Climate Adaptation Conference Focuses on Rural Regions
By Bob Hall
Bringing to light climate change issues and priorities in rural British Columbia is the focus of an upcoming conference that aims to build the skills and knowledge necessary to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to an uncertain future.
Registration is now open for Bridging Silos: Advancing Climate Adaptation and Low Carbon Resilience in Small Communities and Rural Regions. The free online event will take place on March 4 and 5, and is hosted by the Columbia Basin Rural Development Institute at Selkirk College (RDI).
The conference will bring together experts, climate adaptation practitioners, community leaders and residents to explore pathways to a more resilient and climate-friendly future.
“Whether it’s extreme weather, floods or wildfire, climate change is affecting the places where we live, work and play,” says Lauren Rethoret, Coordinator of the RDI.
“Small communities and rural regions have unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to taking action on climate change.”
The work of the RDI is delivered through Selkirk College’s Applied Research & Innovation Centre in Castlegar, linking students and faculty with community partners to find collaborative solutions to social innovation challenges. Applied research aligns with the college’s goal of being a valued partner in community development, regional collaboration, innovation and rural capacity building.
Accelerating progress to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world depends on a new willingness to innovate and collaborate across sectors, disciplines, regions, and jurisdictions, which inspired the conference theme of “Bridging Silos.”
The event will highlight some of the latest innovations and insights from and for small communities. Drawing on expertise from across the province and beyond, it’s an opportunity to look closer at how rural regions are seeking to increase their climate readiness and to plan for low carbon resilience.
The virtual conference design will provide space for networking and active participation to help attendees build relationships and learn from each other.
The Bridging Silos conference welcomes participation from local governments and First Nations (staff and elected officials), community organizations, consulting professionals, researchers, students and interested members of the general public.
The Selkirk College event will be hosted in partnership with the Planning Institute of British Columbia (Kootenay-Rocky Mountain Chapter) and the Adaptation to Climate Change Team (ACT) at Simon Fraser University. The initiative is offered through the Municipalities for Climate Innovation Program, which is delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada
To view the program and register please visit https://selkirk.ca/bridging-silos.
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