Despite the Weather, Deep Decarbonization Conference is Still On

TO:                  Attendees of the March Deep Decarbonization Conference

FROM:           Davitt Woodwell, PEC President

DATE:             March 12, 2017

RE:                   A Few Flurries

 

I love winter storms, as long as no one gets hurt. I also miss them, as Pittsburgh has not really had one this season. So, what to do about this incoming blizzard and our get together this week?

I revert to two, perhaps trite, tropes:

  • Safety First
  • The Show Must Go On.

There are just over one hundred of us scheduled to be together Wednesday and Thursday this week. We come from at least nine states, but with concentrations centered in areas with storm and blizzard warnings that end just twelve hours before the conference is to begin.

Based on forecasts, the storm (someone has called it Stella, now that they name winter storms) will likely have passed through Pittsburgh, Washington, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston by Tuesday evening. The lingering impacts on travel are currently unknown, but foreseeable.

So be safe and prudent.

However, we will still be holding the conference in person and, I hope, virtually: adjusting the agenda and calling audibles. The effort that has gone in to getting you all together has been taken not simply for us to gather and discuss, but to start the in-depth discussion of what Pennsylvania (and others) need to do to achieve deep decarbonization. While we really want to see you all, we are focused on the outcome – the strategies and next steps.

I think we can still lay that basis this week. So, over the next 36 hours we are going to work to identify who we think can still make it in person and how we can virtually bring in others (we have video capabilities already lined up and are setting up a webinar through GoToWebinar and will get more information to speakers and participants as it develops). Based on that, we will see how we need to rework the agenda to best utilize all those involved and go from there.

If you can still make it, please do. I am excited about what we can accomplish.

Stay safe.

 

(As a P.S. – it probably wasn’t smart of me to tag an Instagram post two weeks ago with “the winter that never was.”)