Niagara Region invites residents to join online climate change summit

In September, Niagara Regional Council declared climate change to be an emergency and asked staff to set aside funds so they could hold a Niagara-wide summit with residents on the issue.

While, of course, COVID-19 was getting all the public’s attention at the time, staff managed to get things set up and on June 28 from 9 am to noon, Niagara will hold its first-ever climate change summit online.

“Although the responsibility to act is shared by everyone, municipalities in particular play a significant role in minimizing their carbon footprint and making their communities more resilient and sustainable,” said Niagara Regional Chair Jim Bradley.

“Hosting this summit is a crucial first step in our efforts to ensure that all of Niagara, both in the public and private sector, are aligned in our efforts to mitigate and adapt to the climate change. I encourage all Niagara residents to consider virtually attending this important summit to learn how they can play a role in our efforts to address a changing climate.”

The region said the Niagara Climate Change Summit will bring a group of diverse stakeholders, including senior representatives from the public and private sectors, to develop a common understanding of climate change and its impact on the Niagara community.

“Members of the public are encouraged to attend the hybrid summit online to learn more about this important issue which effects everyone.”

While in-person summit attendance is by-invite only given space constraints, residents may register, free of charge, to attend the morning portion of the summit via a livestream.

Keynote topics of the summit will include:

• ​A keynote presentation from Karen Farbridge, expert on community resiliency, governance and climate change
• The impacts of climate change locally in Niagara
• The relationship between climate change and the economy
• Ideas to accelerate climate change action in local communities
• The importance of climate change to Niagara’s youth

For residents who wish to participate, check out the link HERE.