If there’s one thing to take away from today’s conversation about climate change, it’s that there’s no denying the scope of the challenge. At COP26 last November, heads of state committed to keeping the Paris Agreement’s temperature goals alive. Private sector leaders are also undertaking trillion-dollar climate finance initiatives to pursue net zero emissions. This is encouraging progress but not sufficient.
Most now believe that climate change is real and that action to reduce our impact on the planet is not only necessary, but possible, when people come together. But what is also clear is that we are not giving the public sufficient opportunity to move beyond boundaries and include them in identifying solutions. We need more settings that allow people to discuss possibilities, feel hopeful, and engage in action.
That’s why the Aspen Institute — in collaboration with Mayors Dan Gelber, Daniella Levine-Cava, and Francis Suarez — is hosting Aspen Ideas: Climate, a major new public event focused on solving the climate crisis, in Miami Beach from May 9-12. With support from Miami-based institutions including the Knight Foundation, the Related Group and the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation, we are working together to organize an annual meeting that will, among other things, address the implications of rising temperatures and oceans. level, which this community and many others around the world are already experiencing.
There is no doubt that South Florida is facing the immediate effects of climate change. But it’s not alone. New York City has experienced historic flooding. The fires are currently raging in the Southwest. Alaska is melting at an alarming rate. We understand the implications of rising temperatures and believe that globally we cannot reach 1.5 degrees above pre-industrial levels by 2100. If we don’t act, many places will be under water or permanently changed — and with that will be catastrophic. huge loss of ecosystems, economies and, yes, human life.
For this reason, practical solutions are at the heart of Aspen Ideas: Climate, which will bring together voices from across science, policy-making, philanthropy, business, technology, activism and culture. The event will highlight coastal communities, innovations in clean power generation, “climate-smart” economies, and how to use our agriculture and food systems, forests and oceans to combat climate change. South Florida has much to share on all of these topics as a thriving center for climate innovation and a global showcase for adaptation and resilience. This is a region that the country and the world can look to with hope.
Participating speakers reflect the breadth of perspectives and experience needed to tackle an all-encompassing issue such as climate change. We’ll hear from leading policymakers like Chair Nancy Pelosi, governors from across the US, and local leaders like New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell. The heads of several forward-thinking environmental organizations will be in attendance, including Everglades National Parks Inspector Pedro Ramos and
Sustainable Ocean Alliance founder Daniela Fernandez. And of course, we’re excited to welcome TODAY weather anchor Al Roker to share his passion for protecting our planet.
Venture capitalist John Doerr will present his views on climate; So timely with this event, he has just announced $1.1 billion to make the Climate School at Stanford University perhaps the most significant gift to a university in history. Renowned technologist Eric Schmidt and NBA commissioner Adam Silver will talk about the role of business, technology and money in mobilizing to tackle climate change. Innovative entrepreneurs will submit their projects and present their ideas. Pioneering architect Shohei Shigematsu will show us the future of climate-resistant and sustainable design. Most importantly, we provide the space for our future climate leaders — 100 young adults from across the country — to connect, learn, and move to drive change.
There are three important assumptions embedded in the Aspen Idea: Climate. The first is that local leadership is needed — but not enough. The scale of this crisis requires regional, national and global strategies that work in harmony. The second is that every sector of our society needs to address this crisis. The third is that hope matters — a sentiment captured in the title track composed for the event by Emilio Estefan: “We Still Have Time.”
If there is one danger without denial and in urgency that we now hear and see more and more around us, it is that we can risk feeling overwhelmed, cynical, or hopeless about our ability to protect the planet. But that’s the wrong message — and why we need climate events that energize, lift, and focus us on what we can do. The world is calling for solutions, and South Florida has a lot to offer.
Kitty Boone is vice president of public programs at the Aspen Institute and executive director of the Aspen Idea Festival. This section is part of the Florida editorial board’s collaborative Invading Sea, which focuses on the threat posed by a warming climate.