On November 19th, nearly 200 Vermonters from all across the state gathered at Main Street Landing in Burlington to push for action to address global warming in the upcoming legislative session.
The “Climate Solutions Summit,” – which VPIRG co-hosted with our coalition partners at Energy Independent Vermont – included a variety of panels and workshops designed to give attendees a fuller understanding of the climate crisis, the role Vermont can play in addressing it, and tools to make sure Vermont’s elected leaders push for global warming solutions when they return to Montpelier in 2017.
Speakers at the event included Lieutenant Governor-Elect David Zuckerman, an outspoken leader for climate action during his time in the Vermont State House and environmental justice organizer Vanessa Gray, a 23 year-old Anishinaabe’kwe activist from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Ontario, Canada.
Supporters of the Energy Independent Vermont campaign have committed themselves to aggressively push their incoming legislators and statewide officials to move forward with policies that will curb greenhouse gas emissions, promote clean energy and efficiency and strengthen the Vermont economy.
A more detailed summary of the event, including videos of several workshops and panels can be found here. For pictures from the event please visit the Energy Independent Vermont Facebook page.
If you missed the event, or made it but want more, our friends at VECAN are hosting their 9th Annual Vermont Community Energy and Climate Action Conference this Saturday, December 3rd. The event, taking place at the Lake More Resort in Fairlee, VT, promises to build on the momentum that has been created towards bold climate action in Vermont.