SONOMA, Calif., Feb. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/
-- Grounded Summit, the two-day experience that
connects critical change makers with global climate solutions
returns March 19 & 20, 2020 in
Sonoma, California with a dynamic
stage of pioneers, experts, elected officials and advocates who are
dedicated to urgent action for human survival and to redirect us
towards a thriving, regenerative, planet.
Featured Speakers From Diverse Disciplines
Include:
Xiye Bastida, Teen Climate
Activist
Paul
Hawken, American Entrepreneur, Author, and
Activist for Reversing Global Warming;
Carlos Manuel Rodriguez, Costa Rica
Energy & Environmental Minister;
Tatiana Kennedy Schlossberg, Author
and Former NY Times Climate
Reporter;
Jaden
Smith, Actor, Singer, and Environmentalist;
Satya Tripathi, UN Assistant
Secretary-General and Head of UN Environment New York;
and
Alice Waters, California
Chef, Author, and Food Activist
"We are striving to protect what we have, restore what has been
lost, replace that which no longer serves us and generate new
paradigms at the scale and speed that we need, given the ten years
timeline we have to peak emissions," says Grounded founder
Julia Jackson, a second-generation
proprietor of Jackson Family Wines who was motivated to work on
behalf of the planet after the 2017 Pocket and Tubbs Fires damaged
and displaced communities in her native Sonoma County. "Since
joining the environmental movement, I have been struck by the pace
at which the climate emergency is occurring and the lack of urgency
to implement the solutions we need. Grounded Summit brings some of
the most proactive leaders working on shifting our trajectory
together to harness our collective determination under one roof.
Our hope is that what happens at the Summit transcends beyond the
two days and results in faster implementation of these necessary
solutions."
Among an important youth constituency attending Grounded,
Xiye Bastida, the 17-year-old climate activist and focus of
Teen Vogue's recent mini-documentary, "We Rise," will open
the Summit with a welcome speech before turning the stage over to
author and former New York Times
climate reporter Tatiana Kennedy
Schlossberg for a "reality check" conversation with
UN Assistant-Secretary General Satya
Tripathi.
Innovative solutions will be highlighted over the two-day event,
including: Mycologist Paul
Stamets' work to save pollinators; methane capture
technology guided by Olya Irzak's Frost Methane Labs;
electronic aircraft developments with Kevin Noertker of Ampair; and an
environmentally-friendly alternative to palm oil with
Shara Ticku from C16
Biosciences.
Costa Rica Energy & Environmental Minister Carlos Manuel Rodriguez will address climate
diplomacy while Sarah Shanley
Hope of the Solutions Project will lead a panel focused
on climate justice and the communities most affected by clean
energy transformations. Visionary social entrepreneur
Paul Hawken, whose
New York Times bestseller, Drawdown,
submits 100 creative solutions for reducing carbon emissions
globally, will be joining Jaden
Smith, actor, singer and founder of 501CThree, on
day two with a free form audience discussion. Later in the
afternoon, "Turning off the Toxic Tap" is a panel with American
banking legacy Rebecca Lambert
Rockefeller, who will challenge financial
institutions currently invested in fossil fuels. The Summit will
close with "The Intersection of Faith and Climate" moderated by
Keely Shaye Brosnan that
includes Father Joshtrom Kureethadam, Coordinator of the
Sector on "Ecology," Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human
Development. Indigenous communities are often excluded from global
climate conversations, yet they are critical to preserving vital
carbon sinks Grounded will be bringing representatives from the
Aymara, Maya, Kolla, Mapuche, Kichwa-Pura, Quechua, Arhuaco, Kogi,
Aztec and Otomi-Toltec peoples.
"One day I was having dinner with my kids in my house and my
younger daughter said, 'Dad, don't worry about climate change. One
day, a scientist will design a machine that can absorb all of that
carbon that is in the atmosphere and we will be safe from climate
change,'" recalls Costa Rica's
Energy & Environmental Minister Carlos Manuel Rodriguez. "And I said to my
daughter, 'You know what? Nature invented that machine many, many
millions of years ago. That machine is called a tree.' So, if we
stop tropical deforestation, or deforestation at the global level,
we will effectively use that machine. That was the sign by nature
probably 300 million years ago."
"The increasingly degrading state of our common home is a cause
of serious concern as it raises an unprecedented challenge to the
future of human civilization and life on Earth," said Father
Kureethadam. "As Pope Francis reminds us, 'time is running
out' and we need to avert 'a climate emergency' that risks
'perpetrating a brutal act of injustice towards the poor and future
generations. (Vatican City,
14 June 2019). I applaud the
leadership of Grounded to respond to the climate crisis through
tangible and participatory solutions, and we are delighted to join
you all on this important journey. May God bless and sustain our
humble efforts for the care of our common home."
"There are so many amazing ideas and innovations ready to
reverse climate change. What we need are more resources and
creativity to help set them in motion," said Jaden Smith. "I can't wait to interact with
the bright minds at Grounded to tackle the world's greatest
challenges with fantastic solutions."
Elsewhere on site, "The Marketplace" will stimulate eco-friendly
engagement and education with breakout sessions, book signings,
recommended climate reads, a sampling of "future food" innovations,
an exploration of sustainable products and services, and a VR
experience produced by National Geographic. On the evening of Day
One, a special dinner menu designed by California chef, author, and food activist
Alice Waters will benefit the
Edible Schoolyard Project.
Interspersed between presentations, Futurewell will curate a
mindfulness and wellness program that grounds guests and emphasizes
the critical connection between environmental and personal health.
A scenic terrace for refreshments and informal meetings will
capture the bucolic surroundings.
In a new collaboration for 2020, Grounded Summit selects two
lead sponsors for groundbreaking achievements in their respective
industries:
Bank of the West, part of BNP Paribas, is recognized for
having the strongest environmental stance of any major US bank. It
has put restrictions in place related to the financing of fossil
fuels, big tobacco, palm oil and other activities harmful to the
planet. And, it is helping to fund more than $1 billion in renewable energy projects, honoring
an energy-efficient future. Bank of the West is working to create
positive social and environmental impact aligned with global
standards such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Jackson Family Wines is a family owned and led wine
company recognized for crafting exceptional wines from world class
wine estates. Since planting its first vines in 1974, the Jackson
family has cultivated a heritage of excellence with an ethos rooted
in wines of integrity, environmental stewardship and social
responsibility. The company leads the wine community in climate
action as the largest generator of on-site solar energy across the
U.S. wine industry, a pioneer in vineyard carbon farming trials,
and innovator in water conservation and an early adopter of
strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, Jackson
Family Wines co-founded International Wineries for Climate Action
(IWCA) with Spain's Torres family
to address the urgent need to tackle climate change and drive
collective action towards decarbonizing the wine industry.
"We are honored to have such an empowering assembly of
individuals and organizations who are proactively working to
reverse this existential crisis," added Jackson. "At Grounded
Summit, we are amplifying and providing a platform for the global
climate solutions movement."
For highlights from last year, visit
http://www.grounded.org.
About Grounded
Grounded is an environmental summit that connects critical
change makers with global climate solutions. Grounded unites
leading voices including policymakers, scientists, investors,
activists, entrepreneurs, and corporate leaders to match ideas,
talent, and resources with actionable results.
www.grounded.org.
Contact: elissa@grounded.org
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SOURCE Grounded Summit