National Association of Environmental Law Societies Annual Conference: 'Staying afloat - adapting to climate change on the Gulf and beyond'

This spring, Loyola University New Orleans College of Law is hosting the National Association of Environmental Law Societies (NAELS) Annual Conference March 4-7, 2010. This is the 23rd annual conference put on by NAELS, it is centred around 'Adapting to Climate Change' and will focus on three elements: 1)The importance of adaptation as a response to climate change. In addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the United States and other nations must begin adapting their communities to a warming climate. Our people, our environment, and our economy depend it. 2)The search for real solutions. Scientists and engineers are doing their part. But lawmakers are lagging behind. We need better land-use and environmental protection, more adaptive regulations, smarter insurance regimes, and more. The speakers we invite know solutions are important and will bring many ideas to the table. 3) New Orleans as a test case. Hurricane Katrina reminded us of how vulnerable cities can be in the face of sudden disaster. We’ll never know the role, if any, climate change played in the Katrina disaster, but we do know that global warming will bring more drought, more disease, and stronger and more frequent storms. This conference will check in on the city’s recovery and identify important lessons that can be applied in New Orleans as well as other cities.