder workshops across the region, leading to recommendations for legislators, governors, Public Utility Commissions, and the public.
![Screen Shot 2023-06-26 at 10.06.12 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_af65c6d0a4514b2da28ce97d0d646527~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_20,y_315,w_1283,h_1318/fill/w_71,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-26%20at%2010_06_12%20AM.png)
Postdoctoral Fellow Jared Heern is leading two teams of student researchers in investigating backgrounds, participation, and outcomes in utility commissions, where clean energy policy is being implemented.
![map tiles.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_8bedf142f10f4811818441d24a7bdaf4~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_22,y_105,w_1308,h_1345/fill/w_71,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/map%20tiles.png)
The CDL is working with scientists and community members to develop an information hub that answers common questions about the technology, why its needed, how it’s being deployed and likely impacts.
![Screenshot 2023-12-11 at 3.30.52 PM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_359b0e8cc15a43eb95c1f50198d21c5a~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_530,y_0,w_1447,h_1226/fill/w_86,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screenshot%202023-12-11%20at%203_30_52%E2%80%AFPM.png)
A small CDL team is investigating links between groups opposing offshore wind deployment in the U.S. Northeast, and analyzing their tactics and discourses of climate delay.
![Screen Shot 2023-06-26 at 10.09.54 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_13bf8ce905524ad999eb80de08cb0fc6~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_28,y_0,w_986,h_1012/fill/w_71,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-26%20at%2010_09_54%20AM.png)
A major four-year project of the CDL has been building a multi-state dataset of all lobbying records, and investigating contexts for the energy transition in state-level reports.
![Screen Shot 2023-06-26 at 10.18.49 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_1df7699c9cf84473b336554135106834~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_0,y_1,w_1042,h_1070/fill/w_71,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-06-26%20at%2010_18_49%20AM.png)
Computer Science specialists in the lab have developed an interactive website which allows users to explore millions of records on who is lobbying in a state’s legislature, and with and against whom.
![Screen Shot 2023-08-22 at 9.59.16 AM.png](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_e8700ce8561b450d997ed4c196feb287~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_215,y_0,w_913,h_779/fill/w_85,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Screen%20Shot%202023-08-22%20at%209_59_16%20AM.png)
For fifteen years teams of CDL researchers have explored power relations between wealthy and developing countries at the United Nations climate negotiations, focusing on pledges and delivery of climate finances.
![Untitled.jpeg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_bb606cf0210f40868236044e96b15429~mv2.jpeg/v1/crop/x_97,y_0,w_1406,h_1200/fill/w_85,h_73,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Untitled.jpeg)
Those seeking to slow action on climate change have shifted from denying the reality of climate change to discourses of climate delay. This team is developing responses.
![urn_cambridge.org_id_binary-alt_20201217105901-54400-optimisedImage-S2059479820000137_fig1](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_cf061d10886045a7a1b092c1334c44af~mv2.png/v1/crop/x_38,y_0,w_1925,h_1642/fill/w_85,h_73,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/urn_cambridge_org_id_binary-alt_20201217105901-54400-optimisedImage-S2059479820000137_fig1.png)
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_9c6f503924194a8a97d5802b12e7565d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/3ea7c4_9c6f503924194a8a97d5802b12e7565d~mv2.jpg)
![Climate and Clean Energy Lobbying in Wisconsin](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_9c6f503924194a8a97d5802b12e7565d~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/3ea7c4_9c6f503924194a8a97d5802b12e7565d~mv2.jpg)
![NEW WEBSITE ALLOWS USERS TO TRACK LOBBYING INFLUENCE ACROSS 17 STATES](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_4a1bf80d1ed74a1a9639e61b7729cf73~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_95,enc_auto/3ea7c4_4a1bf80d1ed74a1a9639e61b7729cf73~mv2.png)
NEW WEBSITE ALLOWS USERS TO TRACK LOBBYING INFLUENCE ACROSS 17 STATES
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_d6cd75cb02c4467cbd1bf4dbaa422802~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_250,h_250,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_auto/3ea7c4_d6cd75cb02c4467cbd1bf4dbaa422802~mv2.jpg)
![New Brown University Study finds Pervasive Disinformation in Congress about Offshore Wind](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/3ea7c4_d6cd75cb02c4467cbd1bf4dbaa422802~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_454,h_341,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_auto/3ea7c4_d6cd75cb02c4467cbd1bf4dbaa422802~mv2.jpg)
New Brown University Study finds Pervasive Disinformation in Congress about Offshore Wind