Whether you’re a newly elected official or a seasoned public servant, the Sustainable Cities Institute (SCI), a National League of Cities program, provides local leaders innovative ideas and personal connections necessary to address challenges related to local energy policy, environmental quality, utility management, and climate-related disasters.
This year at City Summit in Charlotte, several sessions in the Environment & Energy track will feature many of the elected officials, municipal staff and expert partners who make this work possible.
Newly elected officials or attendees who are relatively new to these issues should attend:
- Let’s Talk Climate —Thursday, November 16, 9 AM – 12 PM
The signature climate workshop from NLC University and ecoAmerica. The session will provide communications tools and strategies you can use to engage citizens on climate issues.
Getting Started on Sustainability—Friday, November 17, 10:30 AM – 12 PM
It’s exactly what it sounds like. Here, speakers will discuss how to prioritize action, develop useful partnerships and budget for sustainability investments in cities of any size.
- Leading Community Resilience: Lessons Learned— Saturday, November 18, 9 AM – 10:30 AM
Explore the connection between sustainability and natural disaster. Hurricanes in the southeast, firestorms in the west and floods in the heartland demonstrate that every community needs to be prepared for the shocks and stressors that may arise.
For an opportunity to focus more narrowly on a few specific issues, there are additional sessions available:
- Simplifying Water Management —Friday, November 17, 1:30 – 3 PM
Showcasing the latest strategies that city councilors, city staff, elected water board members and other groups use to manage municipal water utilities and provide safe, affordable water services. - World Café: The Future of City Energy Policy —Friday, November 17, 3:30 – 5 PM
Join multiple roundtable discussions on efficiency, renewable energy, utility franchise agreements and a variety of related energy issues.
We’re less than a week away from City Summit, so start building out your schedule today – see you in Charlotte!
Cooper Martin is the program director of the Sustainable Cities Institute at the National League of Cities.