Program
A draft conference agenda will be available online this summer. In the meantime, please visit the agenda from the 2016 conference for information on the types of session we offer here.
2018 Local Solutions: Eastern Climate Preparedness Conference Session Tracks
The Built Environment
This track will address how severe weather and climate impacts directly affects the places where we live, work, learn, play, and pray. Session topics will include buildings, transportation systems, energy systems, communication networks, parks, and other forms of built infrastructure in a community. Sessions will showcase how climate mitigation and adaptation thinking will be integrated into normal planning and design activities. Participants that attend sessions in this track will learn:
- What are the direct and indirect impacts on the infrastructure and what it provides to the community in terms of resilience;
- What is the impact on economy;
- How to mitigate, build resiliency or retreat (other planned alternatives);
- Solutions, “how to” and best practices, along with lessons learned will be presented.
Public Health
This track will address the direct links between the changing climate and impacts on the public health of a community and our ecosystems. Expected changes will affect natural systems and exacerbate human health issues, including increases in infectious and vector-borne diseases, degradation of water quality, heat island effects, mold, and significant effects on mental health and well-being. This track is designed for public health officials, disaster preparedness personnel, local leaders, ecosystem managers and others to collaboratively learn best practices in preparedness for anticipated impacts. Participants that attend sessions in this track will learn:
- What is directly impacting public health and where in a community’s governance structure are these impacts addressed;
- What are the projected changes in climate factors that will reduce or compromise these human systems and our green spaces (such as wetlands, shade trees, etc);
- How might these changes impact both a community’s economy and quality of life;
- What are the best approaches to prepare, mitigate, adapt, and build resilience;
- Solutions, “how to” and best practices, along with lessons learned will be presented.
Community Engagement, Leadership, and Communication
In this track participants will learn about effective engagement, leadership, and communication strategies based on recent social science and communication techniques. Participants will walk away with:
- Learning about the latest psychological and social science research on effective engagement, leadership, and communication;
- Why and when are community engagement, leadership, and communication important;
- Solutions, “how to” and best practices, along with lessons learned will be presented.
Planning & Process
This track is designed to build the capacity of participants to begin the planning process for climate adaptation and resilience. The sessions will explore key leverage points and techniques as well as existing community planning processes for developing and incorporating adaptation goals and recommendations. Participants will learn how to collaborate with existing stakeholders and link to regional, statewide and national planning efforts. Participants in this track will learn:
- What are the different planning approaches and/or policies, and what is happening in terms of current policies, economics, and legal implications;
- Why and when are planning and process important;
- Specific elements: what to look for, what data to collect, what experts are needed, what stakeholder engagements are needed, and which questions to ask;
- Solutions, “how to” and best practices, along with lessons learned will be presented.
