Dr. Philip Mote to lead off Forum conference with keynote on climate impacts and building resiliency

A well-regarded climate scientist with an impressive list of publications, Dr. Philip Mote has long focused on applying his scientific expertise to the problem of climate change. Dr. Mote’s keynote will help us understand the big climate change picture, sharing his wealth of knowledge on what our region’s cities and communities are doing to build resiliency to climate impacts to their cultures and economies.

Said Paul Klatt, President of the Spokane River Forum Board, “Being that the conference theme is building resiliency, Dr. Mote is the perfect lead-off speaker. We’re very fortunate that he can share his knowledge and time with us.”

A Professor at Oregon State University’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences, Dr. Mote currently serves as President of the Global Environmental Change Section of the American Geophysical Union, the nation’s leading Earth science organization.

Dr. Mote, who was recently appointed to be the Vice Provost and Dean of Oregon State University’s Graduate School, has a clear passion for climate adaptation planning and outreach.

Dr. Mote is an author on both the Fourth and Fifth Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, and was an author on three US National Climate Assessments.

From 2009 to 2019, Mote was the Director of the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute (OCCRI), a State of Oregon organization created in 2007 to help Oregonians understand and respond to climate change. He currently serves as the Co-Lead of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration-funded Pacific Northwest Climate Impacts Research Consortium (CIRC).

His presentation will use CIRC’s Northwest Climate Toolbox, a set of free online tools that allow users-from city administrators and industry leaders to farmers and foresters-better understand the current and probable future climate impacts that they face.

CIRC is a team of researchers from Oregon State University, University of Washington, University of Idaho, and University of Oregon. CIRC is a member of NOAA’s Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments (RISA) program, a national leader in climate science and adaptation. By collaborating directly with Pacific Northwest communities and policy makers, Dr. Mote has helped CIRC act in a supporting role for communities in the region to proactively adapt to climate impacts, including drought, wildfires, and rising sea levels.

On day two, the CIRC team will bring the Toolbox to life by showcasing how Spokane Community members are using the Toolbox to explore climate impacts in the Spokane/Coeur d’Alene watershed.

“The Forum thinks that communities sharing and working together on building resiliency will be the economic, cultural and environmental winners of the 21st century,” said Forum Executive Director Andy Dunau. “Our aspirational goal is to unite not fight to meet the challenges ahead.”

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