Door County Climate Change Forum is May 7 at Stone Harbor

The third annual Door County Climate Change Forum, “Addressing Climate Change: Opportunities for Forging a Healthier, More Prosperous World,” will be May 7, 9 am – 2 pm, at Stone Harbor Resort in Sturgeon Bay.

Dr. Jonathan Patz, director of the Global Health Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will begin the forum with a talk about the health impacts of climate change, which he describes as “possibly the greatest human health challenge and opportunity in more than half a century.” Patz is professor and the John P. Holton Chair in Health and the Environment. For 15 years, he was lead author for the health impacts section of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

Rolf Nordstrom, president and CEO of the Great Plains Institute, will address the forum on “The Daunting Challenges and Extraordinary Opportunities of a Clean Energy Transition.” Nordstrom has nearly 30 years’ experience in energy and sustainable development policy and practice in both government and nonprofit settings. He will outline the serious challenges and the opportunities the Midwest faces in the quest to meet growing energy needs while lessening climate change impacts.

Kevin Schafer, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District executive director, will also speak, discussing water quality issues and the adaptation of wastewater infrastructure to a changing climate. Schafer has helped move the MMSD toward a watershed-based, sustainable approach to infrastructure management. Under his leadership the district won the 2012 U.S. Water Prize from the U.S. Water Alliance.

Tia Nelson, longtime Wisconsin environmental leader, will lead a dialogue among the speakers to conclude the day. Nathan C. Hayes, DO, doctor at Ministry Door County Medical Center, will join the afternoon dialogue.

Doors open at 8 am for registration and snacks. Environmental organizations will have booths with resources for attendees. The registration fee is $25, to help defray lunch and facility expenses. Registration materials are online at climatechangedoorcounty.com/annual-forum-may-7-2016/.