Global Warming Forums are Hot!
For San Diegans concerned about how climate change will alter their region in the next few decades, there are two public meetings for them to learn about the latest scientific research.
The meetings scheduled for the evenings of March 19 and 26 are sponsored by the San Diego Foundation, which recently released a report titled “San Diego’s Changing Climate: A Regional Wakeup Call.”
As a sign of how hot the topic is, all the seats for the first event were taken within hours of it being announced. As a result, the foundation organized a second one.
Both forums are designed to publicize the foundation’s report, touted as the first comprehensive assessment of its kind conducted for a county.
The report contains some frightening predictions on what could happen to this region by 2050, if nothing is done to ameliorate the effects of global warming.
Among the dire consequences:
Hotter and drier climate, with more frequent and longer-lasting heat waves.
More severe wildfires and water shortages.
Native plants and species going extinct.
Sea levels rising by as much as 12 to 18 inches, which means low-lying streets in places like Mission Beach could be underwater during high tides.
Emily Young, the foundation’s director of environment analysis and strategy, will speak at the gatherings, highlighting the challenges as well as recommendations for addressing the crisis. Young, who has a PhD in geography from the University of Texas at Austin, previously conducted conservation research in Baja California and taught environmental courses at the University of Arizona.
The events begin with refreshments at 5:30 p.m., followed by a presentation at 6 p.m. and ends with a question-and-answer session. They will be held at the foundation’s main office in Liberty Station in Point Loma, 2508 Historic Decatur Road, Suite 200.
To RSVP, email Marisa Quiroz at marisa@sdfoundation.org.