Climate Change 21
Choices for the 21st Century
An Interactive Forum and Environmental Festival
October 23-24, 2008
Wells Conference Center, University of Maine
 

UMaine Today Magazine On the Brink The September/October issue of UMaine Today magazine featured a cover story on climate change. Read the interview with Climate Change Institute Director Paul Mayewski and the related stories.

On Oct. 23-24, this conference is being streamed here.

Questions for presenters can be electronically submitted during the conference at: cc21@maine.edu

View the conference schedule here.

The University of Maine has an internationally recognized tradition of climate change research that has contributed substantially to our understanding of the global climate system. This research has also enhanced our understanding of the impact of climate change on ecosystems and humans, as well as the impact of humans on the climate system.

Maine has a long tradition of environmental awareness and environmental stewardship, starting with visionaries like Rachel Carson. This legacy has been sustained and enhanced by the activities of the state's government and Maine's federal legislators.

The people of Maine and its economy are integrally tied to the rich natural resources and beauty of the state. Maine citizens have always displayed particular affection for the quality of life afforded by the state's natural qualities.

There is literally no debate within the scientific community that the climate system is changing as a consequence of human activities and that even more dramatic change is expected in the future. CC21 provides an opportunity for the public, students from academic institutions across the state and beyond, policymakers, and the private sector to experience first-hand perspectives on:

• The basis for the scientific consensus on climate change;
• Projections for future change on local to global scales;
• Climate change and the future—adaptation, mitigation and opportunity;
• The critical role of Maine's state and federal legislators, the university and other academic institutions, and Maine's citizens as national role models for a cleaner environment, an environmentally aware quality of life and a prospering economy.