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May 6, 2008 "Climate Change in the Delaware Estuary" Workshop




AGENDA (Click Here for Presentation Notes)

8:00 a.m. Registration Open
9:00 Welcome Remarks – William Brown, Ph.D (President, ANSP)
9:10 Opening Comments - Jennifer Adkins (Executive Director, PDE)

Morning Session - Environmental Science Issues. The morning will focus on identifying what we do and do not know regarding projected climate change effects in the Delaware Estuary and watershed from a scientific and technical perspective. A substantial and growing body of literature exists regarding expected environmental changes; however, there may also be important gaps or weaknesses in our understanding. The session will consist of speakers who will provide fodder for discussion by attendees in a facilitated roundtable format.

9:15 Opening Address: Radley Horton, Ph.D., climatologist, Center for Climate Systems Research, Columbia University, and NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “From global to regional: worldwide and regional perspectives on climate change.”

9:40 Panel Presentations (Moderator, Daniel Soeder, USGS, Chair PDE Science and Technical Advisory Committee)

9:45 Amy Shallcross, P.E., Supervisor, Operations Section, Delaware River Basin
Commission - “Water Balance, Freshwater Flow, and Precipitation Associated with
Climate Change in the Delaware Estuary Watershed.”

10:05 Michael Craghan, Ph.D. Director, Middle Atlantic Center for Geography &
Environmental Studies
“Sea-level Rise, Salt Marshes, and Coastal Systems.”

10:40 Michael Kearney, Ph.D. Professor, College of Geography, University of Maryland
“Assessing the Response of Coastal Marshes to Sea Level Rise at a Coast-wide
Scale.”

11:00 David Velinsky, Ph.D. Vice-President, Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia
“Impact of climate change on water quality and biogeochemical processes.” (Part 1)
“Impact of climate change on water quality and biogeochemical processes.” (Part 2)

11:20 Danielle Kreeger, Ph.D., Science Director, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
“Climate Change, Watershed Change and Ecological Interactions in Tomorrow’s Delaware Estuary”

11:40 Panel Discussion (35 min) – Challenge Questions for the Panel and Audience

Question 1: What information gaps or key questions remain regarding the expected environmental consequences of climate change in the Delaware Estuary and its watershed?

Question 2: What are our options and what actions are suggested to adapt and/or mitigate for the environmental effects of climate change in the Delaware Estuary and its watershed?

12:15 p.m. Lunch – On Own

Afternoon Session: Planning, Policy and Socio-economic Issues. The afternoon will focus on identifying what we do and do not know regarding projected climate change effects in the Delaware Estuary and watershed from a planning and policy perspective. Expected environmental changes are certain to also force changes in the socioeconomic landscape in our region. What do planners and policy-makers know, and what do they need to know better, regarding climate change impacts, adaptation needs, and possible mitigation actions that can be taken to lesson any adverse impacts to our region’s economic and societal health? This session will attempt to summarize the state of our knowledge and identify areas of need.

1:30 Panel Presentation (Moderator, Carol Collier, Executive Director Delaware River Basin Commission)

1:35 Howard Neukrug, Director of the Office of Watersheds for the Philadelphia Water Department “Water Purveyor Concerns”

1:50 Robert Graff, Manager, Economic Analysis & Coordination and Climate Change Initiative – Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission “Regional Planning Impacts”

2:05 Andrew E. Huemmler, Ph.D. Earth and Environmental Science department, University of Pennsylvania. “Environmental Policy and Technical Solutions”

2:20 Robert Haddad, Chief of Assessment and Restoration – National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration “Adaptation Strategies - What’s happening in other places”

2:35 Panel Discussion (25 min) – Challenge Questions for the Panel and Audience

3:15 Audience Interaction and Intake – What are we not doing?
Questionnaire forms allow for additional intake

4:15 Closing Comments and Adjourn

4:30 Dinner on Own

Evening Town Square
6:30-8:30

6:30 One hour Panel (focus on needs, also perhaps some prospective solutions/suggestions)

Keynote Speaker (30 min) - Dr. Thomas Lovejoy
President, H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment
Trustee, The Academy of Natural Sciences

Panelist 1 (10-15 min) - Carol Collier
Executive Director, Delaware River Basin Commission

Panelist 2 (10-15 min) - Barry Seymour
Executive Director, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission

Panelist 3 – Jennifer Adkins (Moderator)
Executive Director, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary

7:30 One Hour Facilitated Discussion with Audience

8:30 Conclude

 

Copyright 2008 — Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
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