On April 30 and May 1, 2009, Oxfam America with 34 other organizations will host a groundbreaking conference in Washington, DC—one of the first of its kind to address the ways that vulnerable communities can become stronger, more prepared, and more resilient in the face of climate change.
"Ready or Not? A Conference on Issues and Solutions for Adapting to Climate Change," focuses on ideas to help people cope with the human consequences of the crisis, which include droughts, food shortages, health crises, and mass migrations. Panelists will discuss the proactive solutions—like drought-resistant seeds or flood-proof homes—that communities can use to build their resilience to these effects, and identify ways for the US government and international community to support adaptation efforts here and abroad.
Nancy Sutley, chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, will deliver the keynote address at the conference. Additional speakers include Saleemul Huq, co-author of the third assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC); Xuan Nguyen, executive director of Women's Environment and Development Organization (WEDO); Mazoe Gondwe, a farm leader and women's rights activist from Malawi; as well as climate experts and advocates from the US and abroad.
Over 30 environmental, faith, public health, and women's organizations lent their support to the conference, which comes at a moment of critical opportunity to influence a new US climate bill. Oxfam is calling on US leaders to make sure that global warming legislation not only curbs our greenhouse gas emissions, but also provides financial assistance that helps poor communities here and around the world withstand the current and future impacts of climate change.
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