2024 Annual Report

Message from NCEL’s President, Hawai’i State Senator Chris Lee

Coming out of a consequential election year, we as state legislators recognize that the action of states is more important than ever for lasting environmental progress.

2024 brought with it challenges and reminders of the environmental issues we face. It was the hottest year Earth has experienced yet. A federal election and Supreme Court decisions cast doubt over national environmental efforts. And communities across the country continued to face climate-exacerbated natural disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires.

But this past year also brought environmental success and reasons for hope. High volumes of states passed strong legislation across a range of environmental issue areas. Lawmakers from around the country spoke to me at NCEL events – such as the National Forum in Louisville and the Clean Energy Policy Workshop hosted in partnership with Blue Planet Foundation – about how they are committed to meeting our environmental goals. And through my work with the board and staff of NCEL, I can confidently say we are equipped to continue playing a central role in this work through our organization’s ability to connect environmentally committed lawmakers with science-based recommendations, likeminded legislators, and successful policy approaches from other states.

While the environmental challenges we face as a society are immense and intersecting, I remain hopeful in our ability to forge a more sustainable future because of organizations like NCEL. Thank you for your work this past year. I look forward to working alongside you in 2025 to enhance the well-being of our planet and communities for generations to come.