Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux Speaks at White House Climate Change Talks

 

 

Vermont State Climatologist and BREE researcher Dr. Lesley-Ann Dupigny-Giroux attended a White House climate change solutions forum on March 8th and 9th. The forum featured representation from all 50 states and the District of Columbia as researchers presented innovative solutions to help address the Biden-Harris Administration's goal of achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

The White House forum included opening remarks from Dr. Sally Benson, Deputy Director for Energy at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Additional remarks were provided by National Science Foundation Assistant Director for Geosciences Dr. Alexandra Isern and White House Deputy National Climate Advisor Mary Frances Repko. Key themes of the panel included:

• Starting with trust as the essential ingredient for successful campus and community partnerships;
• Making sure underserved communities that are the most vulnerable to climate impacts are at the forefront of developing and deploying climate solutions;
• Ensuring that students have the knowledge and skills to lead in the clean industries of the future and to plan, deploy, and maintain the climate-smart infrastructure needed;
• Enabling campuses to provide essential climate extension services to states, municipalities, and indigenous communities; and
• Campus communities partnering with federal agencies to serve as proving grounds for new climate solutions and demonstrate pathways to net-zero emissions.

"It was a tremendous sense of hope," said Dr. Dupigny-Giroux in discussing the forum. "There were so many federal agencies in the rooms we were in, and everybody is pulling in the same direction."

Only one institution from each state was invited to participate. In addition to her attendance, Dr. Dupigny-Giroux was invited to give a lightning talk on climate services. She used the opportunity to create a new conceptual framework for the end-to-end provision of weather, climate and climate change knowledge, understanding, and tools to meet the needs of stakeholders. The new framework builds off of Dr. Dupigny-Giroux's previous work, using the "Do no harm" diagram that she created for the Vermont Climate Action Plan.