From November 15 – 19, 2021, the Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability will host the second annual virtual Houston Climate Week. With the support of University of Houston-Downtown, the week-long virtual conference will update the public on the implementation of both Resilient Houston and Houston Climate Action Plan. The event will provide a platform for local experts to discuss critical policy concerns to aging infrastructure as well as issues of inequity.
“Working to fight the climate crisis is a hallmark of my administration. The City of Houston created Resilient Houston and the Houston Climate Action Plans to forge a path towards a stronger, more equitable city that not only faces and overcomes disasters, but builds forward to a better Houston tomorrow,” said Mayor Sylvester Turner.
The virtual conference will host a series of one-hour panels each day addressing key components of the regional plans. Speakers include leaders from the City of Houston, the University of Houston-Downtown, University of Houston, elected officials, local government agencies, the energy industry, the healthcare field, local and national not-for-profit organizations, academia, and stakeholder groups.
“Houston Climate Week 2021 will provide a great opportunity for the community to learn about the regional efforts to drive the city’s plans for resilience and climate planning,” said Priya Zachariah, City of Houston’s Chief Resilience and Sustainability Officer. “This is a chance for Houstonians to participate in the transformative work of the Houston Climate Action Plan so that we can collectively move toward a more resilient and equitable future.”
To reserve a ‘virtual seat’, guests are asked to pre-register for the free conference at https://bit.ly/3pN64j4
Houston Climate Week’s official university partner is the University of Houston-Downtown. UHD faculty and students are among the panelists and moderators participating in the week’s events. The University also will host its own panel, presented on its downtown campus.
“The University of Houston-Downtown is delighted to be engaged in this event,” said UHD President Loren J. Blanchard. “Resiliency, sustainability, energy and transportation are topics that resonate with all Houstonians, including the students, faculty and staff members at UHD. Each day, we work to address these exact issues through research, scholarly activities, community engagement initiatives, and soon, the critical conversations taking place during Houston Climate Week. I look forward to further collaborations with city leadership that pave a road forward for a sustainable, equitable and stronger Houston.”
A tentative Houston Climate Week schedule is below. More events may be added. All sessions will be held in the afternoon at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., or 6 p.m. to make the conference more accessible to Houstonians of all ages.
Monday, November 15:
- Opening Session: Climate Change and Adaptation,
- Urban Heat
- Reforming Assistance Programs: Combining Home Repair and Weatherization to Address the Equity Gap
Tuesday, November 16:
- Houston Leaders Electrifying Our Transportation System
- Talking Trash: How to reduce landfill waste?
Wednesday, November 17:
- Energy 2.0: More Green Jobs and Economic Development Opportunities for Houston
- Community and Youth Climate Action: Voices of the Next Generation of Houstonians
Thursday, November 18:
- Never Again: Pathways to a Green and Resilient Texas Grid
- Taking Back the Streets: Designing Cities for People, Not Cars
Friday, November 19:
- Federal Infrastructure Plan: Opportunities for Houston, climate adaptation and the future
About the Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability
The Mayor’s Office of Resilience and Sustainability is responsible for implementing Resilient Houston and the Houston Climate Action Plan (CAP). Together, these documents provide a clear framework to foster the growth of a Houston that is both a healthy place to live, as well as an equitable, inclusive, and affordable city that leads in climate mitigation and adaptation and offers a transformative economy that builds forward. To learn more about the CAP or Resilient Houston, visit www.greenhoustontx.gov.