In our post from last week, we talked about the upcoming Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference.
This week we decided to go into a little more detail about the three pre-conference workshops that will be hosted by the Carolinas Integrated Sciences & Assessments (CISA) and expert facilitators. These workshops will be held concurrently from 9:00-11:30 am on Monday, September 12, before the start of the 2016 CCRC.
If you’re interested in attending one of these learning opportunities, register today as space is limited to the first 25 registrants, and early conference registration rates end this Friday.
Note: This post refers to a past event, so registration has since been closed.
Climate Fundamentals Workshop
Challenged with incorporating climate into your decision-making? Need to freshen up on climate science concepts?
If you’ve ever found yourself looking for climate information but getting overwhelmed by the amount or complexity of what you find, then the upcoming Climate Fundamentals Workshop is your one-stop shop for climate data clarity! As a lead-in to the Carolinas Climate Resilience Conference in Charlotte on September 12, this workshop will review weather and climate science information and resources for the Carolinas.
Along with overviews and walkthroughs of online tools where you can access current weather data and past climate information, the workshop will provide an overview of significant aspects of the climate of the Carolinas, including extreme events and changes in the past, present, and future.
We’re particularly excited about this workshop as Rebecca Ward from our office, along with other regional climate experts, will be assisting and sharing several tools from our website. Some sample questions that these tools can help answer are:
- Where and how can I obtain climate data?
- What’s the weather like across the Carolinas right now? Or on a particular date in history?
- Based on recent conditions in my location, which city elsewhere in the US has it felt the most like?
- What are the average number of days with low temperatures below 40 degrees in Charlotte?
This workshop isn’t designed to be a one-way street either: When you sign up, you’ll be asked if there’s a particular topic you’re interested in learning more about — be it something like El Nino, climate change, the frequency of severe weather, or finding historical temperatures near your home. These topics will then be incorporated or emphasized during the workshop. This workshop will give participants a chance to interact one-on-one with climate scientists and fellow climate information users.
The Climate Fundamentals Workshop is particularly suited for planners, resource managers, educators, policymakers, and others interested in learning more about climate in the Carolinas. Understanding how to find and use climate and weather information can help communities and organizations foster greater resilience to climate events.
Expert Instructors:
- Laura Stevens – Research Associate, CICS-NC, NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI)
- Rebecca Ward – Extension Climatologist, State Climate Office of North Carolina
- Jordan McLeod – Regional Climatologist, Southeast Regional Climate Center
Inclusive Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building Workshop
The impacts of climate variability and change affect everyone, but they disproportionately affect socially vulnerable populations. The Inclusive Climate Adaptation and Resilience Building Pre-Conference Workshop will support participants in working with vulnerable or marginalized communities on climate related impacts. Speakers will share proven examples of inclusive programs and adaptation models that empower communities to face climate challenges.
Expert Instructors:
- Jacqui Patterson – NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program
- Ronny Bell – Maya Angelou Center for Health Equity at Wake Forest
- Reverend Leo Woodberry – Woodberry & Associates and pastor of Kingdom Living Temple in Florence, SC
Climate Communications in the Carolinas Workshop
The Climate Communications in the Carolinas Pre-Conference Workshop is designed for those seeking to improve their ability to convey climate science and information to target audiences and stakeholders. Participants will review how to develop messages that are clear, concise and compelling for public presentations, media interviews and conversations with decision makers.
This workshop will be led by Susan Joy Hassol, Director of Climate Communication, a non-profit project that specializes in climate change communication and outreach and supports scientists, journalists, and others in communicating about climate. Susan has worked for over 20 years to help communicate the science of climate change, written and edited numerous high-level reports, testified before Congress, written an HBO documentary, and appeared on national radio and television shows.