A Climate of Change - Webinar

Earth’s global average surface temperature in 2020 tied with 2016 as the warmest year on record, according to an analysis by NASA. At the same time, urgency has continued to grow around the Columbia Gorge to strengthen the policies, strategies, and tools needed to adapt to a changing climate and build resilience in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. Over the past several years, this has included action by several Gorge towns to adapt new Climate Crisis resolutions; the Columbia River Gorge Commission's approval of landmark new climate language in the new management plan; and a growing grassroots movement (youth and adults, alike) to protect Gorge communities from dangerous fossil fuel transport and adoption of new clean energy alternatives.
On Thursday, April 15 at 6 p.m. (Pacific) Friends and the Columbia Gorge Climate Action Network teamed-up for a live webinar exploring recent action by local leaders and the Gorge Commission on climate change; ongoing community activist efforts to safeguard Gorge communities from irresponsible fossil fuel transport and development; and the impact that energy consumption changes at the community level can have more broadly. The presentations will be followed by a moderated Q&A session hosted by Friends Community Engagement Specialist Natasha Stone.
Featured speakers included:
• Peter Cornelison, Gorge Field Representative , Friends of the Columbia Gorge and former Hood River City Council-member
• Michael Lang, Conservation Director, Friends of the Columbia Gorge
• Ryan Rittenhouse, Conservation Organizer, Friends of the Columbia Gorge
• Eric Strid, Co-Convener, Columbia Gorge Climate Action and Cofounder and retired CEO, Cascade Microtech, Inc.
• Natasha Stone, Community Engagement Specialist, Friends of the Columbia Gorge (Moderator)