Alachua County hosting Climate Summit on Nov. 16

Alachua County is hosting a summit on climate change next week in downtown Gainesville. 

The Climate Summit is being held Saturday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Santa Fe College Blount Center (530 W. University Ave. in Gainesville). The event is open to the public, but attendees are encouraged to register online due to space limitations. 

Speakers include environmental journalist Cynthia Barnett, retired TV20 Meteorologist Bill Quinlan, Gainesville Chief Resiliency Officer Dan Zhu and Alachua County Environmental Protection Department Director Stephen Hofstetter. Nathan Crabbe, editor of The Invading Sea, is MCing the event. 

The event will allow the public to provide feedback on Alachua County’s draft Climate Action Plan, which is built around the county’s Climate Vulnerability Assessment and includes strategies to address the impact of climate change on the community. The summit’s goals include sharing research findings and resources with county residents and decision-makers, while gathering feedback that will be used to finalize the plan. 

For more information, click here.

Banner image: Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park in Alachua County (iStock image). Sign up for The Invading Sea newsletter by visiting here. If you are interested in submitting an opinion piece to The Invading Sea, email Nathan Crabbe at ncrabbe@fau.edu.