2020 Midwest Climate Summit Think Tank
October 2, 2020 - November 20,2020
The Fall 2020 Think Tank program was organized around topic areas: Science & Research; Teaching & Education; Climate Action; and Outreach & Engagement. The Think Tank aimed to:
- Engage leaders and decision-makers from multiple sectors
- Provide content focused on advancing understanding of climate impacts in the Midwest and promoting existing and emerging best practices
- Cultivate ideas and partnerships that will help organizations accelerate climate action
Kick-Off Session, Hosted on October 2, 2020
Featuring
- Robert Bullard – “Building a Just, Fair and Equitable Society in the Era of Climate Change”
- Chris Caldwell – “Situational Awareness: Addressing Climate Solutions in the Midwest”
- Katharine Wilkinson – “Transformational Leadership for the Climate Crisis”
- Heather McTeer Toney – “Lord Willing and the Creek Don’t Rise: Collaborative solutions for facing the climate crisis”
- Isra Hirsi – “Creating a People’s Movement”
Session 2, Hosted on October 9, 2020
“The Future of Extreme Climate Events in the Midwest”
Featuring
- Heidi Roop – University of Minnesota
- Gabe Filippelli – Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
- Jessica Hellman – University of Minnesota
- Daniel Vimont – University of Wisconsin-Madison
Session 3, Hosted on October 23, 2020
“Ambition, Economics, and a Just Transition in the Midwest”
Featuring
- Carla Frisch – Rocky Mountain Institute
- Delmar Gillus – Elevate Energy
- Neil Hawkins – Erb Foundation
Climate Action Workshop: “Building Cross-Sector Partnerships to Accelerate Action”
Outreach and Engagement Workshop: “Building New Partnerships: Finding Common Ground for Successful Climate Action”
Science and Research Workshop: “Climate Solutions in Public Health and Communities”
Teaching and Education Workshop: “Teaching Climate Across the Curriculum”
Session 4, Hosted on November 6, 2020
“Education for Resilience: Letting Mother Earth Teach Us”
Featuring:
- Daniel Wildcat– Haskell Indian Nations University
- Kelly Eskew– Indiana University
Climate Action Workshop: “Planning for a Resilient Future”
Outreach and Engagement Workshop: “Actions Speak Louder than Words – Moving Discussions Towards Solutions“
Science and Research Workshop: “Agriculture as a Climate Solution”
Teaching and Education Workshop: “From Campus to Community: Educating Today’s Climate Experts”
Session 5, Hosted on November 20, 2020
“Communicating the Crisis: Should We Just Change the Subject”
Featuring:
- Justin Gillis – Former New York Times Climate Reporter