CLIMATE REALITY LEADERSHIP CORPS TO HOLD TRAINING IN MIAMI IN SEPTEMBER

Washington, DC (August 6, 2015) – The Climate Reality Project announced today that applications are open now for the 30th Climate Reality Leadership Corps training, which will be held in Miami, Florida from September 28 to 30. Miami is on the forefront of the climate fight, and the training will highlight climate issues specific to the region, the political and social conversation around renewable energy deployment and the key leadership role the Latino community has on climate change action.

This is the final of three North American trainings in 2015 – earlier trainings were held this year in Toronto, Canada and Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project, will lead the Miami training for hundreds of new Climate Reality Leaders, providing them with the knowledge and tools to build public awareness of our shared climate challenge and drive regional action for solutions.

In advance of the COP21 summit in Paris this December, Al Gore will be joined by world-class scientists, strategists, communicators and technical specialists to discuss the science of climate change, the direct costs climate impacts are having on communities around the world and the solutions available to solve the climate crisis. The program will also include skill building sessions on presenting, organizing, and communications.

“Our goal is to build the political will necessary for significant action at the global negotiation in Paris this December,” said Al Gore. “To achieve that goal, Americans must unite to call for climate action. Miami is one of the places where many people experience the acute impacts of the climate crisis, and is also a city that has a powerful potential for leadership. It is my hope that we can rally around solutions to the climate crisis and reverse the tide of global warming, not just in Florida but on a global scale.”

The intensive program is designed to formally train a new group of community, government and business leaders to become Climate Reality Leaders, who then become change agents in their own communities. They will emerge from the program as energized and skilled communicators and advocates with the knowledge, tools and drive to educate diverse communities on the costs of carbon pollution and what can be done to solve the climate crisis.

Thus far, The Climate Reality Project has trained thousands of Climate Reality Leaders from more than 126 countries, including recent trainings held in Istanbul, Chicago, Johannesburg, Rio de Janeiro, Melbourne, New Delhi, Cedar Rapids and Toronto.

In many respects, Miami represents the economic, political and physical frontlines in the climate fight. Miami has one of the highest capital assets risk profiles of any city in the world, due to the density of its population and concentration of wealth near its coastline. Conservative estimates put Miami’s current risk exposure at more than $416 billion. Sea level rise has led to increased risk of extreme flooding, as well as salt-water contamination for the state’s fresh water supply. And it is only getting worse. Despite these tangible risks, some of Florida’s elected officials continue to express skepticism about the science of climate change.

In addition to highlighting the challenges faced there, the training in Miami will focus on the area’s unique position to combat climate change through renewable energy solutions, policy changes and resilience strategies. For example, Florida has the third-highest solar generating capacity potential in the country, but is hampered by poor solar energy policies prohibiting citizens from purchasing electricity from third-party suppliers that are not utilities. While some elected officials choose to ignore the threat climate impacts pose, cities, businesses, universities and citizens groups across Florida are calling for more aggressive action on climate change, including support for the Clean Power Plan, an open market for renewable energy and investments in resiliency.

Miami – and Florida in general – also represents a critical location politically and demographically. As always, Florida is an important battleground not only in the general election but in the primaries as well. The Latino community has an important voice in those debates. Making up nearly a quarter of Florida’s population, Latinos also care greatly about climate change and carbon pollution. Recent surveys suggest the issue ranks second only to immigration in importance for Latinos nationwide and the vast majority favor regulated carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants.

Bringing together business, academic, Latino and city climate voices in Miami will raise awareness of the significant impacts of climate change while also examining both local and global solutions and will hopefully have an impact worldwide.

For more information and to apply by August 26, visit www.climaterealitytraining.org. 

Contact:

Hayley Moller
[email protected]
202-481-8746