View as Webpage

January e-Newsletter

A New Year of Climate Action & Challenges


As we turn to a new year, climate change and the threat it poses to people and the environment top the headlines, as do the challenges a changing governmental landscape could bring to the efforts to address its impact. Now, more than ever, it is essential that the work to strengthen the resilience of our community and to lessen its contribution to climate change continues. The Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative is grateful for the efforts of our partners, supporters and those on the Cape who undertook the difficult task of tackling this existential threat in 2024, and we encourage all to press forward, undeterred, in this important work in 2025.   


The work ahead remains difficult, as we are reminded almost daily with new reports of record heat, drought, floods and fire ravaging our world. It is easy to understand why some may throw up their hands in despair, but, as the environmental activist and author Rebecca Solnit tells us in her new book with Thelma Young Lutunatabua, Not Too Late, “Hope means recognizing the uncertainty of the future and making a commitment to try to participate in shaping it. It means facing difficulties and accepting uncertainty. To hope is to recognize that you can protect some of what you love even while grieving what you cannot - and to know that we must act without knowing the outcome of those actions.”

Voices for Climate Action

Net Zero Takeaways

Leading the way for a thriving, sustainable future


Watch Paul Niedzwiecki, CEO of the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, share his vision for a sustainable Cape Cod through innovation and collaboration, and be inspired by the Nauset Regional High School Green Club students as they discuss their initiatives and the importance of youth in tackling climate change.

Watch Video
Watch Video

Cape Light Compact

Cape & Vineyard Solar Loan


Last month, Cape Light Compact launched the Cape & Vineyard Solar Loan, offering low-interest loans to make solar photovoltaic (PV) systems more accessible for year-round residents on Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard. Funded by a $4.9 million USDA loan, this program is available on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.



Learn more: Cape & Vineyard Solar Loan

Local News

Become a MassHCIC Cape Cod All-Star!


Do you know a college student passionate about housing, climate, and sustainability? Invite them to apply for the MassHCIC All-Stars Program!


This unique summer opportunity connects up to eight (8) undergraduate and graduate students with Cape Cod towns and organizations to tackle housing and climate challenges. Students will live with a host family, utilize MassHCIC resources and develop their own impactful projects at the intersection of affordable housing, environmental sustainability and climate resilience.

Learn more

Senate Report Warns of Economic Disruption Due to Climate Change


A recent U.S. Senate Budget Committee report highlights that Dukes County had an 11.6% nonrenewal rate for homeowners insurance in 2023—the third highest in the nation.


The report warns that such trends, driven by climate change and resulting in more frequent severe weather events, could lead to economic disruptions similar to the 2008 housing crisis. Major insurers have withdrawn from the Vineyard, underscoring the growing financial impact of climate change on coastal communities. 

Read the story in the MV Times

Provincetown's New Flood Barrier


Provincetown has unveiled a new, cutting-edge flood barrier system to address the increasing risks of rising sea levels and storm surges.


The innovative barrier, constructed from interlocking red plastic units, is designed for rapid assembly, providing a flexible and efficient solution for protecting vulnerable areas during severe weather events. This modular approach underscores the town's commitment to proactive flood mitigation and highlights a creative step forward in safeguarding the community from the impacts of climate change.

Read the story from CAI

Climate Matters: A Conversation With Falmouth's Sustainability Specialist


FalCAN has launched an exciting new program with FCTV! In the latest episode, Stephanie Madsen, Falmouth’s Sustainability Specialist, shares her passion for Falmouth and her efforts to address the climate crisis. Learn more about the strategies being implemented to protect our coastal town and how you can make a difference.

Watch now

Special Screening: Inundation District

Saturday, Feb 8 | 4:00–6:00 PM



Join Wellfleet Preservation Hall for a special screening of INUNDATION DISTRICT on February 8th at 4:00 PM. Directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning filmmaker David Abel, this feature-length film explores the implications of a city's decision to build a waterfront district on landfill, at sea level, and in the path of rising seas.


After the screening, stay for a talk-back with David Abel.

Purchase tickets

Regional News

Our Climate Future: Fact + Fiction

Tuesday, Feb 4 | 1:30–2:30 PM | Virtual


Hosted by Woodwell Climate Research Center, join Dr. Christopher Schwalm, Dr. Vandana Singh and Joey Eschrich for an engaging discussion on how we can create a rich, nuanced vision of our climate future that can motivate and guide climate action today.


This virtual event brings together a diverse panel of experts to explore the relative strengths of science and science fiction—and the potential synergies between the two—in understanding what the future might look like.


Register in advance to attend.

Illustration by João Queiroz, from the Climate Action Almanac.

Learn more & register
Donate

We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is reduce the Cape & Islands' contributions to climate change and protect our region from its potentially devastating impacts.


We depend upon the generosity of our stakeholders to conduct our work. All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

We welcome climate news from your home, school, business, town, faith community, or organization. Please submit your news, events, or article ideas to info@capecodclimate.org.

LinkedIn Share This Email
Subscribe to our newsletter
Facebook      Twitter      Instagram      LinkedIn      YouTube