Tuesday, May 7, Opening General Session

As financial first responders, CDCUs close the gaps and remove barriers to financial opportunities for people living in distressed and underserved communities. When these same communities are experiencing energy and climate injustice, households pay a significantly higher percentage of their incomes in energy costs,  clean energy technologies are harder to access, and homes and businesses are disproportionately impacted by the devastating impacts of climate events. Under these circumstances, achieving financial security becomes even more challenging, but CDCUs can help. CDCUs have an obligation and an opportunity to serve as energy and climate financial first responders, building energy equity and climate resilience for the communities they serve.

In this important conversation, gain a deeper understanding of why energy and climate justice are critically important to the well-being of communities around the country from Shalanda Baker, Director of the Office of Energy Justice and Equity at the U.S. Department of Energy. Hear about how community lenders across the country have been investing locally to build climate resiliency in low-income communities from David Erickson, SVP and head of Outreach and Education at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. And learn about solutions CDCUs can implement to improve climate and energy outcomes for their members and their communities with stories from the frontlines of climate change from Aurelio Arroyo González, Executive President, Cooperativa Jesús Obrero in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico.