Webinar: Ocean Policy for a Changing Climate

Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve.\Photo courtesy of ODFW.

Throughout our 50^th anniversary year, Oregon Shores has been presenting webinars featuring leading scientists from around the country, discussing our ocean and coastal environments and the threats to natural and human communities.  Now let's consider what we can do about it.  On Tuesday, Oct. 26, 7 p.m., our subject will be a look at opportunities for action.

Speaking on “The Future of Coastal and Ocean Policy” will be ocean and climate policy expert Jean Flemma, who works on federal-level policy from her home base here in Portland.  She is Director of the Ocean Defense Initiative, which works to elevate the profile of ocean champions and ocean climate issues in Washington, D.C.; a co-founder of Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank for coastal cities; and an advisor to foundations and non-profits working to advance federal policy change.  For much of her career, she compiled considerable experience on Capitol Hill, working in various roles for the U.S. House of Representatives.  Her graduate degree is from the University of Washington.

This talk grew out of an article she co-wrote for the Center for American Progress, in which she discussed 20 ocean-climate priorities that the Biden Administration should tackle.

The article addressed many of our concerns here in Oregon: offshore wind, blue carbon, managed retreat, plastics, ocean acidification, and others.  We asked Jean to reverse the perspective on this agenda, looking up at it from Oregon, rather than from the top of government in D.C.  How can a state like Oregon meaningfully tackle some of these concerns, many of which are not only national but global?  How should we plug into national strategies as a state?  What can people do at the (small, coastal) city and county level?  She readily assented to bring this perspective to us on Oct. 26.

To register for this event, go here.