Keynote & Plenary Overviews:

• Susan Joy Hassol's presentation, Global Warming 101, will synthesize current scientific knowledge on climate change in a brief and accessible form, helping attendees craft presentations they make in their own communities. She will cover the top ten things everyone needs to know about climate change and ideas on what to say if you have only one minute to make your case. She will also offer tips on how to respond to some of the most common and persistent myths about global warming.
  
  
• Chuck Kutscher presents "Tackling Climate Change in the U.S: The Potential for Renewable Energy" - a summary of nine expert presentations given at the National Solar Energy Conference held in Denver in July 2006 that show how energy efficiency and renewable energy can help achieve the large carbon reductions that will be required by the U.S. by the year 2030.  This presentation will be a sneak preview of a special report that will be published later this year by the American Solar Energy Society in Boulder.
  

• Mayor Rocky Anderson’s presentation will be a multimedia production, Effectively Combating Climate Change Together, which garnered the 2005 World Leadership Award for environmental programs. In addition to offering the presentation in London before the World Leadership Forum, Mayor Anderson has spoken on the Salt Lake City Green Program at numerous events, including the 2006 annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative, a New Cities Project conference in Washington, D.C., a meeting of the Sustainability Committee of the US Conference of Mayors in Boston, the UN conferences on climate change in New Delhi and Buenos Aires, and the Environment Business Australia conference in Melbourne. This presentation details many of the effective measures numerous cities and businesses are taking to solve the extraordinary challenges posed by global warming and poor air quality.
  

• The Aspen Story defines the challenges and accomplishments that the City of Aspen and  Aspen Skiing Company have experienced in their quest to confront global warming. These two entities have been working on environmental initiatives for decades. Find out what’s worked, what hasn’t and what’s next

• Beth Conover, Director of Denver’s GreenPrint, describes how local government can influence the behavior and activity in the private sector, and the challenges related to tracking the results.
  
  
• Michael Armstrong, Portland Office of Sustainable Development, illustrates strategies for local governments to reduce CO2 emissions in ways that create local jobs and benefit the community.
  
  
• Robert Katz's presentation, called Leveraging Mountain Resorts to Expand Environmental Awareness, will address the importance of bringing the private sector together with the public sector and consumer in efforts to protect natural environments.  He will cite specific examples recently implemented at Vail Resorts that have resulted in magnifying the participation of consumers and local communities in the Company’s actions.  Attendees will learn about the process that led to the Company’s recent decision on renewable energy, how publicly traded companies can be successful and be environmental stewards at the same time, and how innovative environmental programs can lead to a stronger connection with your consumer.
  

• Jonathan Hurwitch presents Rational Renewable Energy: Progress in the State of Hawaii.  The State of Hawaii has been pursuing strategies to reduce their energy costs (they are the highest in the U.S) and reducing their reliance on imported oil.  This has culminated in the passage of their Energy for Tomorrow Legislation in May 2006, some of the most progressive legislation passed in the U.S.  This presentation will discuss the drivers, policy adoption, vision and projects underway for the State of Hawaii that include:
  
  Geothermal Energy
  Wind Energy
  Linking Renewable Energy to Transportation Fuel via Hydrogen
  Solar Energy: Hot Water and Competitive Electricity via Photovoltaics
  Stimulating Hawaii’s Agriculture Industry to Produce Biofuels
  
  
• Tom Easley or Stephen Saunders from the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, will present the Colorado Climate Project as a strategy for communities to address global warming.
  

• Eyewitness to Global Warming is Will Steger’s vivid account of the changes he’s witnessed firsthand, caused by global warming pollutants, in Arctic regions over three decades of polar exploration.  Steger shares stunning photographs from his expeditions along with compelling data and satellite imagery to document the deterioration in the polar ice caps.  While the issue is critical, and the presentation is dramatic, Steger’s message is one of hope and empowerment.  An understanding of our role in the causes and effects of global warming make this personal.  But as Steger explains, solutions are readily available and by making economically and environmentally smart choices people can make a difference.

• Kim Jordan, CEO of New Belgium Brewing Company, will speak on "Low Carbon Brewing"  highlighting New Belgium's efforts to minimize its carbon footprint and lead the way in corporate sustainability efforts.  Wind power, world renowned brewing efficiency, New Belgium’s role in The Chicago Climate Exchange, and recycling efforts are a few of the topics kim will address. 

• Roger Duncan will present the unified sustainable energy system incorporating the electric utility, building infrastructure, and transportation sectors of Austin Texas. 

• Craig Cox looks at how state and regional policies in the West are advancing the adoption of low-carbon, climate friendly energy technologies.  A particular focus of this presentation will be to examine how these policies themselves came to be adopted, and look at future climate and clean-energy policy prospects throughout the region.
  
  
• Bill Becker, DOE and Global Energy Center for Community Sustainability, presents "The National Leadership Summits for a Sustainable America - a project that is engaging leaders from government and civil society to create an action plan that will make the U.S. more sustainable in a time of climate change.
  
  
  

Workshop Descriptions:
 
Workshops on Thursday October 12th, 2006

1)  Addressing Climate Change in the Corporate Sector
Chris Lane, Xanterra Parks and Resorts
Auden Schendler, Aspen Skiing Company

Join two leading environmental directors in the tour and travel industry for a fireside chat about thorny problems and nasty obstacles encountered in the Real World - audience participation encouraged but not required.  Attendees will learn strategies and approaches to overcome barriers and implement large scale climate solutions.

2)  Renewable Energy:  Options for Adoptions
Chuck Kutscher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Jonathan Hurwitch, Sentech Inc.
Susan Innis, Western Resource Advocates

This interactive workshop will provide an overview of renewable energy and power technologies including solar (hot water, photovoltaics, concentrating solar power), wind, geothermal, ocean energy, and hydrogen (including fuel cells).  Attendees will learn from case studies how these technologies are being adopted in organizations, communities, and regions across the country, and evaluate options for their own implementation. Short presentations will be followed by an interactive discussion with attendees sharing experiences.   
 
3)  Planning for Clean Transportation
     Michael Armstrong, City of Portland
     Bill Tomcich, Stay Aspen Snowmass
    
Land use and transportation planning provide a foundation for communities to thrive while reducing emissions.  Developing the infrastructure and awareness to create choices for how residents and businesses move themselves and their products leads to a community that is vibrant, efficient, and resilient.  Examples and case studies will be discussed relating to land use planning around public transportation, implementing mass transit for communities, air travel considerations, and clean fleets and fuels.

4)  Policies Driving GhG Reductions
     Stephen Kanipe, City of Aspen
     Beth Conover, City of Denver
     Craig Cox, Interwest Energy Alliance
         moderated by Doug Seiter
Small city, large urban area, and regional public policies are driving adoption of new energy technologies and greenhouse gas reductions.  This workshop will present specific examples from Aspen, Denver, and regionally from across the western states.  Specifically, Denver’s GreenPrint initiatives and Aspen’s Energy Code, Renewable Energy Mitigation Program, and Efficient Building Program will be outlined and discussed. Municipal and regional policies will be presented and discussed in terms of their development process, implementation strategies and overall effectiveness, followed by open discussion.

Workshops on Friday October 13th, 2006

5)  Utility Strategies for Emission Reduction
       Roger Duncan, City of Austin   
       John Phelan, Fort Collins Utilities
       Doug Seiter, U.S. Department of Energy

Attendees will learn about basic utility structures (municipally owned distribution only, municipally owned integrated, investor owned, and rural electric utilities) and how two model municipal utilities are delivering energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction programs to their customers and stakeholders:

• The City of Austin’s Energy Vision is a national model for creating a unified sustainable energy system incorporating the electric utility, building infrastructure, and transportation sector.

• The Fort Collins Electric Energy Supply Policy has led to a comprehensive set of energy efficiency programs and services, and Colorado’s first and highest renewable energy portfolio target.
  

• Background, motivations, initiatives, barriers and opportunities will be discussed.
  

6)  Education, Local Outreach, and Media
       Pat Keegan , Colorado Energy Science Center
       Auden Schendler, Aspen Skiing Company

Learn how both traditional marketing approaches and "gonzo" journalism tactics are effectively changing consumer and traveler behaviors, raising awareness and stirring up actions that multiply positive impacts. 

7)  Gaining Traction through Partnerships: Energy Efficiency Benefits, GhG Reductions and Economic Development
        Deb Sachs, 10% Challenge, Burlington Vermont
        Jonathan Kevles, Rocky Mountain Institute

Learn how government and non-profit partners are working together to show the economic and financial benefits of participating in voluntary greenhouse gas emissions reduction initiatives.  Presenters will discuss multi-layered marketing campaigns that promote investments and/or behavioral changes related to energy efficiency, waste reduction and the use of transportation alternatives.  An interactive discussion will explore why energy efficiency programs are not as widespread as they could be given the many long-term benefits of EE investments.  Answers and solutions to this question involve the intersection of access to capital, job creation and sustainable community development.   
The City of Burlington’s investment in energy efficiency and ongoing outreach development via the 10% Challenge, a voluntary civic outreach program, continues to produce significant benefits. The mission is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, boost community vitality and sustainable development. The 10% Challenge has served as a great model to engage the entire community.  Its popularity is growing among several U.S. cities for its brand, transparency and transferability. The program encourages households and businesses to play a role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 10% Challenge encourages actions within three sectors: energy efficiency/conservation, waste reduction and transportation alternatives.

Rocky Mountain Institute is a leader in research and consulting on climate change and other areas of impact.  RMI focuses on market-based, profitable measures that reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and produce significant local economic benefits including job creation.

8)  Reducing GHG Emissions through Green Building Design
        Victor Olgyay, Rocky Mountain Institute

This seminar will provide a range of options for communities and businesses to drastically reduce carbon emissions through building design.  Buildings are responsible for a large percentage of our global CO2 emissions, and through attention to building design, construction, and operation these impacts can be significantly addressed.  Various building metrics and rating systems will be discussed including LEED and Ecological Footprint.  The usefulness of these systems for accomplishing GhG emissions will be discussed, and tools and techniques for assessing carbon production will be shown.