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Across the United States, cities, towns, and counties are enacting policies and programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many local governments are motivated by concerns about the impacts of climate change in their communities as well as an understanding that energy and climate solutions can benefit local economies and residents. Their actions reflect a strong history of local leadership in climate protection in the United States. While local governments face a number of limitations in addressing climate change, they can be a key part of the solution. Like states and regions, local governments can demonstrate leadership by implementing strategies to confront climate change and laying the groundwork for broader action at the national and international levels.

This brief is part of a series called Climate Change 101: Understanding and Responding to Global Climate Change, published by the Pew Center on Global Climate Change.

The Center for Digital Storytelling engages people to share personal stories, bearing witness as related to their lives leading to action and positive change.

Narratives and frames are powerful things. It would seem that any endeavor would benefit from knowing what is a compelling "story" to engage the public. Youth development organizations use this tool quite a lot in their work.

I remember you had been talking about using story boards in one of the other cases. I am wondering if there is a way to use both of those ideas for Case 4.

Action plan summary from CCD Steering Committee. 20 June 2007. This is a good grounding for understanding some of the organizations involved in problem solving CCD.

Founded in 1971, Friends of the Earth is an international organization representing over 77 grassroots environmental groups. The organization is mentioned several times through Dickson's book and has been involved in questioning key scientific developments and their potentially harmful effects on human life and the planet. These technologies include nuclear, genetics, carbon emissions and even nanotechnology. They appear to work primarily through direct action and awareness campaigns.

Ralph Nader's Critical Mass Project (mentioned in Dickson's book) is now par of Public Citizen a consumer advocacy group. They support a range of topics and do so without funding from corporations, government or professional organizations. Their anti-nuclear policy agenda is linked to a larger set of policy initiatives focused on passing energy policy that is rooted in renewable energy. They provide information, action alerts and ways to oppose the resurgence of nuclear.

The Public Science Project situated at the CUNY Graduate Center works in a participatory action research agenda.  They work in collaboration with groups on the ground. The website states:  "PAR Collective, we began our work as a coalition of activists, researchers, youth, elders, lawyers, prisoners, and educators, launching projects on educational injustice, lives under surveillance,and the collateral damage of mass incarceration. Most of our projects have been situated in schools and/or community-based organizations struggling for quality education, economic opportunities, and human rights. Knowledge-sharing research camps set the stage for most of our research, designed to bring together differently positioned people around a common table to design and implement the research: youth and educators; young people who have been pushed out of schools and mothers organizing for quality education in communities under siege; prisoners, organizers, and academics. Most projects have vibrant advisory boards of youth, community elders, educators and/or activists to shape the work and hold us accountable to the needs and desires of local communities." They conduct research, trainings, and consulting services as well as resources for PAR.

Since FEMA became part of the Department of Homeland Security and suffered from major budget cuts, their disaster preparedness and mitigation programs have been impacted in a negative way. Many programs have been reduced and many of the experts on emergency matters do not work there anymore.

Highlighted portions are the focus of the Case 4 practicum.

Awesome! I really like their idea of preservation and conservation. I feel that they are thinking about my grandchildren (I don't even have kids and already talking about grand kids) and really caring about future generations. I really appreciate that especially in a world were we seem to consume everything at a tremendously high pace without worrying about the consequences for us and future generations. I am irritated by the irresponsibility of oil companies and by what is happening in the Gulf of Mexico! Now I read the oil will not be contained and will affect Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi and obviously the entire world!

This article reflects on the similarities, differences and complexities of science and democracy. Indeed, science is present in our daily lives and democracy through our actions that foster society are present daily as well. Because of the impact of science on society, democracy may be seen as a core element in guiding science towards the greater good. Nevertheless, government use and intervention of science may not be always so. Therefore, it is the people's right and obligation to engage government and scientists reminding them of the benefits but also the risks of their projects and objectives. Science and business may create a covenient and profitable conduit for developing new inventions and advancing science. However, through democracy, we may and should remind them of the ethical implications of their discoveries and the need to work for the greater good and benefitting all. An interesting article that also provides some insights about Obama's policies on Science.

"our thinking about disaster should be as complex as the societies they disrupt. We need to understand that disaster is slow."