More than 500 to pack King County Climate Change Conference, Oct. 27 in Seattle

County planning ahead for effects of global warming

2005 Archived News

King County is hosting a conference on global warming Oct. 27 to ensure local and state government agencies are preparing for changes to the world's climate and the potential impacts of more-destructive storms and water shortages on local government services. Christine Todd Whitman, the nation's former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, headlines the prestigious list of speakers at the day-long event.

"The federal government's policies still don't acknowledge what the world's scientists tell us is happening to our climate," said King County Executive Ron Sims. "That makes it even more critical that local governments understand what is predicted and begin preparing for needed shifts in vital services such as water supply and flood protection.

"King County is taking a two-pronged approached, changing the way it does business to reduce its emissions that contribute to climate change, and preparing for such potential changes as water shortages because of less snow pack in the mountains," Sims said. "The more we understand locally what is happening to our weather, the better prepared we can be to deliver the right changes in services including emergency response."

The King County 2005 Climate Change Conference is scheduled from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Qwest Field Conference Center in Seattle. The conference is sold out with 500 attendees.

Representatives from a broad cross-section of local governments and state agencies, education, business, the tribes, agriculture, nonprofit organizations and communities are participating in the conference. They will learn about and discuss climate change impacts and potential adaptations of services to expected conditions.

"Obviously, we don't know what the future will hold, but the lesson learned from the Hurricane Katrina disaster on the Gulf Coast is that local governments must be prepared and not depend on the federal government," said Sims. "Through preparation and planning for natural disasters today, we will be better suited to protect people, their property and our natural resources in the years ahead."

King County has taken several actions in recent years to protect and enhance the environment in the face of significant climate change including reducing air emissions at the regional landfill and fleet of buses, adopting sustainable building practices, increasing the use of reclaimed water.

King County has also adopted the Critical Areas Ordinances, is participating in regional salmon recovery work, and continues its efforts to protect and prepare county residents in flood-prone areas.

Conference highlights include:

• Keynote luncheon speaker Christine Todd Whitman, former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and former governor of New Jersey;
• Dr. Stephen Schneider, a world-renowned climate expert and lead author for international consensus documents on climate science;
• Discussion and book signing with John Cox, author of Climate Crash: Abrupt Climate Change and What it Means for Our Future (external link); and
• Breakout sessions led by local experts on the potential impact of climate change on natural and water resources, agriculture, coastal areas, fishing, forestry, hydropower, water supply (municipal and industrial) and flooding/stormwater.

For more information, visit the conference Web site at http://dnr.metrokc.gov/dnrp/climate-change/conference-2005.htm or contact Deborah Brockway at 206-296-1927.