Across the Western United States and in Colorado, communities are feeling the impacts of climate change. The hottest year on record was 2023, and this year is on track to be even hotter.
The amount of water in the Colorado River and other tributaries is shrinking, and the level of pollutants in the air is dangerously high. Without swift action, we risk irreversible climate impacts that will devastate ecosystems and communities’ ability to stay resilient.
Amid this growing urgency, Western Resource Advocates (WRA), a nonprofit fighting climate change to sustain the environment, economy, and people of the West, recognizes the opportunity to address these complex challenges at a state level.
“States are really where the fight against climate change has been most successful, and it’s the place where people can have a really big impact,” says Jon Goldin-Dubois, president of WRA.
States have substantial decision-making authority across public utilities, land, and conservation efforts. Where progress has been stalled at the federal level, people and communities have been able to influence policy and key legislation at the state level.
Colorado’s progress to advance clean energy is a prime example of this. For more than 30 years, WRA has contributed to the policy landscape to drive significant emission reductions from electric utilities, including Xcel Energy. Xcel Energy is one of the largest energy providers in Colorado. “We saw the opportunity with Xcel Energy as a place where we could win real commitments to reduce emissions, and we could use that momentum to put pressure on other utilities, both in Colorado and in other states across the region to leverage the impact,” says Goldin-Dubois.
Despite initial hesitations, progress was made. Erin Overturf, the clean energy director at WRA, explains, “By passing the Renewable Energy Standard through a ballot initiative in 2004, the people of Colorado were able to use the tool of policy to really push the utility and say, ‘We want you to try’.” The determination of the people and communities in Colorado helped to move things forward.
WRA worked with Xcel Energy to demonstrate that transitioning to renewable energy wasn’t just necessary, but also beneficial for business. “What we have sought to do is align the incentives that utilities get with a speedy reduction in carbon emissions,” says Goldin-Dubois. This persistent effort culminated in a breakthrough: Xcel Energy’s most recently approved plan puts them on a path to reduce their emissions by 85% by 2030.
This commitment is crucial for communities that would benefit from cleaner air and a more sustainable future, as well as other utilities across the region. “Xcel is important, not just in terms of the decisions that we have helped to bring about in Colorado, but because of its influence in helping to win reductions in other states and demonstrate a viable path forward,” says Goldin-Dubois.
“There’s also a lesson here about getting uncomfortable and pushing entities to do things that they’re not already entirely familiar with because we’re never going be able to do any of this if we don’t try. Public policy, and particularly state-level policy, is so often that nudge,” adds Overturf.
Beyond its work with Xcel Energy, WRA’s unique ability to combine its science-based approach, technical expertise, and strong partnerships has led to many successful environmental policies implemented across the region.
“The first step for us is identifying long-term objectives consistent with what the science is telling us about what we need to do to protect people and the environment,” says Goldin-Dubois.
From there, WRA creates step-by-step plans to ensure ambitious goals are achievable. “It’s one thing to lay out a grand vision,” notes Overturf, “It’s a very different thing to get down in the weeds and plan for all the different pieces that need to fall into place to make that a reality.” WRA’s specific technical expertise allows them to engage in regulatory processes, track progress, and translate that to the public. At the same time, WRA’s strength lies in its partnerships.
“One of the things that makes Colorado great is that we have a really robust and thriving ecosystem of advocates who care about conservation, who care about climate, who care about justice,” says Overturf.
“Our work's not possible without support from donors. These victories that we have won are those of our supporters as much as ours. But there is so much to do.”
- Jon Goldin-Dubois, president of Western Resource Advocates (WRA)
Climate change is accelerating, and every delay in action makes the problem more difficult to solve. “The problem of climate change is a problem associated with the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. So the pace of our reductions really, really matters,” Overturf explains. “The longer we wait to solve this problem, the harder it gets to address, and the more warming we lock in,” Overturf warns.
With the support of The Denver Foundation and its donors, WRA can lead the way to a more sustainable and resilient future, replicating their successes across the region.
“We all need to think about the influence we can have, and where we can invest that leads to action to address climate change and its impacts,” says Goldin-Dubois.
The Denver Foundation has been supporting WRA for 18 years through funds such as the Technical Assistance Fund and the Community Grants Program — which is the foundation’s signature funding strategy supported by our permanent endowment — in addition to several independent fundholders.
Photos courtesy: Armando Geneyro