🎃 OCTOBER 2023

Hi everyone,

The spooky season is upon us! As the days get shorter in the Northern hemisphere, we hope you’re leaning in to all the great things this time of year brings, from leaves changing to fall colors to pumpkin spiced lattes and pets in Halloween costumes (see pet corner below). 

This month, CATF strategically engaged stakeholders through events and meetings at both Middle East and North Africa Climate Week and Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week, launched an updated version of the Country Methane Abatement Tool, published 11 blogs, and hosted a number of convenings including workshops at the Geothermal Rising Conference, a webinar on the potential of CO2 storage in Europe, a gathering of African energy and climate thought leaders – and much more! 

If last month’s newsletter got lost in your inbox, you can find a copy here. And if you have any comments, questions, or feedback, please reach out to Kara Hunt.

Leadership, HR, and Project Management News & Updates

Human Resources

New Staff This Month

❗Check out the staff directory! You can find your coworkers’ information by last name, team, or vertical.

Updates

If you haven’t done so already, don’t forget about accessing your $500 available in 2023 for Learning and Development opportunities! So far these funds have been used for language classes, leadership skills, computer skills, and membership dues for networking opportunities. Remember when listing the expense(s) in Concur to note the expense is for the $500 L&D budget.  

Present Your Work!

Please sign up to present on your work at an all-staff watercooler! These presentations can range from overviews of your team’s work to deep dives into a specific solution, to an explanation of the policy landscape in a specific region, or anything else you think may be interesting to staff. They do not need to be long or formal. It’s all about sharing your expertise and work with the CATF community! The link to sign up can be found in the CATF Team General channel under the “Forms” tab, and please free to sign up well in advance of your planned presentation date.

COP Corner

Follow CATF as we bring our thought leadership and theory of change to the world’s largest climate stage. We recently launched our COP28 landing page, as well as the Zero-Carbon Future events page, highlighting our programming in our pavilion during COP28. 

Project Management

Update on Salesforce for Programs Project

• We are revising the implementation of salesforce for programs to early 2024 to accommodate our evolving needs and priorities. To that end, we’ve transitioned to a new consultancy better suited to the project’s remaining phases: process documentation, workflow validation, and staff training. 
• To ensure our final product meets CATF needs, we will continue to collaborate with staff and gain their input. We hope to provide more updates soon! Stay tuned!  

IT

• Per our all-staff email, we are moving forward with Endpoint Management deployment for Windows users through the end of 2023. Mac users will be the focus for early 2024. 
• Check out the IT Knowledgebase SharePoint page! This is an evolving site for sharing useful IT-related information. If you have feedback, please send it to [email protected] 
• Starting November 1, we can expect Microsoft to begin rolling out Copilot. Copilot is Microsoft’s integrated AI system for Microsoft Office products like Word, Excel, Outlook and Teams. We’re not 100% sure when it will be deployed to our environment, nor can we begin testing it until it’s rolled out. For more information, please review Microsoft’s knowledgebase article. 

Events & Meetings

What's Happening at CATF? 

Find out more by viewing the 2023 Events Master Calendar

• Reminder: Please add your speaking engagement, sponsorship, exhibit, webinar, or CATF-hosted event or meeting to the calendar. All staff should have access. 
• To start planning a new event or meeting, please review the Intake Form and FAQ. 

Events Spotlight

An Africa-Centric Climate and Energy Future 

The Energy and Climate Innovation, Africa team met with leaders from across the African continent in Nairobi on October 23-24 to develop plans for Africa to direct its own energy and climate future. The group surfaced themes like elevating youth, activating leadership, designing new frameworks, creating new narrative, sharing knowledge, facilitating markets, stimulating finance, and sparking innovation. 

Would you like an event featured in Task Force Times? Email [email protected] with a description and photo.

Event Operations Updates

Intake for new CATF webinars and external events is closed for 2023. The Events team welcomes your intake form for any new events occurring in 2024 – it's never too early! The deadlines for submitting new events Q1 of 2024 are: 

• Events in January, 2024 – submit immediately 
• Events in February, 2024 – submit by November 30, 2023 
• Events in March, 2024 – submit by December 31, 2023 

Find the Intake Form and FAQ here.  

Upcoming Events

⚠️ The events tracker is on Monday.com! View it here.

CATF hosted events: 

• November 13: The Net Zero Industry Act & Europe’s Carbon Capture Landscape: Expanding Horizons Beyond the North Sea (Virtual) 
• November 14: Perceptions of Clean Energy Technologies in Europe (Virtual) 
• November 14-15: Mexico Solid Waste Methane Workshop (Mexico City, Mexico) 
• November 14: Understanding Disenfranchised and Underserved Communities in the U.S. (Virtual) 
• November 15: Effective Climate Giving: Maximize Your Impact (Virtual) 
• November 30: Donor Dinner (Washington, D.C.)  

Events with CATF participation: 

• November 1: 10th Annual Conference of the Society for Decision Making Under Deep Uncertainty (Delft, the Netherlands)
• November 6-8: EPA/ISU Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm Conference (Ames, IA) 
• November 9-10: Aspen-GMF Bucharest Forum (Bucharest, Romania) 
• November 14-15: SPE/GR Workshop: Geothermal and Oil & Gas - Mutual Challenges and Solutions (Englewood, CO) 
• November 22: University of Leicester Earth Observation Group Seminar (Leicester, England) 

Internal CATF meetings:  

• November 15-17: Land Systems Strategy In-Person Meeting (Boston, MA) 
• November 16-17: Leadership Quarterly Offsite Meeting

Upcoming CATF Holidays

See here for the full holiday lists for all countries.

• Wednesday, November 1: All Saints Day (Austria, Belgium, France, Spain) 
• Thursday, November 2: All Souls Day (Ecuador) 
• Friday, November 3: Independence of Cuenca (Ecuador) 
• Friday, November 10: Armistice Day (Belgium); Remembrance Day (Canada); Veterans’ Day (U.S.) 
• Friday, November 17: Struggle for Freedom and Democracy Day (Czech Republic) 
• Monday, November 20: Revolution Day (Mexico) 
• Thursday, November 23: Thanksgiving (U.S.) 
• Friday, November 24: Day After Thanksgiving (U.S.) 
• Thursday, November 30: Commemoration Day (United Arab Emirates) 

All organizational updates →

Program & Regional Advocacy
Team Updates

Highlights

• The Methane Pollution Prevention team released a suite of materials highlighting the impact an EU methane import standard could have on reducing methane emissions worldwide. These include:  
  • Report and blog providing a roadmap to designing an EU methane import standard 
  • Press release and blog highlighting analysis of the impact of a methane import standard 
  • Report highlighting the health impacts from a methane import standard, with accompanying press release and blog 
  • Event with EURACTIV 
  • Paid digital and out-of-home campaign, with curated landing page 
• CATF staff attended both the Middle East and North Africa Climate Week and Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week this month, participating in a number of high-level events and advocating for multiple climate solutions.  
• The U.S. Department of Energy announced its initial selections for its Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs program, and CATF’s hubs team provided our perspective on the announcement through a press release and blog. The team also updated the interactive hydrogen hubs map with information on the selected hubs.  
• The Superhot Rock Energy team hosted and co-hosted a number of events during the Geothermal Rising Conference, including a workshop on the DEEPEN geothermal modeling project, a workshop on public perceptions of geothermal, an innovation and policy breakfast, technical sessions on superhot rock energy, panels on geothermal policy, and energy security and innovation, and a networking reception.  
• The Methane Pollution Prevention team released an updated version of the Country Methane Abatement Tool (CoMAT), which helps nations collect and analyze data on methane emissions from their oil and gas sector and provides information on designing policies and regulations to cut methane emissions. Read the accompanying press release and blog. 
• The Carbon Capture team hosted a webinar this month on the potential of CO2 storage, and provided important perspective on the Porthos carbon capture and storage project announcement, European Parliament Committee on the Environment (ENVI) adopting changes to the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF), and Parliament’s vote on key measures to support the role of carbon capture and storage in industrial decarbonisation in the Net Zero Industry Act. 
• The EU Advocacy team released a brief on clean technology prospects in Central and Eastern Europe, detailing how more targeted support and cross-country collaboration is needed to shape the clean tech industries in this region. 
• The U.S. Implementation team released a blog on the Department of Energy’s Industrial Demonstrations Program, which focuses on some of the highest emitting industries in the U.S.  
• Olivia Azadegan and Toby Lockwood collaborated on a blog highlighting how Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can scale up carbon capture and storage in the Gulf. 
• Magnolia Tovar presented at the Global Renewable Energy Forum in Bonn, Germany, highlighting what needs to be done on hydrogen policy in the EU and beyond. 
• Check out CATF’s new webpage highlighting our work in the Middle East and North Africa! 

All program & advocacy updates →

Full List of Publications This Month

Blogs

• Africa Climate Week 2023: Elevating and strengthening CATF’s methane emissions mitigation work in Africa – Mohammed Dahiru Aminu and Viola Jobita 
• Strong EU methane regulations for imported gas can slash methane reductions globally – Zitely Tzompa Sosa and Lesley Feldman 
• Get ready: The Industrial Demonstrations Program is moving forward – Holly Reuter, Ben Longstreth, Emily Kent 
• A pledge with a plan: How the Carbon Management Challenge can accelerate climate action – Ben Longstreth and Eadbhard Pernot 
• How the EU can decarbonise overlooked heavy-duty vehicles – Maja Pozvek 
• Ready to deploy: How Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates can scale up carbon capture and storage in the Gulf – Toby Lockwood and Olivia Azadegan 
• Moving from application to action: Priority focus areas for DOE’s Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs – Anna Menke 
• The EU can improve the lives of nearly 10 million people through a strong methane regulation – Ioannis Binietoglou and James Turitto 
• MENA Climate Week 2023: Advancing a regional approach to the climate challenge 
• How the Country Methane Abatement Tool empowers nations to cut methane pollution 
• "Feel the energy": Three key takeaways from the 2023 Geothermal Rising Conference – Ann Garth

Press Statements

• CATF at Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Climate Week 
• Unpacking the climate announcements in the State of the European Union 2023 
• EPA must strengthen accuracy of reported emissions from oil and natural gas 
• EU import measures hold the key to deep reductions in global methane pollution 
• DOE selections for regional hydrogen hubs mark critical first step in clean hydrogen economy, highlight importance of community engagement going forward 
• EU oil and gas imports linked to avoidable health risks for 10m people 
• Porthos project must be first step toward Europe-wide CO2 storage infrastructure 
• Europe moves closer to pioneering framework to certify carbon removals 
• Parliament votes on key measures to support the role of carbon capture and storage in industrial decarbonisation  
• In lead-up to COP28, the Country Methane Abatement Tool is helping turn Global Methane Pledge ambition into action 
• CATF at Latin America and the Caribbean Climate Week: Addressing methane waste management and advancing action on the Global Methane Pledge 

Fact Sheets

• Carbon Capture and Storage in Illinois 
• Community Ownership of Clean Energy Infrastructure, Explained

Reports

• Clean Air Task Force 2022 Impact Report 
• Building Resilience Through Clean Technology Innovation in Central and Eastern Europe 
• Non-CO2 Climate Impacts of Aviation: Contrails 
• Fueling Change: EU’s Opportunity to Curb Flaring Pollution and Protect Millions 

Comments

• Clean Air Task Force Comments on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Reporting Rule for Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Comms Corner

How to Create Presentations that Work

The comms team has put together a helpful guide with six ways to make a great presentation. This guide can be used for events, demonstrations, and large and small meetings. Check it out here!  

General Timing Guidelines for Project Requests

When submitting a project request to 5IVE, please consider these general timing guidelines for reports, fact sheets, slide decks, graphics, and other needs. 

CATF in the News

• CATF’s thought leadership garnered substantial coverage after the U.S. hydrogen hubs announcement, with Anna Menke quoted in the Associated Press, Business Insider, and PV Magazine, and Holly Rueter quoted in Newsweek and NJ Spotlight News. CATF’s work was also highlighted in The Hydrogen Podcast.  
• An op-ed from Carbon Capture’s Eadbhard Pernot was published in Energy Monitor: For decades the oil and gas industry has promised CCS: it’s time for the EU to make it deliver. Pernot had another op-ed published this month in Euractiv: Breaking Europe’s emerging CO2 storage monopoly. 
• CATF’s Methane Import Analysis within the EU received extensive coverage in Bloomberg, Reuters, Politico Europe, Carbon Pulse, Energias Renovables, Diario 16, Efeverde, and El Periodico de la Energia. CATF analysis found that greater control over methane imports could lower methane emissions by 30%. 
• Brian Mukhaya was extensively quoted in African Arguments following CATF’s presence at the Africa Climate Summit. 
• Codie Rossi highlighted the importance of launching the first CO2 storage project in the Netherlands in Offshore Energy, Carbon Capture Journal, Carbon Herald, and Carbon Pulse. 
• Carbon Pulse, Offshore Energy, and Carbon Capture Journal included CATF-perspective in coverage of the Parliament votes on key measures to support the role of carbon capture and storage in industrial decarbonisation as part of the Net Zero Industry Act. 
• CATF released a statement in response to the European Parliament Committee on the Environment adopting changes to the Carbon Removal Certification Framework (CRCF) and received coverage in EURACTIV, Tagesspiegel, and Carbon Pulse.  
• Gus Wakim spoke to the FT several months ago about the ‘hydrogen ready’ concept and was quoted in a piece about the draft Projects of Common Interest list which is being debated in Brussels this month.  
• Ben Longstreth and the carbon capture interactive project map were included in a Washington Post story on enhanced oil recovery.  
• Reuters covered Exxon’s talks to join the UN-led methane reporting pact, with a quote from Jonathan Banks emphasizing the importance of this step. 
• CATF’s report, It Happens Here Too: Methane Pollution in Europe’s Oil and Gas, from the Methane team received coverage in the Premium Times (Nigeria), and Theophile Humann-Guilleminot was quoted in Dialogo Chino. 
• Energy Monitor delved into how organizations can pioneer well-designed carbon markets in Africa, quoting Lily Odarno.  
• CATF’s report, Techno-economic realities of long-distance hydrogen transport, from the Zero-Carbon Fuels team was featured in Hydrogen Insight. 
• The need to rework the grid to accommodate offshore wind was highlighted in Utility Dive, with Nicole Pavia emphasizing the need for extensive collaboration. 

View all press coverage →

Staff Pet Photo of the Month

Happy Halloween! Beware of cat bats in your area. They are an invasively cute species. Meet Hedy, Basil, and Pearl from Communications Associate Jazzmyn Davenport.  

Hedy is a very sassy, smart, and spicy tuxedo cat, named after famous actress and inventor Hedy Lamar. She is five years old and enjoys taking long naps and bullying her younger cat sisters. When she's not being a bully cat, you can find her hanging on her cat pool table or napping in the most inconvenient locations possible! 

Basil is a two-year-old, extremely chatty, and playful cat. She enjoys doing acrobatics all around the house and terrorizing her sisters into playing with her. When she's not lying face down in any and all locations, snoring as loud as thunder, you can find her striking the most insane pose you've ever seen. 

Pearl is the sweetest, very much still acts like a baby, cat. She is two years old and is Basil's litter mate. When she's not napping on my lap, you can find her hard at work, putting together puzzles or obsessively making biscuits. And beware, she does have a spicy side. 

If you have a pet you’d be willing to share, please submit a pet photo for the newsletter! You can do so by filling out this Teams Form.

That’s all for this month. If you made it this far — thanks for reading!