Climate Change Conference Begins Thursday
The Adaptation to Climate Change conference gets underway at the UA beginning Thursday morning.

By Nancy Stanley, James E. Rogers College of Law
Jan. 21, 2009


Nearly 300 scientists, scholars and national and community leaders are expected to convene in Tucson beginning Thursday to take a hard look at one of the Southwest's most pressing challenges.

"Adaptation to Climate Change in The Desert Southwest" is a two-day conference taking a broad, multidisciplinary approach to assessing climate change impacts and identifying opportunities for action.

Scientists predict that climate change will exact a heavy toll on the United States Southwest and, as a result, the region is considered a "test case" for climate scientists, economists, lawyers, policymakers and national, state, tribal and community leaders.

The conference is sponsored by The University of Arizona's Institute for Environment and Society, or IES, the James E. Rogers College of Law, the Climate Assessment for the Southwest and the Program on Economics, Law and the Environment.

Complete schedule information is available at the James E. Rogers College of Law Web site.

Thursday's activities include an overview of the Southwest climate impacts from internationally known Professor Jonathan Overpeck,director of the UA's Environmental Studies laboratory and co-director of the Institute for Environment and Society.

The day will also include panel presentations on public lands and ecosystem management; economic impacts and policy implications as well as water and energy use.

Also, Dr. Thomas Schelling, recipient of the 2005 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics, will give the keynote dinner address.

The conference continues on Friday, as scholars and scientists examine how environmental institutions can best make and implement policies related to climate change, and how adaptation to climate change fits into a national and international context. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords will deliver luncheon remarks.

Extra info

The "Adaptation to Climate in the Desert Southwest" conference is at capacity and registration is closed. 

 

Portions of the conference will be videostreamed in real time from the James E. Rogers College of Law Web site beginning at 9 a.m. on Thursday.

 

Further details are available by calling (520) 979-0142.

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Nancy Stanley

James E. Rogers College of Law

520-979-0142

Nancy.stanley@law.arizona.edu