Upcoming Public Webinar Series on Extreme Heat and Climate Change in New York State

Topics Include the Impacts of Extreme Heat and State Actions to Help Communities Prepare and Adapt

The State is taking steps to help New Yorkers and their communities better understand and prepare for the impacts of extreme heat. This includes learning about solutions for adapting to and forming partnerships to address extreme heat.

Extreme heat is a leading cause of death among hazardous weather events in the United States. Extreme heat affects the health and well-being of communities and individuals across New York State. Impacts are more severe due to climate change, with disproportionately greater impacts experienced by heat-vulnerable populations, urban areas, and disadvantaged communities.

The webinar series is part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)’s development of an extreme heat action plan in response to the increased frequency and intensity of extreme heat events caused by climate change. DEC and NYSERDA started convening the Extreme Heat Action Plan Work Group last year. It consists of more than 20 State agencies working together on immediate steps to address the dangers of extreme heat.

The webinars, hosted by DEC and NYSERDA in conjunction with the Extreme Heat Action Plan Work Group and University at Buffalo, will include presentations by a panel of subject matter experts on topics relevant to State and local planning for extreme heat events.

Read the full press release.

All webinars are open for the public to attend live and will be recorded and later posted on the DEC website. Registration links for each webinar are provided below.

Webinar Schedule:

Extreme Heat and the Built Environment
Learn about extreme heat impacts on the built environment, from buildings to transportation infrastructure. Consider impacts across a variety of scales, from the neighborhood level to the regional level. The webinar will also explore what interventions are working to moderate these impacts for individuals and communities.

Date: April 27, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/r03fe890fcc4bd12d55bae12f1d32b4b0

Expert Panel:

• Dr. Mikhail Chester - Director of the Metis Center for Infrastructure and Sustainable Engineering at Arizona State University
• Dr. Zoé Hamstead - Assistant Professor in the Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley
• Dr. Nicholas Rajkovich - Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo

Moderator:

• Dr. Susan Clark - Assistant Professor in the Department of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo

Extreme Heat, Health, and Policy: Strategies Across New York’s Many Landscapes
This webinar explores the impacts of extreme heat across New York’s diverse geographies and communities, including urban heat islands, rural and suburban communities, and workers. The webinar will also describe the intersection of extreme heat and the housing, energy, and agricultural sectors. Speakers will showcase potential solutions.

Date: May 18, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/r9aa21aa14939eec0822f9cfcb9345bbf

Expert Panel:

• Dr. Augusta Williams - Assistant Professor at SUNY Upstate Medical University in the Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine
• Dr. Diana Hernández - Associate Professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health
  Speaker TBA

Moderator:

• Dr. Nicholas Rajkovich - Associate Professor in the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo

Showcasing Local Solutions and Partnerships
This webinar will showcase local solutions from different communities across New York State and the people behind those solutions. The webinar will illuminate tangible and positive change advanced by partnerships among community organizations, local governments, and the State.

Date: June 8, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/r9fad777137e497e32e1f4165cdedfd65

Expert Panel: TBA
Moderator: TBA

Preparing for Summer 2023: What Individuals and Local Governments Can Do During a Heat Wave
This webinar will highlight concrete approaches for staying cool and safe during heat waves. The presentations will describe individual measures to cool one’s home; the various ways in which local governments, emergency response coordinators and community groups can help their communities be safe during extreme heat events; and available resources the State provides to support local preparedness and adaptation.

Date: June 22, 2023
Time: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Registration: https://meetny.webex.com/weblink/register/r264fbdc9b8c251e630b9ea766e7acba5

Expert Panel: TBA
Moderator: TBA

For additional information on the State’s extreme heat action plan, visit https://www.dec.ny.gov/energy/125801.html