Facing Climate Change in the developing world: How can we help?

Start Date/Time: Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 7:00 PM
Ending Date/Time: Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 9:00 PM
Location: Kane Hall Room 220

It is well known that developing countries, and people living in poverty, are most vulnerable to the disabling effects of climate change. But how these societies will be affected, and what communities can do to adapt to the threats created by climate change, is only beginning to be understood.

The purpose of this forum is to explore a coherent response to climate change in developing countries, and gain a better understanding of how the threat might alter the strategies of activists and donors supporting poor communities in overcoming poverty.

Presenters:
• Dr. Tom Ackerman, Director of the UW’s Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO). Dr. Ackerman will discuss the expected climate/weather trends due to climate change, and what we know about the impacts of those trends on resources and societies in the developing world.

• KC Golden, Policy Director at Seattle-based Climate Solutions. Mr. Golden will discuss national and international attempts at mitigating the worst effects of climate change, and the divergence of interests and approaches between the developing world and highly industrialized countries.

• Heather Coleman, Senior Policy Advisor on Climate Change at Oxfam America will discuss how communities in the developing world are building their resiliency in the face of more frequent and severe climate related events, and how the U.S. and other developed countries must respond to climate change as a humanitarian crisis. She will also outline what funding organizations should embrace, and avoid, when considering how to support “adaptation” responses at the community level. Ms. Coleman will be joining us via videoconference from Massachusetts, as part of reducing the carbon footprint of this event.