Don’t let the name of the org distract you: The Urban Waters Learning Network’s Building Water Equity and Climate Resilient Communities for ALL can offer the Northern Neck a great deal.
The six-part series is highlighting “a variety of strategies that community-based organizations can use to help their communities anticipate, prepare for and respond to climate risks such as flooding, coastal storms and drought, with a focus on protecting community members who are most vulnerable to climate threats.”
What kinds of organizations should participate?
The gamut of organizational types and interests are required to plan for, take action during, and recover from climate risks. Nonprofit organizations of all kinds—including houses of worship, service organizations, social clubs—as well as for-profit businesses, informal organizations, and neighborhood groups each have a role to play. Think
- those which serve/work with the oldest and the youngest
- those which meet basic needs such as food and shelter
- those with the capacity to do hands-on labor
- those with resources and/or connections to resources
- those with skills to bring people together toward common goals
- those with existing relationships with the county, state, and federal governments
- those with language and cultural skills and experience
- those with expertise in technology
- those with the ability to engage those with skills but not involved with a formal organization
- those with communications experience
The sessions
The remaining live virtual sessions take place November 15, December 13, and January 17.
Centering Those at Risk: The Power of Community-Led Research for Climate Resilience Investments, November 15 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET
Community-led research is a powerful approach to gather and apply community generated data to inform climate resilience decisions such as green infrastructure plans and watershed restoration priorities. In the hands of those community members who are at greatest risk from climate change, CLR is a way to capture their wisdom and experiences and build an advocacy platform to ensure efforts to build community resilience address issues of justice and advance solutions that are based on community needs. We will highlight River Network’s Community-Led Research tool and hear from local organizations that have deployed CLR as a tool for climate equity.
Equitable Resilience Planning Frameworks, December 13 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET
In this session, we will discuss how to engage and center the needs of the most vulnerable community members when developing climate resilience plans. We will share examples of community-driven plans that advance community priorities, drawing from the experience of members of the National Association of Climate Resilience Planners and the Community-Driven Climate Resilience Planning Framework.
Building Climate Resilience: Transforming Communities through Green Workforce Development, January 17 at 10 am PT / 1 pm ET
Join us for an inspiring webinar on community-led environmental transformation through green jobs. Discover how communities have successfully built green workforce programs to transform vacant or contaminated lands while bridging communities’ climate and economic goals. We’ll hear from experienced practitioners and community leaders who have harnessed the power of green jobs to transform brownfields into community assets.
Previous sessions are available on demand. The sessions are:
- Building Climate Resilience: The Link Between Historic Policies and Today’s Risk: In this session, recorded on July 19, 2023, presenters provided a brief overview of the disparate impacts of climate change in the U.S. and shared how communities participating in Groundwork USA’s Climate Safe Neighborhoods Program are making the connections between historic land use policies and today’s climate risks to inform resilience efforts.
- Resilience Hubs as Community Superheroes of Climate Preparedness and Disaster Recovery: In this session, recorded on Sept 20, 2023, we hear from national and local leaders experienced in establishing local Resilience Hubs. Resilience Hubs are central gathering places that bring community members together and provide residents with resources and support to prepare for and respond to climate emergencies. Climate Resilience Hubs are typically housed in community institutions – neighborhood centers, libraries, etc. – and are set up as one-stop-shops for essential services and supplies before, during and after a natural hazard event such as a flooding event or hurricane (e.g. clean water and food, shelter, power supplies, cleaning supplies, etc.).
- Investing in Local Leadership to Advocate for Equitable Climate Resilience: In this session, recorded on October 18, 2023, participants shared examples of community-based organizations that are investing in developing community leaders to build momentum for local water equity and climate resilience. We highlight River Network’s Fostering Community Leadership tool, and hear from representatives of local organizations that are helping community members build their leadership capacities and put them to use through citizen advisory boards, climate ambassador programs and other avenues, with the ultimate goal of making lasting change in their communities.