Aspen Ideas: Climate Announces First Speakers and Updates for 2023 Edition in Miami Beach

(Miami Beach, FL) Dec 14, 2022 -

The Aspen Institute and the City of Miami Beach announced  today the first group of speakers appearing during the second edition of Aspen Ideas: Climate. From March 6-9, 2023, hundreds of leaders and climate innovators will gather with the public to showcase climate solutions with the potential to reshape our world. 250 people ages 18-30 will also travel to Miami to participate in the Future Leaders Climate Summit, taking place ahead of Aspen Ideas: Climate from March 3 to 6. Early bird tickets remain on sale until December 31, 2022, while members of the media are invited to apply for press credentials.

The confirmed speakers include:

  • Iván Duque Márquez, former President of Colombia (2018 -2022), who will discuss his country’s global climate leadership, and efforts to transition to clean energy and protect the environment.
  • Andrew Steer, President & CEO of the Bezos Earth Fund, who will discuss how his organization’s $10 billion grant commitment is investing in big ideas to fight climate change and protect nature.
  • Cheryl Holder, MD, President of the Florida State Medical Association and co-chair of Florida Clinicians for Climate Action, who will discuss the impacts of climate change on health, with low-income communities in Miami particularly at-risk.
  • Colette Pichon Battle, Partner of Vision & Initiatives at Taproot Earth, discussing equitable recovery from natural disasters and how communities might rethink land use.
  • Catherine Coleman Flowers, Founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice and Vice Chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council will speak to the role of carbon dioxide removal in a just energy transition.
  • Kate Orff, Founder and principal of the landscape architecture firm SCAPE and director of the Urban Design Program at Columbia University Graduate School of Architecture, explains how creative design can build resilience along our coastlines.
  • Bret Stephens, New York Times columnist, will speak with oceanographer and sea level rise expert John Englander on ice melt and coming to terms with the realities of climate shifts.

Many more speakers will be announced soon.

 

In addition, high profile journalists will lead conversations on the stage of Aspen Ideas: Climate. Those confirmed currently include Cipher’s Amy Harder, TIME’s Justin Worland, and Telemundo’s Vanessa Hauc.

 

Building on the popularity of excursions that took place in its 2022 edition, Aspen Ideas: Climate will also offer interactive field trips and informative excursions to points of interest across Miami-Dade County. Excursions will include a City of Miami Beach Resilience Tour, a Biscayne Bay Boat Trip, a Clean Miami Beach Cleanup , a visit to the University of Miami SUSTAIN Laboratory Wind-Wave Tank, an FIU Microgrid Tour, an Oleta National Park Kayaking Tour, and more to be announced.

 

New for 2023, is the Climate and Clean Energy Career Fair that offers students and professionals across multiple disciplines the opportunity to engage with sustainability-focused companies in the solar, energy storage, transportation, and finance sectors. Additionally, the Climate Innovation and Technology Expo will showcase startups, public and private companies demonstrating climate solutions. Planning is also underway for a concert on the beach and an extensive, accessible arts program that showcases how the arts can shine a spotlight on the climate crisis.

 

The Future Leaders Climate Summit also returns in an expanded format. The summit will gather a diverse group of 250 young leaders from around the world (expanded from 100 young leaders who participated in 2022), for three days ahead of Aspen Ideas: Climate to discuss climate policy, communications, advocacy, and individual action with climate and energy experts. Future Leaders will also attend Aspen Ideas: Climate.

 

As part of the organizers’ commitment to sustainable programming, Aspen Ideas: Climate has partnered with Carbon Fund to offset the event’s carbon emissions, funding improved forestry management in Florida with a tree planted for each registration. Aspen Ideas: Climate is supported by title sponsors John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, RelatedPhilanthropic Foundation and the Jorge M. Pérez Family Foundation. Additional sponsors include Glottman, GMCVB, Kleyner/Ullis, Lennar, LSN, MFG, Morgan Stanley, Valor, Wells Fargo, and Witkoff.

 

For media: Journalists interested in attending Aspen Ideas: Climate as covering reporters are invited to apply for press credentials here.

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The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

World-famous Miami Beach welcomes millions of visitors each year to its white, sandy beaches, turquoise waters and vibrant cultural scene. Known for its colorful art deco and MiMo architecture, the 7.2-square-mile island offers some of the finest dining and hotel experiences anywhere along with a beautiful oceanfront promenade that connects South Beach to North Beach. Steps away from the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is also at the forefront of identifying workable solutions to meet the challenge of sea level rise.