Climate Xchange

The group has a section on its website which claims that there can be no climate justice without racial justice and announces the group’s support for the Black Lives Matter movement. ²

Background

Climate Xchange was formed in 2013 to advocate state-level changes to environmental policy. The group claims its goal is to, “achieve a rapid and equitable transition towards a zero-emissions economy by advancing state climate policy.” ³

The group also manages the State Climate Policy Network project, which includes over 15,000 activists that advocate for, “effective and equitable climate policies” at the state level. ⁴

Advocacy

Carbon Pricing

In September 2019, Climate Xchange published an article on its website praising California’s “cap and trade” program and praising it as a means of incorporating a carbon pricing policy framework to help transition to “a green sustainable economy.” ⁵ The report further claimed that solutions meant to ensure such a transition “from an extractive economy to a regenerative economy must also address deep issues of social and environmental injustice.” ⁵

Weatherization

In May 2023, Climate Xchange published a report on “weatherization,” or the costly process of updating homes to better conserve energy, while claiming how states can use federal and state-level funds to assist low-income families with upgrading their homes. Other solutions offered by the article include pushing Congress to passing legislation requiring it to allocate funds meant for weatherization repairs, conducting house-to-house analyses of homes in need of updating, and combining similar state-level programs to improve home repairs. ⁶

Sulfur Hexafluoride Regulations

In May 2024, Climate Xchange published a report discussing the presence of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) as a greenhouse gas and its emissions caused through electricity emission and distribution from power grids. The article advocates for updating state-level power grids to cut down on SF6 emissions by phasing out linked technologies such as gas-insulated equipment. The report also advocates for states to use reporting requirements for SF6 emissions. ⁷

Fracking Ban

In August 2024, Climate Xchange published a report urging states and the federal government to implement a ban on natural gas extraction by hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking.” The group claimed fracking caused contamination of groundwater, damaged ecosystems, and caused air pollution. ¹

Black Lives Matter

On its website, Climate Xchange posted a statement announcing its for the Black Lives Matter movement following the Covid-19 Pandemic as well as the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. In addition, the group announced it would donate to left-of-center organizing group Color of Change, further claiming, “…we want to ensure that future generations will thrive by joining in efforts to end racial oppression and the systems that sustain it.” ² The page also contains the names and website links for similar left-of-center organizations and movements. ²

Leadership

Climate Xchange’s executive director is Paola Ferreira Miani. Previously, she was the executive director of the Tropical Audubon Society. ⁸

The chair of the board is Quinton Zondervan, who previously served as a city councilman for Cambridge, Massachusetts. ⁸

Financials

According to Climate Xchange’s 2023 tax returns, the group had $1,368,384 in revenue, $1,048,222 in expenses, and $620,028 in assets. ⁹

In 2022, the group received $10,000 from the Alex C. Walker Foundation. ¹⁰