Building Capacity and Assisting Those Least Able to Help Themselves

#ClimateJustice

A key component of climate advocacy is Building Capacity, meaning developing in leaders the ability to make good, climate-focused decisions. A major effort has been the Climate Leadership Academy, which Mark helped to develop, and staff from Charles County Government have been one of the largest groups to complete the Academy. Another theme of this discussion will be how climate impacts minority populations of society greater than majority populations, and other environmental justice issues.

About Our Special Guest Superhero: Mary Nichols

Mary Nichols is the Chair of the California Air Resources Board, where she occupies the attorney seat. She has served on the Board under Governor Edmund G. Brown, Jr. (1975–82 and 2010–18), Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (2007–2010) and Governor Gavin Newsom (2019–present). She also served as California’s Secretary for Natural Resources (1999–2003), appointed by Gov. Gray Davis.

When not working for the State of California, Mary was a senior staff attorney for the Natural Resources Defense Council; Assistant Administrator for US EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, in the administration of President William Jefferson Clinton; and headed the Institute of Environment and Sustainability at UCLA.

Over a career as an environmental lawyer spanning over 45 years, Mary Nichols has played a key role in California and the nation’s progress toward healthy air. She has also led the Board in crafting California’s internationally recognized climate action plan.

On Becoming a Science Communicator

#climatescience

Winning the New Climate War

#ClimateWar

We’ve been given a goldilocks planet, with just the right atmospheric composition, just the right distance from its star (the Sun), yielding just the right temperature range for life, with liquid water oceans and oxygen-rich air. To continue to knowingly alter those conditions simply so a few very large corporations can continue to make record profits constitutes a crime against our planet and all known life. We cannot be passive bystanders as pollutors work toward making that eventuality come to pass. We still have a chance to ensure this not be our legacy.

Building Climate Resilience

#climateresilience

The end of 2019 concluded the warmest decade the world has ever experienced. The record-breaking temperatures in the first few months of 2020 have positioned this year to become the warmest in history. Rising temperatures have already brought more extremes in flooding, temperatures, wildfire, drought, as well as rising seas, and greater extremes are in our foreseeable future. Alice Hill will share her experiences advising President Obama and the Secretary of Homeland Security on building resilience to climate change impacts that communities are already experiencing, as well as the worsening impacts they will face in the future.

Local Climate Action Planning in the Age of the Coronavirus

#ActonClimate

As we recover from COVID-19, a wide range of efforts will be undertaken to create jobs, increase resilience and address the damage to critical industries and infrastructure. So what are the opportunities for climate planning that are now unfolding in light of the coronavirus pandemic? Adriana will share insights on how Montgomery County, Maryland, with a population of nearly 1 million people is adapting.

The Meaning of “Stakeholder Value” in Times of Crisis

#StakeholderEngagement

We are dealing with multiple crises today: the immediate crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the slightly less immediate but equally dire climate crisis. Most companies, and most people, are scrambling today to stay afloat as the economy falls apart around us. As we invest trillions of dollars of public money, how will we direct those investments? Will they be focused on rebuilding the status quo and perpetuating our current "business as usual" trajectory, which is driving us toward potential climate catastrophe? Or will they be focused on building forward toward a better future, where we all have clean air, a safe livable climate, and good jobs?

The statements by many in the last year about "stakeholder capitalism" and "stakeholder value" give us some hope that we'll use the immediate crisis to create the foundation for the future we need. Recent actions by most companies, however, fall short. What will it take to get us to work together to build a better future?

How One Crisis Can Impact Another

#SystemsThinking

The COVID-19 pandemic started in Dec 2019 at the beginning of the dry season in S. Florida. This prevented the City from having to face seasonal stressors such as tropical storms and "sunny day" flooding during the health crisis. However, the workforce reduction in March/April 2020 diminished the ability to address known flooding hot spots during the driest time of the year. So how can we get in front of these challenges?

The Health Inequities of COVID-19 & Climate Change

#WeCanDoBetter

As a public health professional, Nancy Smith has first-hand insights on the inequities of climate change, natural disasters and pandemics on marginalized communities. Let's have a conversation on health before, during and after an emergency because we can do better.

Maintaining Your Drive and Positivity

#Unstoppable

Aparna Dial has achieved amazing heights using her powers of passion, determination and resilience. What does she do to maintain a relentless drive and positive outlook in the face of these challenges?

It’s the Economy!

#LetsInnovate

A former deputy mayor to Boris Johnson when he was in London, Martin Powell understands the importance of an economic lens in our work. What lessons can we learn from the pandemic and other extreme events that we can apply toward our work?

Surviving the Priority Shift: Building Momentum on Climate Action

#ShiftingClimate

Chris Castro has launched an amazing array of sustainability and resilience programs in Orlando over the past few years. With a shift in priorities as a result of the pandemic, like all of us, he is faced with developing innovative ways to sustain his momentum and preserve his work.

Living at Work and Adapting to the New Normal

#WorkLiveThrive

After a full career in the United States Navy, Jim Goudreau joined Novartis and has an amazing array of experiences working in a variety of places all the while balancing work, health and happiness.  Let's have a conversation about "living at work" and adapting to a new normal.

Balancing the Immediate Imperative with Long-term Environmental and Social Needs

#SustainableRecovery

Sophia Mendelsohn leads a discussion on our community's role in balancing the immediate imperative with long-term environmental and social needs. How can we guide business and policymakers through the intersection of finance and society.