Duke Energy's solar panel rebate program expires this year, and faith groups such as the North Carolina Council of Churches and Interfaith Power and Light are urging churches across the state to take advantage of the program during National Faith Climate Action Week, which begins today.

Anne Hodges-Copple, bishop suffragan of the Diocese of North Carolina, said dozens of North Carolina congregations have saved on energy bills using the program.

"There's all kinds of partners ready to help make this line up in a way that just has a huge benefit to any worshiping community that needs to save money," Hodges-Copple pointed out. "As well as cares about taking care of the earth."

A 2018 survey by the U.S. Energy Information Administration found many commercial buildings, including churches, spend thousands of dollars a year on lighting and space heating and cooling.

Elizabeth Bennett, director of stakeholder engagement for Duke Energy, said churches may be able to receive up to $75,000 in rebates.

"And what the rebate program does is not only provides a rebate for nonprofits who want to install solar, but really helps them through the process," Bennett explained.

She noted church leaders should first look at the program's eligibility requirements and added there are plenty of resources to help congregations start the process.

In the wake of historic summer floods in the Midwest and Appalachia, there are calls for a new national plan to reduce risks from disasters.

The bipartisan National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act would help reduce inefficiencies within the federal government in natural-disaster recovery and preparedness programs.

Mathew Sanders, senior manager of The Pew Charitable Trusts "Flood-Prepared Communities" project, explained it would create a White House Chief Resilience Officer who would help coordinate efforts between the federal, state and local levels.

"We have to have a larger volume and more high-quality and comprehensive plan that puts us in a better place with respect to all these disaster events, compared to where we are today," said Sanders. "That would be a huge benefit, to Ohio and every other state."

Currently, federal disaster-recovery programs are spread across at least 17 federal agencies. The National Climate Adaptation and Resilience Strategy Act was introduced in the U.S. House and Senate in January.

More than 15 states now have climate resilience planning initiatives, as do several cities. In Cincinnati, Councilwoman Meeka Owens chairs the Climate, Environment and Infrastructure Committee.

"The science and the data is telling us what's happening," said Owens. "And so cities like Cincinnati have to be prepared with storm-water mitigation, with resiliency around access to food, with how we are improving health metrics as a result."

Owens contended that additional federal resources would be a catalyst for local efforts to address climate change.

"We really can't afford not to act on a broad scale," said Owens. "There is a cost to inaction and so, for every dollar that we can spend in mitigating an issue like this, we'll also save money in the long run."

A recent report suggests cities in Ohio will need to spend between $2 billion and $6 billion in the next half-century to address the effects of climate change.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The Inflation Reduction Act, newly passed by the U.S. Senate, allocates $369 Billion to fight climate change, and appropriates funds specifically for coastal areas - like New York's - facing climate change's immediate impacts.

$2.6 billion dollars are being set aside to help coastal states build up their resilience to ever worsening hurricanes, floods and rising sea levels.

Jessie Ritter - senior director of water resources and coastal policy at the National Wildlife Federation - says this could help prevent "billion dollar disasters," which will intensify during the upcoming hurricane season.

"2022 was predicted by the National Weather Service to see above average hurricane activity," said Ritter. "And we know the impact of a certain storm can last for many, many years as we saw post-Sandy. And as we're actually now still seeing, as communities continue to struggle to recover from recent storms like Ida and Maria."

Many coastal areas have developed management plans to build up their shoreline's natural defenses to impending climate catastrophes. However, high costs have been a detriment to bringing these plans to fruition.

The money stemming from this bill will help develop those plans further, and allow for technical assistance to improve them.

Ritter said she hopes the immediate impacts of this bill result in coastal states evaluating the infrastructure being developed as resilient to future effects of climate change.

This funding will also provide communities with an ability to alert people pre-disaster to evacuation routes and risks associated with certain coastal areas.

Ritter said she feels this bill's funding is a unique opportunity to tackle the direct causes of climate change, while providing methods to address its symptoms.

"Getting this money out the door and into coastal communities as quickly as possible," said Ritter, "can make a big difference for communities facing down potential for future hurricanes or other major storm events."

Other funds allocated for climate change in the bill will reduce carbon emissions by 40% across the U.S. by 2030.

Ritter said she believes there is still more to do to bridge the gap of meeting the Biden Administration's goal of 50%. She added that Congress really needs to continue stepping up.

As Congress debates a bill to fund climate-change solutions, Pima Community College is doing its own work to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and teach students to prioritize the issue.

The college's new Climate Action and Sustainability Plan includes plans to upgrade the heating and air conditioning systems, add electric vehicles to its fleet and install electric vehicle charging stations on each campus.

Nicola Richmond, chief strategy officer at the college, said they are also training people in all fields to be climate leaders.

"We ensure that all of our learners leave the institution knowing how to bring climate-friendly approaches to the field in which they're trained," Richmond explained.

Pima's goal is to reduce its carbon footprint by half in the next eight years. The moves come as the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote Friday on the Inflation Reduction Act, which puts $369 billion toward the fight against climate change. The bill has already passed the Senate.

Kevin Taylor, U.S. climate action lead for the World Wildlife Fund, said the bill is urgent, and could help the U.S. avoid the worst effects of climate change.

"It's going to enable more energy-efficient appliances, electric vehicles, solar and wind energy," Taylor outlined. "And particularly, those are available for the average homeowner and individual, but also institutions like Pima Community College to take advantage of."

The States at Risk project from Climate Central predicts Arizonans can expect the historic drought, heat waves and wildfires -- all effects of a warming planet -- to become significantly worse in the next few decades.