Coping With Climate Change: National Summit

Over three days in May 2007, the School of Natural Resources and Environment conducted the first-ever national summit examining the climate change adaptation needs of the United States. The National Summit on Coping with Climate Change focused on helping the United States prepare for the impact of climate change and the ongoing alterations in temperature, precipitation, sea-level rise and species range.

During presentations and discussion, experts identified adaptation needs in four critical areas: public health, energy industry, water quality and fisheries. Then, they developed options for actions to be taken at local, state and national levels to help prepare cities, counties and states as well as business and industry. Those ideas, an executive summary and other materials were captured in a book, which includes a CD with many Powerpoint presentations and related speaker information.

SNRE organized the Summit as the University of Michigan's commitment to the Clinton Global Initiative, a non-partisan effort to devise and implement solutions to world challenges. Faculty from across U-M colleges, schools and institutes participated in the Summit.

"The nation has lost a decade in thinking seriously about coping with climate change. This Summit was an effort to jump-start that conversation with science and policy leaders and put SNRE in the forefront of innovative thinking to confront climate change," said SNRE Dean Rosina M. Bierbaum. SNRE Professor Dan Brown and Jan McAlpine, a visiting scholar from the U.S. Department of State, edited the book.

A sequel to the summit is being discussed. Early plans call for it be hosted by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research and the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment.

Summit Resources

Executive summary: Download the proceeding's executive summary written by SNRE Dean Rosina M. Bierbaum

Sponsors: Thank you to sponsors, whose support was crucial to the success of the National Summit on Coping with Climate Change. Also, thank you to faculty members from University of Michigan departments and programs who helped plan the event: Frey Foundation, Google Inc., Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute, National Science Foundation, U-M School of Public Health's Department of Environmental Health Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Proceedings: Learn more about the book and buy your own copy (Book jacket cover pictured above)

Climate change at SNRE: Visit the SNRE climate change news and research Web site featuring the climate chagne work of faculty and students

Videos: Streaming video is available of each presentation made during the Summit

Opening Plenary Session May 8
Plenary Session May 9
Closing Plenary Session May 10

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