The world is waking up to the devastating impacts of climate change and its increasingly prevalent disasters: the world’s seven warmest years have occurred since 2014; in 2020, there were 22 disasters in the US alone costing over $1 billion each, the most on record and over triple the annual average since 1980; over 93% of the Western U.S. is in drought, which hasn’t happened since record-keeping began 126 years ago. Building resilience to disasters must be central to our climate policy, and doing so in an equitable manner is essential.
Joining us to discuss the importance of equitable and effective disaster resilience and best practices in the space are four amazing and varied speakers from across sectors. Katie Spidalieri, Senior Associate at Georgetown Climate Center, will dive into how states are integrating disaster resilience and climate policy in an equitable way. Dr. Samantha Montano, Author of Disasterology: Dispatches From The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis, will expand on the need for emergency management reform given increasing disaster risk. Ben Smilowitz, Founder and Executive Director of Disaster Accountability Project & SmartResponse.org will speak on his experiences in community oversight and engagement, as well as targeted response efforts, within disaster recovery and resilience projects. And Justice Shorter, Disaster Protection Advisor at the National Disability Rights Network, will highlight her experiences at the intersection of disability rights and disaster protection.
Speakers:
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- Katie Spidalieri, Senior Associate, Georgetown Climate Center
- Dr. Samantha Montano, Author of Disasterology: Dispatches From The Frontlines of The Climate Crisis
- Ben Smilowitz, Founder and Executive Director, Disaster Accountability Project & SmartResponse.org
- Justice Shorter, National Disaster Protection Advisor, National Disability Rights Network