Eau Claire hosts April conference on renewable communities

Last week the City of Eau Claire made a historic commitment to take action on climate change, by committing to 100% renewable energy and climate neutrality on both the municipal and community level by 2050.

There is a lot of work ahead, as the city needs to create a Climate & Energy Action Plan to get us there, AND we need to inspire other communities to follow our lead.

The best opportunity to jump in right away is to attend the 2018 Local Government Summit in Eau Claire this April 23-24th, hosted by the Wisconsin Academy for Sciences, Arts, and Letters. "Leading the Charge," is a two-day summit where we will share practical resources and explore emerging issues around local energy planning and resilience in Wisconsin communities.

Right now in Wisconsin, much of the meaningful and groundbreaking work in energy planning and climate change mitigation is happening through local governments and the businesses and organizations supporting their efforts. The Eau Claire region is #leadingthecharge and is poised to offer fresh perspectives on tangible and measurable ways that local municipalities can move forward to foster community well-being and energy resilience. This summit will highlight regional successes and inspire leading-edge thinking on local energy topics. Networking, collaboration, and new connections will help us move forward more quickly and efficiently in our respective communities towards a more equitable and sustainable future. The summit will offer resources and tools to:

• Grow the workforce in your community around renewable energy
• Connect with financing opportunities to launch your clean energy projects
• Provide managers with practical and effective tools to measure efficiency
• Prepare for community self-sufficiency and resilience
• Learn from other communities how to write and implement robust energy resolutions
• Explore city-wide transportation strategies such as efficient fleets and electric vehicle purchasing
• Get a head start on planning for energy systems of the future

The Local Government Summit will take place on April 23-24th in Eau Claire at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire’s W.R. Davies Center. Registration and additional details are available at the Wisconsin Academy website. 

There are discounted rates for local government employees. Early bird pricing ends on March 31; regular registration closes on April 15. We hope to see many local government leaders at the summit who will lead the charge and spark a collaborative regional response to climate change that other regions of Wisconsin can build upon!

For additional information please contact:
Chelsea Chandler, Environmental Initiatives Director
cchandler@wisconsinacademy.org or (608)263-1692 x20
Kelly Hilyard, Environmental Initiatives Program Assistant
khilyard@wisconsinacademy.org or (608)263-1692 x15