{"id":4959,"date":"2026-05-13T22:30:51","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T22:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/?p=4959"},"modified":"2026-08-13T22:02:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-13T22:02:32","slug":"the-case-for-solar-straight-from-the-farm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/the-case-for-solar-straight-from-the-farm\/","title":{"rendered":"Argumenty pro sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energii p\u0159\u00edmo z farmy"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_section et_pb_section_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_section_regular et_block_section\" >\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column et_pb_column_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_0  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foto: Americk\u00e1 asociace pro sol\u00e1rn\u00ed pastvu<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_1  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">V roce 2025 vydalo Ministerstvo zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed USA (USDA) sv\u00e9 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/farmers-first-small-family-farms-policy-agenda.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Program pro zem\u011bd\u011blce na prvn\u00edm m\u00edst\u011b<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, kter\u00fdm vyz\u00fdv\u00e1 feder\u00e1ln\u00ed, st\u00e1tn\u00ed, region\u00e1ln\u00ed a m\u00edstn\u00ed partnery k akci, aby se p\u0159ipojili k nov\u00e9 iniciativ\u011b USDA <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ud\u011blejme zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed op\u011bt skv\u011bl\u00e9<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Program. Program shrnuje obavy t\u00fdkaj\u00edc\u00ed se vyu\u017e\u00edv\u00e1n\u00ed produktivn\u00ed zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fdy pro sol\u00e1rn\u00ed instalace a posiluje narativ, \u017ee rozvoj energetiky a zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed jsou ze sv\u00e9 podstaty v konfliktu. V reakci na rostouc\u00ed protisol\u00e1rn\u00ed n\u00e1lady zah\u00e1jila RCP koordinovanou, v\u00edceletou iniciativu pro \u017eivotaschopnost zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00fdch podnik\u016f a sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energii, jej\u00edm\u017e c\u00edlem je zachovat pr\u00e1va zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f diverzifikovat sv\u00e9 p\u0159\u00edjmy pomoc\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie a podpo\u0159it odoln\u00e9 venkovsk\u00e9 komunity. Iniciativa pro \u017eivotaschopnost zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00fdch podnik\u016f a sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energii pozved\u00e1 hlasy zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f a chovatel\u016f dobytka, kte\u0159\u00ed p\u0159\u00edmo t\u011b\u017eili ze sol\u00e1rn\u00edch projekt\u016f na sv\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b a kte\u0159\u00ed ukazuj\u00ed, \u017ee sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie a zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e1 p\u016fda mohou fungovat spole\u010dn\u011b s agrosol\u00e1rn\u00ed energi\u00ed. Prost\u0159ednictv\u00edm obhajoby, budov\u00e1n\u00ed koalic a strategick\u00e9 komunikace tito venkov\u0161t\u00ed producenti zapoj\u00ed tv\u016frce politik, aby prosazovali zachov\u00e1n\u00ed pr\u00e1v zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f na prosp\u011bch ze sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P\u0159eformulov\u00e1n\u00ed narativu kolem sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie a zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fdy<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">V s\u00e1zce je hodn\u011b. Americk\u00fd venkov m\u00e1 p\u016fdn\u00ed zdroje k vybudov\u00e1n\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00ed kapacity pot\u0159ebn\u00e9 k uspokojen\u00ed rostouc\u00ed popt\u00e1vky po energii, k zaji\u0161t\u011bn\u00ed nov\u00fdch da\u0148ov\u00fdch a pron\u00e1jmov\u00fdch p\u0159\u00edjm\u016f pro venkovsk\u00e9 komunity a k dekarbonizaci na\u0161eho energetick\u00e9ho syst\u00e9mu. Nic z toho se v\u0161ak nem\u016f\u017ee st\u00e1t v pot\u0159ebn\u00e9m rozsahu bez vyu\u017eit\u00ed zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fdy pro sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energii. Americk\u00fd zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00fd trust odhaduje <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/farmlandinfo.org\/publications\/farms-under-threat-2040\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">83% nov\u00fdch sol\u00e1rn\u00edch projekt\u016f<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> bude nutn\u00e9 postavit na n\u011bjak\u00e9 zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b. Jen v roce 2025 v\u0161ak, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/cleantomorrow.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/clean_tomorrow_2025-legislative-round-up-report_.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">v\u00edce ne\u017e 305 n\u00e1vrh\u016f z\u00e1kon\u016f t\u00fdkaj\u00edc\u00edch se um\u00edst\u011bn\u00ed<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> byly zavedeny ve 47 st\u00e1tech a polovina z nich by zt\u00ed\u017eila um\u00edst\u011bn\u00ed \u010dist\u00e9 energie. Krom\u011b toho den\u00edk USA Today zjistil, \u017ee <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/investigations\/2026\/02\/21\/takeaways-solar-wind-opposition-investigation-maps-charts\/88720227007\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">24% americk\u00fdch okres\u016f nyn\u00ed m\u00e1 vyhl\u00e1\u0161ky<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> kter\u00e9 zt\u011b\u017euj\u00ed nebo znemo\u017e\u0148uj\u00ed rozvoj rozs\u00e1hl\u00fdch v\u011btrn\u00fdch nebo sol\u00e1rn\u00edch projekt\u016f.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Na feder\u00e1ln\u00ed \u00farovni bylo znovuzaveden\u00ed z\u00e1kona Protect American Farmland Act doprov\u00e1zeno zna\u010dn\u00fdm odporem ze strany USDA. V roce 2025 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usda.gov\/about-usda\/news\/press-releases\/2025\/08\/19\/secretary-rollins-blocks-taxpayer-dollars-solar-panels-prime-farmland\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ministerstvo zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed USA tak\u00e9 ozn\u00e1milo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u017ee velk\u00e9 pozemn\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00ed panely na farm\u00e1ch by nem\u011bly z\u00edskat z\u00e1ruky na \u00fav\u011bry v r\u00e1mci programu Rural Energy for America (REAP) a je velmi nepravd\u011bpodobn\u00e9, \u017ee by je z\u00edskaly <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canarymedia.com\/articles\/food-and-farms\/trump-blocking-solar-farm-bill?amp%3Butm_medium=email&amp;amp%3Butm_campaign=canary&amp;_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8k5zR8zegN3gpo40hGUklJpGiFwoDlxkR9fDElk6Mjh4RpxHour_lLaq1zixmYbLFGYWbxuxWZIMhp3f3cZSGIpPk3sA&amp;_hsmi=415876703&amp;utm_source=newsletter\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Granty REAP<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Tato zm\u011bna v\u00fdrazn\u011b omezuje schopnost zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f financovat sol\u00e1rn\u00ed projekty a diverzifikovat sv\u00e9 p\u0159\u00edjmy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">P\u0159\u00edle\u017eitosti k organizaci<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iniciativa Farm Viability and Solar Initiative (\u017divotaschopnost farem a sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie) sdru\u017euje n\u011bkolik organizac\u00ed, kter\u00e9 se zav\u00e1zaly k zachov\u00e1n\u00ed pr\u00e1va farm\u00e1\u0159\u016f a vlastn\u00edk\u016f p\u016fdy na provozov\u00e1n\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na sv\u00fdch farm\u00e1ch a k realizaci ekonomick\u00fdch p\u0159\u00edle\u017eitost\u00ed, kter\u00e9 s t\u00edm p\u0159ich\u00e1zej\u00ed. Tato pracovn\u00ed skupina spole\u010dn\u011b prosazuje organizov\u00e1n\u00ed na m\u00edstn\u00ed \u00farovni na podporu sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b a agrosol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie, c\u00edlen\u00e9 vztahy s vl\u00e1dou a vzd\u011bl\u00e1v\u00e1n\u00ed ve\u0159ejnosti. C\u00edlem skupiny je p\u0159edch\u00e1zet \u0161kodliv\u00fdm regulac\u00edm nebo tup\u00fdm omezuj\u00edc\u00edm politik\u00e1m a zajistit, aby venkovsk\u00e9 komunity mohly i nad\u00e1le t\u011b\u017eit z p\u0159echodu na \u010distou energii. Cesta k n\u00e1rodn\u00ed dekarbonizaci vede p\u0159es venkovskou Ameriku a jej\u00ed zem\u011bd\u011blskou p\u016fdu. Ochranou sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na obd\u011bl\u00e1van\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b si Iniciativa Farm Viability and Solar klade za c\u00edl chr\u00e1nit jak venkovsk\u00e9 \u017eivobyt\u00ed, tak i budoucnost \u010dist\u00e9 energie.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Koordinovan\u00e1 reakce na ochranu pr\u00e1v zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tato pr\u00e1ce ji\u017e prob\u00edh\u00e1. V \u00fanoru zorganizovala Pracovn\u00ed skupina pro \u017eivotaschopnost farem a sol\u00e1rn\u00ed iniciativu sv\u016fj prvn\u00ed leteck\u00fd sraz do Washingtonu, D.C., b\u011bhem kter\u00e9ho se p\u011bt zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00fdch producent\u016f sdru\u017een\u00fdch v \u010dlensk\u00fdch organizac\u00edch Pracovn\u00ed skupiny setkalo s kl\u00ed\u010dov\u00fdmi feder\u00e1ln\u00edmi tv\u016frci politik. Zem\u011bd\u011blci jsou l\u00eddry na venkov\u011b a veden\u00edm t\u00e9to skupiny se mohli setkat s tv\u016frci politik, kte\u0159\u00ed by pravd\u011bpodobn\u011b odm\u00edtli jin\u00e9 hlasy zast\u00e1nc\u016f sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie, jako nap\u0159\u00edklad hlasy z asociac\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00edho pr\u016fmyslu nebo environment\u00e1ln\u00edch skupin. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">B\u011bhem n\u011bkolika dn\u016f se skupina setkala se zam\u011bstnanci Ministerstva zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed USA, z\u00e1stupcem B\u00edl\u00e9ho domu, dev\u00edti \u010dleny Kongresu a zam\u011bstnanci v\u011bt\u0161iny ve V\u00fdboru pro zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed Sn\u011bmovny reprezentant\u016f, aby se pod\u011blili o osobn\u00ed p\u0159\u00edb\u011bhy a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vysv\u011btlit v\u00fdhody rozvoje sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie pro zem\u011bd\u011blce a vlastn\u00edky p\u016fdy. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zam\u011b\u0159en\u00edm se na sv\u00e9 zku\u0161enosti s vyu\u017eit\u00edm sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie se producenti zam\u011b\u0159ili na \u017eivotaschopnost farem a stabilitu venkova, nikoli na zdroje energie.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_image et_pb_image_0\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/unnamed-optimized.jpg\" alt=\"\" title=\"nejmenovan\u00fd\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_2  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foto: Skyler Zunk, Energy Right<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_3  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Farm\u00e1\u0159i vedou diskusi ve Washingtonu<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Poselstv\u00ed skupiny bylo konzistentn\u00ed a p\u0159\u00edm\u00e9: sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie udr\u017eela \u017eivotaschopn\u00e9 zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 provozy a poskytla nov\u00e9 zdroje p\u0159\u00edjm\u016f pro zem\u011bd\u011blce a venkovsk\u00e9 komunity. Sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b je nav\u00edc dvoj\u00ed plodinou; vyu\u017e\u00edv\u00e1 slunce a \u017eivo\u010di\u0161n\u00e9 b\u00edlkoviny z hospod\u00e1\u0159sk\u00fdch zv\u00ed\u0159at, kter\u00e1 producenti chovaj\u00ed. Politiky, kter\u00e9 omezuj\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energii na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b, ohro\u017euj\u00ed \u017eivobyt\u00ed zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016f a venkovsk\u00e9 ekonomiky. <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nap\u0159\u00ed\u010d sch\u016fzkami se producenti pod\u011blili o d\u016fle\u017eitost dobrovoln\u00fdch rozhodnut\u00ed o vyu\u017e\u00edv\u00e1n\u00ed p\u016fdy, v\u00fdhody investic soukrom\u00e9ho kapit\u00e1lu a hospod\u00e1\u0159sk\u00e9ho r\u016fstu venkova a slu\u010ditelnost sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie s pastvinami a zem\u011bd\u011blskou produkc\u00ed. Je\u0161t\u011b d\u016fle\u017eit\u011bj\u0161\u00ed je, \u017ee \u00fa\u010dastn\u00edci z\u00e1konod\u00e1rc\u016fm vysv\u011btlili, \u017ee sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b umo\u017e\u0148uje zem\u011bd\u011blc\u016fm <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pokra\u010dovat <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">zem\u011bd\u011blskou p\u016fdu, kter\u00e1 je v jejich rodin\u00e1ch po generace, co\u017e jim poskytuje \u017eivotaschopnou ekonomickou alternativu k prodeji jejich p\u016fdy zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00fdm korporac\u00edm nebo \u00fapln\u00e9mu uzav\u0159en\u00ed jejich farem.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Budov\u00e1n\u00ed dynamiky na feder\u00e1ln\u00ed \u00farovni<\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tato leteck\u00e1 n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bva znamenala za\u010d\u00e1tek trval\u00e9 spolupr\u00e1ce a polo\u017eila d\u016fle\u017eit\u00fd z\u00e1klad pro budouc\u00ed spolupr\u00e1ci s feder\u00e1ln\u00edmi p\u0159edstaviteli. Druh\u00e1 leteck\u00e1 n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bva ve Washingtonu, D.C., se uskute\u010dnila v dubnu, b\u011bhem n\u00ed\u017e se t\u0159i zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00ed producenti setkali se sedmi \u010dleny Kongresu, v\u010detn\u011b vysoce postaven\u00fdch \u010dlen\u016f sen\u00e1tn\u00edho v\u00fdboru pro zem\u011bd\u011blstv\u00ed. T\u0159et\u00ed leteck\u00e1 n\u00e1v\u0161t\u011bva se uskute\u010dn\u00ed v \u010dervnu, co\u017e zajist\u00ed, \u017ee pracovn\u00ed skupina \u00fasp\u011b\u0161n\u011b polo\u017e\u00ed z\u00e1klady pro trvalou spolupr\u00e1ci a polo\u017e\u00ed d\u016fle\u017eit\u00fd z\u00e1klad pro budouc\u00ed spolupr\u00e1ci s feder\u00e1ln\u00edmi p\u0159edstaviteli.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zat\u00edmco iniciativa Farm Viability and Solar se zam\u011b\u0159uje p\u0159edev\u0161\u00edm na feder\u00e1ln\u00ed p\u0159\u00edstup, v nadch\u00e1zej\u00edc\u00edch m\u011bs\u00edc\u00edch pl\u00e1nuje pracovn\u00ed skupina vypracovat strategie pro zapojen\u00ed do st\u00e1tn\u00edch a m\u00edstn\u00edch politik umis\u0165ov\u00e1n\u00ed sol\u00e1rn\u00edch panel\u016f. V r\u00e1mci sv\u00e9ho \u0161ir\u0161\u00edho \u00fasil\u00ed vyv\u00edj\u00ed informa\u010dn\u00ed listy a dal\u0161\u00ed podp\u016frn\u00e9 materi\u00e1ly, kter\u00e9 pomohou utv\u00e1\u0159et n\u00e1rodn\u00ed narativ o v\u00fdhod\u00e1ch rozvoje sol\u00e1rn\u00ed energie na zem\u011bd\u011blsk\u00e9 p\u016fd\u011b. Kone\u010dn\u00fd informa\u010dn\u00ed list sd\u00edl\u00ed s kl\u00ed\u010dov\u00fdmi partnery a z\u00fa\u010dastn\u011bn\u00fdmi stranami v nadch\u00e1zej\u00edc\u00edch t\u00fddnech.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_image et_pb_image_1\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Fly-in-Photo-2-scaled-optimized.jpeg\" alt=\"\" title=\"Fotografie 2 z letov\u00e9ho letu\" \/><\/span>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_d4_element et_pb_text et_pb_text_4  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Foto: Skyler Zunk, Energy Right<\/span><\/i><\/p><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div><div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_row et_pb_row_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et_block_row\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"et_d4_element et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column et_pb_column_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode et-last-child et_block_column et_pb_column_empty\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4963,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural places and people are at the forefront of the national dialogue this election season. From Tim Walz\u2019s stories of growing up in rural Nebraska and living in southern Minnesota to JD Vance's emphasis on his Appalachian roots in Hillbilly Elegy, both parties increasingly recognize rural America\u2019s key role in the nation\u2019s cultural mindset.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Engagement with rural communities will also determine our success in meeting the great challenge our country faces with the clean energy transition.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural America will make or break our ability to reach our country\u2019s climate goals. A disproportionate amount of climate pollution is produced in small town America, and rural communities face sobering impacts from climate pollution. According to a report released this year by the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/rural-emissions-report-2024\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural Climate Partnership<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/rural-emissions-report-2024\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rural America produces at least 36 percent of U.S. emissions<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, despite being home to only 18 percent of the U.S. population.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To put rural America\u2019s emissions into perspective, this is about three times the total emissions from Canada or almost equal to the total emissions from Russia.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, it doesn\u2019t mean rural Americans are to blame, nor should we resort to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/opinions\/2024\/04\/17\/white-rural-rage-progressive-stereotype\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">harmful, inaccurate stereotypes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about them. The energy, food, and industrial goods produced by hardworking rural people are largely consumed in urban areas. With fewer economic alternatives and limited investments made in better production methods, high-emitting practices have become the norm, leaving small towns to deal with localized air pollution, poor water quality, and soil degradation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural communities, with their close economic ties to the land, are increasingly vulnerable to climate impacts like droughts, heatwaves, fires, and floods. They experience these impacts in the broader context of economic hardship and systemic neglect. Rural counties represent <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ers.usda.gov\/amber-waves\/2021\/august\/rural-poverty-has-distinct-regional-and-racial-patterns\/#:~:text=A%20USDA%2C%20Economic%20Research%20Service,counties%20were%20rural%20(nonmetro).\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">86 percent of all counties that face persistent poverty<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These communities also saddle higher household energy costs \u2013 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/rural-emissions-report-2024\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">25 percent higher, on average<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, than their urban counterparts.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yet small-town America holds tremendous potential to affect change in ways that can reduce rural emissions while strengthening community resilience and creating economic prosperity. To achieve this potential, rural communities need to be in the driver\u2019s seat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While national and state policy is important, critical decisions for climate action are being made by those serving on county planning commissions, city councils, rural electric cooperative boards, and small municipal utility boards.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, nearly half of all U.S. electric power emissions are produced in rural places, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/rural-emissions-report-2024\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">60% of coal power generation is produced in rural areas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Through local advocacy and organizing, rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities can close polluting power plants and invest in beneficial clean energy projects that create new local jobs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rural-led groups like the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/northernplains.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Northern Plains Resource Council<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Montana and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/renewmo.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Renew Missouri<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are working to bring more local voices into energy decisions to advocate for clean energy projects that simultaneously create jobs, improve reliability, and reduce harmful pollution.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Solutions from cities and perceived \u2018coastal elites\u2019 won\u2019t\u2013and don\u2019t\u2013work in small-town America. For example, an increasing number of rural counties are <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usatoday.com\/story\/news\/investigations\/2024\/02\/04\/us-counties-ban-renewable-energy-plants\/71841063007\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">banning clean energy development<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, often driven by a reasonable skepticism towards developers after years of extraction from other outside interests. Like most people, rural people don\u2019t appreciate when decisions are made without their input.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Local decisions become even more complicated when fossil-fuel-backed organizations spread misinformation in rural communities. These bad actors understand too well that rural opinions matter and use \u201castroturfing\u201d\u2014campaigns that feign to be grassroots\u2014to block clean energy development. No amount of top-down prodding or factsheets from New York or San Francisco can correct this kind of deep-seated misinformation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What does help counter and prevent misinformation is rural-led organizing, education, and advocacy with trusted, local messengers. Rural groups like <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/groundswell.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Groundswell<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Georgia and the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cfra.org\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Center for Rural Affairs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Iowa lead grassroots campaigns to help their communities learn about clean energy and make up their own minds about how they want to power their futures. They educate neighbors about clean energy options and share lessons learned from successful projects in other communities.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter the election outcome, ongoing support is needed for place-based, rural-led climate efforts. Clean energy, regenerative agriculture, household electrification, and other climate solutions require boots on the ground.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Done right, rural America can reduce emissions while simultaneously preserving rural ways of life, protecting vital working landscapes, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/e2.org\/reports\/clean-economy-works-benefits-to-rural-america\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">creating quality local jobs<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The result is a cleaner, safer, more resilient way of life for all Americans.<\/span><\/p><p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maria Doerr is a Program Officer for the Rural Climate Partnership <\/span><\/i><\/p>","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[65],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4959","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4959","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4959"}],"version-history":[{"count":36,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4959\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5046,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4959\/revisions\/5046"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4959"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4959"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ruralclimate.org\/cs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4959"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}