Bridging Science and Policy for Climate Solutions

The Inaugural Flowerree Symposium
at Tulane University

New Orleans, LA

Tuesday, October 8, 2024
7:30 AM – 6:00 PM

Kendall Cram Lecture Hall and Qatar Ballroom

Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life

The Flowerree Symposia provide a recurring forum to showcase Tulane University’s role in addressing climate change and its acute impacts in coastal regions such as Southern Louisiana. The symposia aim to highlight local dimensions of a global crisis and at the same time continually focus Tulane’s faculty and students as well as community stakeholders on how we can contribute to an evidence-based conversation about solutions. The goal is to bring together ideas and approaches that span scientific and engineering dimensions of the climate crisis as well as those that emphasize human impacts, political dimensions, and policy innovations.

The inaugural Flowerree Symposium, to be held on October 8, 2024 on Tulane’s Uptown Campus, will feature a conversation with leading scientists and policy scholars, both from within our university community and beyond. It will also feature a Louisiana elected official focused on clean energy policy at the state’s Public Service Commission, young Louisianians from diverse backgrounds who grapple with coming of age in their sinking homeland in the award-winning film Hollow Tree, and student research tackling critical aspects of a huge and multidimensional problem.

Special thank you to David and Jane Flowerree whose generous support made this event possible.

We believe Tulane needs to be at the forefront of the ongoing worldwide conversation on the impact of climate change … It is our sincerest hope that the symposia will create a lasting and influential legacy by bringing together some of the brightest minds in a collaborative spirit to tackle this ever-evolving global issue.

-David and Jane Flowerree

Green Dividing Line

SCHEDULE

7:30 AM – 8:00 AM

Check In

8:00 AM – 8:30 AM

Welcome and Opening Session
(President Fitts and Deans Edwards and Rajan)

Physical Science Basis

8:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Sönke Dangendorf, Accelerated Sea-Level Rise and Flooding Along the U.S. East and Gulf Coasts

9:00 AM – 9:15 AM

Break

9:15 AM – 9:35 AM

Robert E. Kopp, Sea-Level Change: An IPCC Perspective

9:35 AM – 9:55 AM

Donald Boesch, Integrating Climate Mitigation and Adaptation to Sea-Level Rise at a State Level

9:55 AM – 10:10 AM

Break

10:10 AM – 10:30 AM

Rick Luettich, Predicting Coastal Hazards in the Gulf of Mexico

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM

Panel Discussion (moderator: Sönke Dangendorf)

11:30 AM – 12:30 PM

Break and Student Poster Presentation

Policy Implications

12:30 PM – 1:00 PM

Joshua Basseches, Political Economy of State-Level Renewable Energy Policy

1:00 PM – 1:20 PM

Joshua Macey, Public Utility Law and the Clean Energy Transition

1:20 PM – 1:40 PM

Davante Lewis, What is the Louisiana Public Service Commission Doing to Tackle Climate Change?

1:40 PM – 2:00 PM

Break

2:00 PM – 2:20 PM

Jesse Keenan, Climate (Mal) Adaptation in Insurance Markets and Policy

2:20 PM – 3:15 PM

Panel Discussion (moderator: Joshua Basseches)

3:15 PM – 3:30 PM

Break

3:30 PM – 5:00 PM

Hollow Tree Film

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Discussion with Filmmakers/Protagonists
Kira Akerman, Chachi Hauser, Kenzie, Annabelle and Tanielma

Moderated by Jelagat Cheruiyot

HOLLOW TREE TRAILER

For more infromation please contact flowerreesymposium@tulane.edu.