Bath’s Climate Action Commission wants to get residents talking about rising sea levels and their potential impacts on the city.
The commission on Tuesday, Oct. 4, will launch a series of Climate Conversation workshops involving local leaders and community members to discuss the repercussions of climate change and how to prepare for them.
“The Climate Action Commission has long recognized that community outreach efforts are a crucial element to engage citizens regarding climate action and what we need to do collectively to prepare for future climate changes,” said Rod Melanson, Bath’s director of sustainability and environment.
The first forum will focus on “the built environment,” exploring climate change in the context of Bath’s public facilities, homes, roads and transportation. It will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Patten Free Library and on Zoom.
“It’s a chance for the public to meet local leaders that are involved in the day-to-day efforts that seek to make this community a sustainable and resilient place to live, learn, work and play,” Melanson said.
Forum participants will include Marc Meyers, city manager; Deb Keller, director of Bath Housing; Ruth Indrick, project director of Kennebec Estuary & Land Trust; Tim Blair of the Bike Pedestrian Committee; and Melanson.
Future forums might focus on the natural environment, energy options, future generations’ voices, and implications beyond Bath, he said.
The commission is also working on the Resilient Bath Initiative, which includes proposals for developing accessible public transportation and modernizing Bath’s buildings through weatherization, electrification and clean energy alternatives.
In addition, the city will be making a “vulnerability assessment” to identify Bath’s most vulnerable areas and the climate events most likely to affect them.
Tuesday’s even is being hosted in partnership with the Kennebec Estuary Land Trust and the Patten Free Library.
“Conversations with and among community members are important elements to producing long-term understanding of the issues we face, and the actions needed to address them,” Melanson said.
Visit the Patten Free Library’s events page to register.
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