Under the leadership of Assemblywoman Barbara Lifton, a coalition of Cortland and Tompkins County nonprofits, colleges, businesses, youth groups, and local governments has formed to support ongoing planning and action on climate mitigation and adaptation. Sustainable Tompkins has been primarily responsible for planning and coordinating the conference logistics.

Mark Hertsgaard will be the keynote speaker on Thursday evening at the Hanger Theatre.

Events are free and open to the public except for the Saturday conference downtown. Tickets for Saturday are $20 for adults and $12 for students, and include morning refreshments and afternoon reception.

What's At Stake

Federal, state, and university research indicates that the rate of climate change is increasing rapidly, and many recommendations and resources are being crafted to help us transition. But ultimately, it will be up to communities to engage in the work of preparing and protecting their economies, infrastructure, buildings, and social fabric for the turbulent years ahead.

, but we need to find ways to share information and prioritize actions for cost-effective ways to reduce risk and protect vulnerable populations and key assets.  This first step is a collaborative effort to bring people together over several days in April to learn about climate impacts expected for our region, best practices for responsible reduction of fossil fuel use, and opportunities to invest in clean energy and smart development.

Mark Hertsgaard Speaking

The conference opens the evening of Thursday, April 18 with a keynote presentation at the Hangar Theater in Ithaca featuring Mark Hertsgaard, author of Hot: Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth. Hertsgaard, one of the most influential environmental journalists in the U.S., will join panelists from academia and state government to talk about what actions are being taken at the state level.

Events on Friday, April 19 will be held in Cortland for the agricultural sector, and in Ithaca for the legal and medical professions. Saturday will feature an all-day conference in downtown Ithaca with specific tracks developed for elected and appointed local government representatives, business and economic development interests, and community leaders. A Youth Summit focused on the overlap between climate justice, economic justice, and social justice will take place on the Ithaca College campus on Saturday and Sunday.

On Sunday, April 21, families and citizens are encouraged to come celebrate Earth Day at the Ithaca Farmers Market and in downtown Cortland, and learn how they can share in the responsibility of coping with climate impacts while preventing additional damage to our atmosphere.

A full conference agenda can be found at the event's website.