Climate Change Conference

In 2017, Chattahoochee River hosted its first-ever conference focused exclusively on climate change effects in the watershed, exploring solutions for a resilient future for all who depend on the Chattahoochee River.

Leading scientists and experts shared knowledge of changing climate conditions, impacts to human and ecological interests, risk assessment and resiliency planning tools and innovative measures for mitigation and adaptation.

Conference Objectives

1.To present reliable scientific data and analysis of current and future climate conditions and trends in the Chattahoochee River Basin.

2.To understand the impacts of climate conditions to human, infrastructure and ecological interests.

3.To offer solutions to mitigate climate change, and for adaptation and resiliency to meet challenges.

4.To promote dissemination of knowledge, gathering, dialogue and planning among those involved in research, planning and implementation at local, regional and state levels.

5.To improve education and communication of climate change risks throughout the Chattahoochee River Basin.

Conference Themes:

What does the science indicate and how will our environment and community be affected?
Learn from leading scientists conducting research in climatology, urban environmental change and heat effects, and hydrology about the changing climate conditions and how they may affect river flows, the urban landscape, and people and wildlife. State and federal agency representatives will discuss the applied tools to investigate impacts and the policies to mitigate and adapt to possible changing conditions.

What is the moral imperative to act and can climate mitigation and adaptation offer co-benefits to public health?
Public health, religious, environmental stewards, and education leaders will explore the reasons to assess climate risks as they relate to vulnerable populations and the moral imperative we face to mitigate and adapt to climate impacts so that we may create a resilient future for all. These leaders will propose reasons for and examples of how climate adaptation and mitigation solutions offer co-benefits to public health and other aspects of community life.

What tools are available for creating a resiliency strategy and who is leading the way?
Local governments, corporations and educational institutions are conducting climate vulnerability assessments and creating resiliency strategies to protect their infrastructure, capital resources, as well as, be responsive to customer demands and seize on market opportunities. Water and energy experts from the public and private sectors will share lessons learned and success stories in reducing water and energy demand, managing stormwater through green infrastructure, and other climate mitigation and adaptation advances to protect our watershed.

How do we communicate with diverse audiences?
Climate Change in the American Mind: Communicating about this complex issue with diverse audiences. The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication specializes in understanding public climate change knowledge, attitudes, policy preferences, and behavior and the underlying psychological, cultural and political factors that drive public responses.

A special thank you to our Climate Change Conference Steering Committee:

Mary Anne Lanier, Chair of Conference, Trustee Ray C. Anderson Foundation & member CRK Board of Directors
Dave Kirkpatrick, Vice-Chair, CRK Board of Directors
Sally Bethea, founding Executive Director & Riverkeeper, CRK
Julie Hairston
Andy Thompson, Smith Gambrell Russell LLP

Rob McDowell, Georgia State University
Rev. Kate McGregor Mosley, Georgia Interfaith Power & Light
Chris Nelson, Chattahoochee Nature Center
Stacy Funderburke, Conservation Fund
Cory Rayburn, City of Atlanta
Jenny Hoffner, American Rivers

Conference Program and Agenda

DAY ONE: Wednesday, September 27, 2017

DAY TWO: Thursday, September 28, 2017