United States Senator Patrick Leahy sponsored the 2015 Leahy Environmental Summit – held in Burlington, Vermont – to launch the "Climate Change Resilient, Floodwater Smart initiative"

September 11, 2016 - Posted in 2015 Leahy Environmental Summit (Vermont), At Events Outside Canada, Showcasing British Columbia's Watershed-Based Approach, Uncategorised

Note to Reader:

In March 2015, US Senator Patrick Leahy sponsored the 2^nd biennial Leahy Environmental Summit in Burlington, Vermont. Senator Leahy is the longest serving member (40 years) and dean of the United States Senate. His vision for this ‘convening for action’ event is that it will inspire social and structural resiliency for flooding and stormwater issues related to climate change.

True Innovation Happens When….

“The Climate Change Resilient, Floodwater Smart initiative is based on a simple notion that when it comes to enterprise innovation and integration, there is nothing that brings out the best in human systems, faster, more consistently, and more effectively, than the power of ‘the whole’,” stated Senator Patrick Leahy. “True innovation happens when strong multi­-disciplinary groups come together, build a collaborative interchange, and explore their different points of strength.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7dG_up4vS0

“The design of this Summit was not a typical conference; rather, it was a dynamic, interactive working session. Summit groups, comprised of diverse stakeholders, where all voices across the community are represented, began to design and prototype some of the projects and transform their ideas into realities,” summarized Stephen Perkins,  Director of Development and Community Relations at the Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. He was responsible for organizing the Summit.

Inspirational Speaker

Senator Leahy invited invited Kim Stephens to provide ‘inspirational remarks’ about British Columbia experience in leading and managing change via inter-regional collaboration.

“It was an honour to be invited to Vermont by the Senator and his Environmental Summit team to participate in this transformational process,” stated Kim Stephens in his opening comments. He is the Executive Director of the Partnership for Water Sustainability in British Columbia.

“I appreciated the opportunity to observe history in the making, because that is what I believe it will prove to be. Speaking from experience, I predict that a decade from now the Summit team will be celebrating this milestone event and what it set in motion.”