Climate Reality Leadership Corps
On August 2nd to 4th, Brenda will spend three days at Climate Reality Leadership Corps training alongside former Vice President Al Gore and world-renowned scientists and communicators learning about the climate crisis and how together we can solve it.
The training focuses on five key themes:
- Wetter, Warmer, and More Humid – A Changing Midwestern Climate
Major weather events and historic floods are clear indicators that Minnesota and the Upper Midwest are growing wetter and warmer.
Two recent powerhouse storm systems and subsequent flooding painted a troubling picture of the Upper Midwest’s future if we fail to act. Meanwhile, average temperatures in Minnesota have increased by nearly 3° F since 1895. This means that rain is fast replacing snow, and Minnesotans will see fewer freezing days. A warming climate can alter ecosystems, pose economic challenges, disrupt outdoor recreation, and put traditional foods and practices at-risk.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, we will explore the science behind these changes, what’s at stake for the Upper Midwest, and how farmers, city planners, and tribal communities alike can respond.
- Agriculture and Climate – The Problem and the Solution
The climate crisis is already forcing farmers to change the ways they operate. Greater weather variability and more frequent and destructive extreme weather events reduce agricultural production and make it harder for farmers to predict growing cycles.
The good news is that many of the same practices that can help farmers safeguard themselves against the worst climate impacts offer solutions to the climate crisis. By adopting new farming practices like no-till soil management, rotational grazing, and planting cover crops – practices often referred to as “regenerative agriculture” – farmland reduces its carbon footprint and helps capture carbon already in the atmosphere.
At the training, we will learn more about regenerative agriculture and other sustainable practices that can both improve the resilience of farms and benefit the planet.
- Homegrown Climate Solutions Powering the Midwestern Clean Energy Economy
The Upper Midwest, a region historically reliant on dirty coal, has the potential to become a renewable energy powerhouse. Minnesota has become a leader in wind energy and the state’s array of community solar projects has become one of the nation’s largest.
At the training, we will learn the economic opportunities for cities and rural areas presented by the transition to a clean energy economy and how to make a just transition that leaves no one behind.
- Realizing Climate Justice in Historically Marginalized Communities
Equitable and durable climate solutions demand that everyone has access to clean air and water, affordable clean energy, and job opportunities in the new green economy.
While everyone has a right to healthy and sustainable future, the plain truth of the climate crisis is that indigenous peoples, low-income families, and communities of color have and will continue to experience harmful climate impacts first and worst, with fewer resources to bounce back. In the Upper Midwest one of the greatest risks to clean water and environmental justice is the construction and expansion of fossil fuel pipelines across the US and Canada. To realize climate justice, we must resist fossil fuel projects that put dirty energy before people and the planet, and frontline and indigenous communities are leading the way.
In Minneapolis-St. Paul, we’ll explore current environmental justice struggles, acknowledge the leadership of frontline and indigenous communities, and learn how to mainstream equity and justice in climate action.
- Climate Leadership from the Bottom Up
Climate leaders in Minnesota are not waiting for Washington to act; they’re charting their own path to a clean energy future. Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as other cities outside the Metro area, have committed to transitioning to 100 percent renewable electricity. Neighbouring Canadian communities are also stepping-up to do their part.
But leadership is not only coming from elected officials. Youth are mobilizing to demand that their cities adopt climate action plans and that the state and federal government adopt a Green New Deal.
At the training, we will gather inspiration from these local and youth leaders and learn the necessary skills to push for even more ambitious action across sectors and geography.
