Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation Resources

Breaking Bad Conversations about Climate Change with John E. Fernandez

Tuesday, March 25

1:00-2:30 PM EST

Until just a few years ago, most Americans did not accept that the climate of the Earth – that complex interplay of atmosphere, ocean, hydrosphere, biosphere and cryosphere - was undergoing a fundamental change. For many reasons we are now aware of, including explicit campaigns to attack the science of climate and climate scientists themselves, Americans have been slow to learn of the findings and trust the warnings broadcast by the scientific community. It turns out the most effective teacher has been the planet herself. Encroaching storm surges claiming house after house on the eastern seaboard, extreme heat across the entire southern US for record periods, diminished snowfall, superstorms and massive hurricanes, wildfires everywhere including the most recent devastation in Los Angeles, and much more, has brought climate change to the average American where they live and work.

Today, for every American who continues not to believe that global warming is real, five Americans now do. The attribution of climate change to real world problems is now accepted by many Americans: 72% believe global warming will harm plant and animal species, 69% the world’s poor, 68% people in the US, and 52% people in their community. More than 60% feel a personal responsibility to help reduce global warming.

And yet the difficulty in addressing misinformation, disinformation, myths, and other informational and communication obstacles persists. Fernandez will leverage his experience engaging across diverse sectors of American society – the public sector, private sector, communities, and civil society generally – to offer ways in which to engage in nonconfrontational, nonpartisan, and, most importantly, positive conversations about climate change. The aim of the talk will be to discuss cases in which conversations are likely to be derailed by current misunderstandings and explicitly confusing information and offer pathways toward, if not agreement, then purposeful enhancement of understanding and empathy. Fernandez will also offer several information and communication assets developed over the past few years by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.

Professor John E. Fernández is Director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Environmental Solutions Initiative, enlisting the capacity of the MIT community in the transition to a net zero carbon, biodiverse and equitable future. He is a professor in the Department of Architecture at MIT, affiliated with the Department of Urban Studies and Planning and a practicing architect. Fernández founded and directs the MIT Urban Metabolism Group and is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Commission on BiodiverCities by 2030, the Urban Climate Change Research Network, and the Leadership Team of Oceanvisions. He has published on a wide range of subjects including sustainable buildings, infrastructure and cities, urban biodiversity, resource efficient design and more and is author of two books, numerous articles in scientific and design journals including Science, the Journal of Industrial Ecology, Building and Environment, Energy Policy and others, and author of nine book chapters.

Registration link:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1s_sORZwR1C8tY2Xz62bmw

This webinar was planned by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, the Massachusetts Library System, and the Vermont Department of Libraries. 

Date: Tuesday, February 4, 2025

Time:  1 PM – 2:30 PM ET

Webinar

No matter the size or the setting, landscapes around libraries can transform from a challenge to an opportunity for enhancing resilience and imparting knowledge. Professional landscape architect Lisa Giersbach from Massachusetts-based G2 Collaborative will discuss planning, implementing, and maintaining a landscape that meets sustainability, resilience, and education goals from the landscape architect’s perspective. Our panel of library directors, Margaret Woodruff of the Charlotte Public Library (VT), Jill DiPaolo of the Lewes Public Library (DE), and Kate Gomes of the Holbrook Public Library (MA) will discuss successes in fundraising for and creating spaces for community enrichment and enhanced resilience.

This event is part of the Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation for Library Facilities, a collaboration of the State Libraries from Maine to Maryland. This webinar was planned by the Delaware Division of Libraries, the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners, and the Massachusetts Library System.

• For your reference, here is the recording of the Library GreenScapes webinar.
• If you attended, please complete this brief evaluation.

This resource guide was created in support of the Northeast Summit on Climate Adaptation, hosted by state library agencies from Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont in November of 2023.