Poverty and Climate Workshop
Poverty and Climate Workshop
This workshop (PDF of agenda here) brings together University of Arizona climate researchers, local government agencies and non-profit organizations in southern Arizona to discuss poverty and climate in the Southwest. The aim of this workshop is to facilitate a conversation about the issues connecting climate, poverty, and vulnerability in the Southwest region of the United States and to identify vulnerable areas and priorities for future research and collaboration.
The workshop is an integral part of a research project funded by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to explore the nexus between poverty and climate in the Southwest. The purpose of the research is to examine the relationship between current climate variability and particular populations (e.g., the elderly, populations who work outdoors, low-income neighborhoods, college students) in the Southwest and how the projected impacts of climate change might exacerbate many of these factors over the next decade. Furthermore, as governments and other actors implement climate mitigation and adaptation policy, there are risks that poorer groups may be left out or adversely affected by policies. Our objective is to work with stakeholder organizations to understand the linkage between poverty and climate in the southwestern U.S. and eventually propose appropriate adaptive strategies.