Why, Who, What, How

WNC Climate Action Coalition

1. WHY: The mission/purpose of this coalition is to connect growing climate effects awareness with local efforts to protect our mountain region’s people, environment, economy, health, and recreation. This might include:

- Mitigating the effects from local climate threats including: landslides, drought/intense rainstorms, wildfire, floods, temperature extremes & changes, pressures from increased development due to outmigration from coastal and hot areas
- Decreasing utility costs to towns/county/citizens by encouraging use of alternate energy sources such as solar and wind
- Improving citizens health by cleaning air & water from effects of too much CO2
- Protecting our watershed
- Increasing job opportunities with clean energy initiatives
- Improving economic life of farmers
- Supporting local/state/national policies that protect us against climate change effects
- Protection of local, state, national forests & parks and tourism economy

2. WHO: A “coalition” expresses a framework for different organizations and individuals to come together to improve our ability to work on a common cause.

Organizations working on climate related environmental issues & preservation of local mountain cultures
Farmers
Natural resources business
Sportsmen/women like hunting & fishing & other recreational users
Businesses focussed on new climate aware technologies or efforts
Municipalities & governmental agencies
Churches
Corporations
Local businesses
Educator
Students
Local concerned citizens

3. WHAT: To support local efforts addressing climate effects and to incorporate climate awareness in all planning: economic, commercial, educational, recreational, political.

Must organize activities that get folks to the table
Build activities/events that grow awareness
Encourage attention to seek solutions for local and larger scale (state/national)issues
Can be a resource organizer
Can build events small and large around county/region highlighting effects on specific parts of our mountain community: farmers, tourism, recreation, local economies including jobs and living costs, health of our citizens

4. HOW: Build a broad coalition and decide on immediate action needed in our community/region

Familiarize each other with work being done and effects being seen locally from rapid climate changes
Coalition to organize larger event to build awareness
To have focus group with local citizen groups?
To work with municipalities and businesses to “green up”?
To work with community to mitigate climate effects?
To lobby for/or put forward protections/legislation?
To organize/publicize local resources?
To educate citizens about individual actions that can be done