Photo credit: Peggy Langford

Our climate and our ocean are irrevocably linked – as the former warms, so does the latter. Over the past several years, communities have seen the impacts and the costs of our changing climate firsthand – with rising sea levels, extreme flooding, heatwaves, drought, wildfires, and more intense and frequent hurricanes and storms. According to the World Meteorological Organization, these climate-related disaster events have become five times as common in the last fifty years.

Every degree of warming leads to increasingly escalating hazards, which are further exacerbated by socioeconomic and racial inequality. Frontline communities who have historically contributed the least to climate change are disproportionately affected by its impacts, which have the potential to devastate communities and upend economies, as emphasized in the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Some communities are even facing relocation as climate refugees, which can lead to losses of cultural heritage and history and community identity.

The next few years are a key inflection point for climate action and shaping the future – for us and the next generation. To confront the rising tide of climate change impacts, we must uplift the voices of communities on the frontlines of climate change. Adaptation measures on the local, state, and national levels must integrate diverse values and perspectives and work towards actions that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and provide wider community benefits.

During Capitol Hill Ocean Week 2023, the “From the Frontlines of Climate Change” plenary session will discuss how communities from the coasts to the heartland are affected by and adapting to our changing climate.

Join us for the “From the Frontlines of Climate Change” plenary, sponsored by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, for this discussion. Heather Ludemann (Packard Foundation) will offer opening remarks, and the panel will be moderated by Jainey Bavishi (Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Deputy NOAA Administrator). The panel features Arthur Johnson (Lower 9^th Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement and Development), and Irela Bague (Miami-Dade County).

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 7th from 3-4:30 PM EST and register to join the conversation during Capitol Hill Ocean Week.

Register for CHOW!