Free Climate Change Adaptation Seminar for Journalists

If you follow the science, climate change is a very real, and potentially very disruptive, influence on just about every human activity.

And while climate change journalism has been making huge strides in continuing to bring this huge issue of global warming to light, even amidst a heavy skeptic/denier presence in some sectors of the media, the 30,000 foot view of climate change and global greenhouse gas emissions doesn’t always evoke significant change, even in the day-to-day lives of those who are self-described as being “green”. The headlines of soaring GHG emission levels or record global temperatures are more suited to sharing around the water cooler than to making a difference in lifestyles.

You don’t have to go very far to find out what some of the more common causes of global warming are, or to learn how to reduce your own impact on the climate, but it’s often much more challenging to find out what’s working in climate change adaptation today, and to learn how governments, businesses, and individuals can effectively prepare for tomorrow.

national-adaptation-forumHowever, there are groups and institutions that are working on solutions to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, rising sea levels, and changing weather patterns on a variety of levels, from individual homes to businesses to the shared infrastructure that we’re all dependent upon.

To help boost the visibility of climate change adaptation research and practice, The University of Rhode Island’s Metcalf Institute for Marine & Environmental Reporting is offering a free seminar and optional field trip to journalists during the upcoming National Adaptation Forum, held May 12-14, 2015, in St. Louis, Missouri.

The National Adaptation Forum, which features a number of experts on climate change adaptation and resilience, will offer journalists opportunities to interact with professionals from both the public and private sector, and to learn first-hand about some of the strategies for resilience that are being used currently, as well as those being developed for the future.

Metcalf Institute’s Climate Change Seminar will include:

  • Tour showcasing local efforts to protect critical municipal infrastructure from projected extremes in Midwestern precipitation as a result of climate change
  • Highlights from successful and upcoming projects designed to help communities plan for and respond to the wide-ranging impacts of climate change
  • Talks by scientists, local officials, NGO and business representatives summarizing climate change science and the broad range of approaches being used to help communities weather projected impacts;
  • Kick-off reception hosted by the National Adaptation Forum
  • Opportunities to cover all aspects of the National Adaptation Forum and access to adaptation professionals throughout the conference

“With a grant from The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and significant in-kind support from the National Adaptation Forum and EcoAdapt, the seminar is offered at no cost to participating journalists as part of Metcalf Institute’s Climate Change and the News initiative. Metcalf Institute will pay for conference registration and up to four nights of double-occupancy lodging at the conference venue, the St. Louis Station Hotel, and will reimburse up to $250 in travel costs for journalists selected to attend.”

Space to attend this free climate change adaptation seminar is limited, and applications are due by February 9, 2015. Find out how to apply at Metcalf’s website.

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