Adapting to a Changing Climate: Challenges and Opportunities

Join the Global Interdependence Center, Cumberland Advisors, and the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee for a conference on adaptive climate change on Friday, January 25, 2019. This day-long conference agenda is brimming with top professionals and will take place in the Selby Auditorium on the USFSM campus. Click here to register through USFSM.

Click here to view a map of USFSM’s campus.

 

GIC is delighted to share an update on a recent outcome from this conference, held on January 25, 2019.
Bob Bunting, co-chair of the program and Climate Adaptation Center (CAC), is pioneering the effort to establish the Climate Adaptation Center in Florida. The CAC seeks to be a resource for government, academe and the private sector to better understand the climate problem and to take reasonable steps to mitigate its worst impacts as Florida is ground zero for climate impacts from seal level rise, Red Tide, the changing characteristics of hurricanes and climate related human health issues. A comprehensive outline of the CAC is available here.

 

Agenda

8:00 – 8:30 a.m. | Registration & Coffee

8:30 – 9:00 a.m. | Introduction and Welcome

• Introduction

• Greg Smogard, Innovation & Business Development Officer, USF Sarasota-Manatee

• Welcome
  • David R. Kotok, CIO, Cumberland Advisors and GIC Board Member
  • Karen Holbrook, Regional Chancellor, USF Sarasota-Manatee
  • Bob Bunting, Scientist/Entrepreneur and CEO, Waterstone Strategies

Session I: A Florida Centric Perspective of A Changing Climate
Moderator: Bob Bunting

9:00 – 9:45 a.m. | Climate Change & Sea Level Rise: Implications for Florida & the Region

• Robert Corell, Principal, Global Environment Technology Foundation/Professor

9:45 – 10:00 a.m. | Break

10:00 – 10:45 a.m. | Climate Warming & Hurricanes: Impacts for Florida May Be Changing For the Worse

• Bob Bunting, Scientist/Entrepreneur and CEO, Waterstone Strategies

10:45 – 11:30 a.m. | Is Climate Warming Increasing Red Tide?

• Lenny Landau, Database Analyst/Engineer

11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. | Panel: Florida & Climate Change

• Robert Corell, Principal, Global Environment Technology Foundation/Professor
• Bob Bunting, Scientist/ Entrepreneur and CEO, Waterstone Strategies
• Moderator: David Kotok, CIO Cumberland Advisors and GIC Board Member

12:15 – 1:00 p.m. | Lunch: USFSM Patio

 

Session II: Local Impacts & Adaptive Strategies an Optimistic View

Moderator: Greg Smogard

1:00 – 1:45 p.m. | Perspectives from a Florida Town Manger

• Tom Harmer, Town Manager, Longboat Key and former Administrator Sarasota County Manager

1:45 – 2:15 p.m. | Climate, Municipal Bonds and Infrastructure

• Patricia Healy, Senior Vice President of Research and Portfolio Manager, Cumberland Advisors

2:15 – 2:40 p.m. | Panel: Local Solutions

• Ed Chiles, Chiles Restaurant Group: Topic: – “Oyster Farms Inc.” – Adapting to rising sea temperatures
• Moderator: David & Jennifer Shafer, Principals, Shafer Consulting Inc.

2:40 p.m. | Concluding Remarks

• David Kotok, CIO, Cumberland Advisors and GIC Board Member
• Karen Holbrook, Regional Chancellor, USF Sarasota-Manatee
• Bob Bunting, Scientist/Entrepreneur and CEO, Waterstone Strategies