Presented by the Aspen Institute and the City of Miami Beach, the inaugural Aspen Ideas: Climate takes place May 9-12.
Contact: Jon Purves
Associate Director, Media Relations
The Aspen Institute
Jon.Purves@aspeninstitute.org
Miami Beach, FL, April 12, 2022 – The agenda for Aspen Ideas: Climate is available now. The inaugural event in Miami Beach will bring some of the most exciting innovators and leaders together with the public to engage with local and global climate solutions with the potential to reshape our world. Details were also shared for opportunities to visit sites of interest and cultural activations across Miami-Dade as part of the event.
More than 130 speakers from across policymaking, science, business, technology, art, education, food, journalism, and more will attend, including Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael S. Regan. Day passes are now available, giving members of the public additional opportunities to attend and engage. Members of the media interested in covering Aspen Ideas: Climate should email the press contact above.
Additional updates will be made in the coming weeks. Among the programming currently scheduled (view the agenda online for specific timings and updates):
May 9
- The opening night plenary sees Kleiner Perkins chairman and venture capitalist John Doerr and engineer and investor Ryan Panchadsaram share their blueprint for saving the planet. The principal of Climate and Nature Solutions and former Canadian Minister for the Earth and the Environment Catherine McKenna examines the progress made on global emission goals. Finally, Colombian President Iván Duque Márquez describes his country’s ambitious plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
May 10
- Mayors Francis Suarez, Dan Gelber, and Daniella Levine Cava share Miami’s vision for a more resilient future.
- EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan sets out his agency’s priorities for climate change and the environment.
- Leading designers and architects including OMA’s Shohei Shigematsu explore sustainable design principles.
- Some of the world’s top Chief Sustainability Officers, including Google’s Kate Brandt and General Motors’ Kristen Siemen, discuss the latest trends in corporate sustainability.
- How cities can upgrade their climate infrastructure: with New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell, Generate Capital CEO Scott Jacobs, and Sustainable Capital Advisors CEO Trenton Allen.
- Higher education’s role in the climate crisis: Wayne Frederick of Howard University, Julio Frenck of the University of Miami, and Madeline Pumariega of Miami Dade College speak to Aspen Institute President and CEO Dan Porterfield.
- What can parks and protected areas teach us about climate solutions? Susan Goldberg speaks with Everglades National Park superintendent Pedro Ramos, Environmental Defense Fund Senior Vice President Diane Regas, and National Park Foundation CEO Will Shafrorth.
- Environmental Justice advocate Catherine Coleman Flowers and Hip Hop Caucus founder Lennox Yearwood Jr. explain why the environmental movement should protect the planet and its people.
May 11
- NBA Commissioner Adam Silver lays out the NBA’s climate action plan to Tom Farrey, head of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society program.
- Filmmaker David Hernandez Palmar explains why indigenous narratives are key to saving the planet.
- Deputy White House National Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi shares the whole-of-government strategy to build a climate-resilient economy, speaking to Richard Newell, CEO of Resources for the Future.
- How does the ocean combat the climate crisis? Hear from conservationist and journalist Swati Thiyagarajan, sustainable seafood expert Barton Seaver, and marine biologist, artist, and coral aquaculturist Colin Foord.
- Are financial institutions starting to make a difference? The Financial Times’ Gillian Tett leads a conversation with Kristen Weldon, head of sustainable investing at Blackrock, Alex Liftman, Global Environmental Executive for Bank of America, and Geneviève Piché, head of ESG Solutions at Wells Fargo.
- Knight Foundation President and CEO Alberto Ibargüen leads a conversation with panelists including Kathryn Murdoch on how the media covers climate.
- Reinventing our food system with local, climate-smart, and scalable solutions: with Devita Davison, executive director at FoodLab Detroit, Center for Good Food Purchasing co-founder Paula Daniels, Indigenous Youth Advocate Samuel Schimmel, Corby Kummer, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Food and Society Program, and Washington Post food columnist Tamar Haspel.
May 12
- Nuclear energy: why aren’t we using it more? Experts weigh in, including Westinghouse Chief Technology Officer Rita Baranwal and Melissa Lott, Director of Research at Columbia University’s SIPA Center on Global Energy Policy.
- How can we make sure carbon commitments translate into action? Blythe Chorne, head of sustainability consulting at Ramboll Group, and Brian Stafford, CEO of Diligent Corporation, speak to The Atlantic’s Robinson Meyer.
- How local and indigenous knowledge builds healthy ecosystems: hear from Nils Christoffersen, executive director of Wallowa Resources, Marina Anderson, administrator for the Organized Village of Kasaan in Alaska, and conservation scientist Peter Houlihan.
Receptions across the city, ancillary events, field trips, and tours will take place throughout, including those with free general admission to the public. They include:
- A guided tour of the Alfred C. Gassell, Jr. SUSTAIN Laboratory wind-wave tank which can generate Category 5 hurricane force winds and the Coral Futures Lab at the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
- A guided tour of the newly-launched FIU-FPL microgrid and control room, helping advance research on renewable energy, and the Wall of Wind facility at the Florida International University’s College of Engineering and Computing.
- Snorkel Cleanup hosted by Debris Free Oceans and Ocean Conservancy to clean up the coral reefs off the shores of Miami and Key Largo.
- City of Miami Beach Resilience Tours to learn about the mitigation and adaptation efforts in Miami Beach, including South Pointe Park and Sunset Harbour, the blueprint neighborhood of sea-level rise climate change and adaptation.
- A walking tour of the newly-opened Phase 1 of The Underline, which aims to transform the land below Miami’s metrorail into a 10-mile linear park, urban trail and public art destination.
In the evenings from 8:00 p.m., programming will be “Wallcast” onto the side of the New World Center, with the public invited to watch Aspen Ideas: Climate for free from SoundScape Park each evening.
Aspen Ideas: Climate is grateful to the organizations and individuals whose support makes this event possible. The title sponsors of Aspen Ideas: Climate are the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, RelatedPhilanthropic Foundation and the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. Presenting sponsors include the Miller Family Foundation, Amazon, Valor, the Walton Family Foundation, McKinsey & Company, Thoma Bravo, Florida Power & Light/NextEra Energy, Shaklee Corporation, Wells Fargo, AT&T, Diana Ulis & Alex Kleyner, LSN Partners, and Ruta Maya.
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The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.
World-famous Miami Beach welcomes millions of visitors each year to its white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters and vibrant cultural scene. Known for its colorful art deco and MiMo architecture, the 7.2-square-mile island offers some of the finest dining and hotel experiences anywhere along with a beautiful oceanfront promenade that connects South Beach to North Beach. Steps away from the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is also at the forefront of identifying workable solutions to meet the challenge of sea level rise.