Exploring America's Leadership in Climate Resilience

Experts discuss the path to global adaptation, mitigation and sustainability.

While the debate on global climate change rages across the globe, leaders in government, industry and academia have pivoted. Many have figured out strategies to adapt, mitigate and create sustainable solutions. But how do we move these solutions forward?

Realization of alternative approach possibilities creates the mandate to act. Last year, the United States federal government created the National Climate Resilience Framework. No doubt, federal support to create a nationally comprehensive, locally tailored climate resilience strategy is a necessary cornerstone to an all-hands approach. Certainly, we must coordinate all levels of government from across the political spectrum with philanthropic, nonprofit, academic and private sector institutions. And not just in America, but across the globe.

To answer the how and why that underscores these objectives, Battelle will host the third annual Innovations in Climate Resilience Conference, or #ICR24. This year, we’re bringing leaders together from government, industry and academia from April 22-24, 2024, in Washington, DC. Our theme is Solutions for Scaling Change and we’ll be discussing the urgency and need for innovation at scale to meet the monumental task of addressing climate change.

We’ve partnered with United States national laboratories and The Wilson Center to bring forward ideas and solutions, and a critical new dimension in adding a key nonpartisan policy forum for tackling global issues. 

But what do experts think? The America Adapts Podcast launched its recent episode with a focus on ICR24 and the Role America Plays in Climate Resilience. Following are some thoughts from experts who are involved in the upcoming conference.

On scaling solutions for change:

“It's not about one-off solutions, but the scale of those solutions and how it impacts people all across the globe,” said Dr. Justin C. Sanchez, Technical Fellow at Battelle. “If we can get to real scale, the economics of it starts to make sense. By creating sustainable solutions, they can become part of everyday life and through this, we can become more resilient. ICR24 gives a platform to the people who are developing, planning and driving scalable solutions to impact climate change.”

On the role of the U.S. government:

“There are research programs throughout the federal government where different agencies collaborate with universities and industry,” said John Conger, President of Conger Strategies & Solutions. “This enables innovation to happen. One example is CERTUP, the Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program. They develop networks of experts to short-circuit processes, reducing the time to get an answer to a policymaker that is based on science so that there are better-informed policies and management.”

On the role of industry:

“Private companies are often at the forefront of innovation,” said Katie MacDonald, Co-founder of Tailwind. “They can develop and implement new technologies, are capable of bringing things to scale, and to get products to people. There are real climate change threats to the economy and industry and good reasons for businesses and the financial sector to be concerned about adaptation and resilience.”

Interested in learning more? Join us in person at ICR24. Registration is open.