On November 16th, hundreds of Virginians will come together in Norfolk to launch the next phase of our grassroots movement to fight the climate crisis in the commonwealth.
Norfolk and the entire Hampton Roads region is ground zero for climate change impacts in Virginia. Residents of coastal Virginia see the effects in their daily lives: rising seas force residents of Norfolk to routinely bail out basements or change routes to work due to flooded roads. And this problem isn’t going away. Sea-levels are rising faster than nearly anywhere else in the country, forcing the raising of homes, roadways and naval infrastructure to fight chronic flooding. Ocean temperatures are warming, driving bigger and more intense storms and longer hurricane seasons. And ocean waters are becoming more acidic, harming the region’s seafood industry.
Coastal Virginia is experiencing a slow-motion disaster – one that could become instantly catastrophic should the next Katrina or Sandy be a direct hit. Yet the conversation, from the Tidewater to Richmond, is too often a debate about the clear and unequivocal science, rather than about necessary solutions.
So what can we do about it? How can we bring about the changes needed – ever so urgently – to protect our coast and communities?
That conversation – and the roadmap toward serious action – will be at the center of the conference on November 16th. Called “Safe Coast Virginia: A Community Action Conference on Climate Change, Energy, and Adaptation,” the event will bring together hundreds of community activists and leaders, experts, and residents on the front lines of climate change.
The conference will include rousing keynotes by 350.org’s Bill McKibben, who will address the audience via a live video feed, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, president of the Hip Hop Caucus, and Lois Gibbs, the community organizer of Love Canal fame and president of the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. We’ll also discuss the hope at hand — how Hampton Roads is not only ground zero for climate change impacts in Virginia, but also ground zero for solutions like powerful offshore wind turbines. Breakout sessions will teach you how to mobilize your community, make your voice heard in the media, and build the political leaders we need to address this crisis head-on.
Join us to map out the path to advancing climate solutions in coastal Virginia. This conference is a critical opportunity to bring Virginians together to learn the latest facts, build new skills and mobilize the people-powered movement we need to tackle climate change where it’s being felt first and worst in Virginia. Securing a safe coast and climate stability for future generations will take a groundswell of grassroots action.
Register here for Safe Coast Virginia to be a part of the solution.
