NHPR, in collaboration with NHPBS, held the first ever By Degrees Climate Summit at the University of New Hampshire in Durham on April 13.
Hosted by NHPR’s climate and energy reporter Mara Hoplamazian, this summit brought together people from across New England to talk about opportunities for transformative action in the face of the climate change crisis.
Members of the audience (both in person and through livestream) had the chance to hear about climate solutions that address more than just our environment — solutions that could change the way we live, how we get around, where we work and so much more.
This event also served as an opportunity to engage directly with those affecting change on a local level. People were encouraged to send in questions to the panelists ahead of time, or bring them along the day of the event.
Panelists:
- Doria Brown: Doria is the first ever Energy Manager for the City of Nashua. She is an emerging energy professional bringing seven years of experience to the community she serves. Doria specializes in Energy Portfolio Management, Renewable Energy Project Management, and Greenhouse Gas Accounting. Doria has a Bachelor of Science from Franklin Pierce University in Environmental Science with a concentration in Chemistry and Hydrology. She is a strong believer in climate change and that it is the responsibility of all generations to act now so that we will not be regretful later. When she is not working in the City, Doria enjoys making short form video content on her Earth Stewardess Platform, tending to her indoor vegetable garden, and binging Netflix.
- Hayley Jones: Hayley is the Vermont and New Hampshire State Director at Slingshot, where they work alongside community groups to take aim at polluters and build collective power. After studying Spanish and environmental systems in college, they spent three years organizing with a regional non-profit, supporting grassroots efforts to protect drinking water, implement environmental justice policy, and build zero-waste societies. When not tackling environmental health threats, Hayley serves on the board of Migrant Justice, coordinates a bilingual culinary collective, and volunteers as a medical interpreter.
- Aziz Dehkan: Aziz has worked for social and environmental justice organizations including The Coalition for the Homeless, STRIVE, The Fortune Society, and Mother Jones. As the Executive Director of the NYC Community Garden Coalition, in response to structural racism, he led the fight for land tenure and food security. Aziz is the current Executive Director and Lead Organizer of the CT Roundtable on Climate and Jobs, which builds alliances among diverse constituencies to combat climate change, create jobs and promote racial, economic, and environmental justice.
1 of — Mara stage.jpgAllegra Boverman
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3 of — Doria Brown NHPR.jpgAllegra Boverman / NHPR
4 of — Audience members2.jpgAudience members of the first annual By Degrees Climate SummitEmily Quirk
5 of — Barrick 2.jpgNHPR's news director Dan Barrick welcomes the audience.Allegra Boverman
6 of — sponsors.JPGPhoto by Allegra BovermanAllegra Boverman
7 of — cori directing.jpgCori Princell of the New England News Collaborative directs the show from the sidelinesAllegra Boverman
8 of — Mara stagepng.JPGAllegra Boverman
9 of — Quirk 2.jpgAllegra Boverman
10 of — panel outside.jpgAllegra Boverman
We hope people came away from this event feeling energized and empowered to engage with their own communities.
If you have any questions about this or future events, please reach out to communications@nhpr.org. This event was presented in collaboration with New Hampshire PBS.
NHPR’s By Degrees is an on-going reporting project that takes our audience directly to the people and places experiencing and addressing the challenges of climate change, while explaining the forces both driving and limiting New Hampshire’s efforts to respond to this crisis.
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