Registration 12:30pm - 1:00pm

Rita Rossi Colwell Center, 3rd Floor

Making the Climate Change Connection: Communicating Climate Change and Ocean Change 

Invited speakers: John Podesta, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate ; Ben Grumbles, Executive Director of the Environmental Council of States

Making it Personal Through Storytelling

Invited Guests

Transition to National Aquarium

Exploration of National Aquarium Exhibits

Participants split into three groups to explore exhibits and reflect on climate communications and public engagement.

Break-Out Session 

Each group meets with a facilitator to engage in a guided discussion about how OA issues or messages can enhance or inform communications around specific environmental management themes. 

Perspectives from National Aquarium: Messaging Climate-Ocean Changes for a Broad Audience

Jennifer Driban, National Aquarium Chief Mission Officer ; Liz Perotti, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program 

Light Breakfast 8:00am - 8:45am

Rita Rossi Colwell Center, 3rd Floor

Setting the Scene

State of OA Action Planning in the Mid-Atlantic and overview of Federal priorities with National OA Action Plan and OA Program.

Information for Purpose, Part 1: Developing Risk and Vulnerability Assessments

State perspectives, science/research related activities, and discussion on their intersection. 

•  Virginia Institute for Marine Science (VIMS) 

•  Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program (CZM), Virginia DEQ

• New York Department of State, Climate Adaptation and Resilience Program

• Interagency Working Group of Ocean Acidification, NOAA Ocean Acidification Program

• National Ocean Justice Strategy, National Science Foundation

Break

Information for Purpose, Part 2: Measuring Coastal Acidification

State perspectives, science/research related activities, and discussion on their intersection. 

• Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences Rutgers University

• Ocean Acidification Program, Department of Ecology, Washington State

• Maryland Department of Natural Resources

• NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

• Watershed and Land Management, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection 

• Mid-Atlantic Coastal Acidification Network 

Catered Lunch 12:30pm - 1:30pm

Rita Rossi Colwell Center, 3rd Floor

Information for Purpose, Part 3: Evaluating and Deploying Blue Carbon Ecosystems

State perspectives, science/research related activities, and discussion on their intersection. 

• U.S. State Blue Carbon Network, Pew Charitable Trust

• Commonwealth of Virginia Blue Carbon Eastern Shore Blue Carbon Project

• Multi-State Climate Pollution Reduction Grant for Wetland Conservation 

• Federal Blue Carbon Working Group, White House Council on Environmental Quality

Break

Policy Integration and Tools for Managers

Facilitated discussion in breakout groups for each theme above. Participants will be charged with making recommendations in response to specific questions posed. 

Report Back and Next Steps

Facilitators will be looking for tangible takeaways/ specific project ideas that can be acted on or elaborated furhter moving into 2025.

Homework assignment for each state:  After the workshop concludes, each state will be asked to identify a very specific project in search of peer-support or increased investment and submit back to organizers by Dec 2024.

Departure