Back-to-back events aim to address how climate change will affect Nebraska's wildlife and public health.
Jeffrey Morisette, director of the North Central Climate Science Center, will present "Implications of Climate Change for Wildlife and Ecosystems of the Great Plains: A Perspective from the Department of Interior," at 7 p.m., Oct. 5 at Hardin Hall, located at 33rd and Holdrege streets on UNL's East Campus.
"Many in the conservation community believe that climate change will be one of the greatest challenges to conserving wildlife and ecosystems in the coming decades," said Rick Schneider, program manager of the Nebraska Natural Heritage Program at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. "Climate change is already having significant impacts on wild species and ecosystems, and these are likely to increase considerably in the future. Action is needed now to safeguard species and ecosystems, and the communities and economies that depend on them."
On Oct. 6, Ali S. Khan, dean of the UNMC College of Public Health, will present "Climate Disruption in Nebraska – Global Public Health Implications and Local Impact" at 4 p.m. in the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education (Room 1005), located at 649 South 42nd Street in Omaha.
"Climate change will intensify the well-known effects of weather on lung and heart diseases; food and water borne diseases; infections associated with ticks, mosquitoes and other animals; and injuries from heat stroke and other extreme weather events like droughts, floods and hurricanes," Khan said. "We need to develop Nebraska-specific solutions to understand, mitigate and adapt to the health effects of climate change being observed in our state."
Both lectures are free and open to the public. RSVPs are requested at http://go.unl.edu/climatechange.
Each lecture will be followed by a roundtable discussion the next day.
The wildlife and ecosystems roundtable is at 9 a.m., Oct. 6 at the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, located at 2200 North 33rd Street in Lincoln. The human health roundtable is at 9 a.m., Oct. 7 at the Harold M. and Beverly Maurer Center for Public Health (Room 3013), located at 600 South 42nd Street in Omaha.
The roundtable agenda includes: presentations by keynote speakers; Q&A; lunch; and breakout sessions in the afternoon. Email kmorrow2@unl.edu to register (advanced registration is required).
These lectures and roundtables are part of a series of climate change-related events that will take place throughout the fall. For more information, visit http://go.unl.edu/climatechange.
— Mekita Rivas, Natural Resources