The Idaho Climate Summit, hosted simultaneously at Idaho’s three state universities in Boise, Pocatello and Moscow on November 15-17, provided opportunity for discussion about Idaho’s changing climate and explored market-based solutions for safeguarding Idaho’s economy, health, landscape and lifestyle. This article from the Idaho Business Review provides an overview of the event.

As a summit sponsor and exhibitor, The Langdon Group (TLG) and J-U-B occupied a unique space as a civil engineering leader in the growing markets of water reuse and collaborative climate change planning. TLG recently led a climate adaptation assessment for the City of Boise and is managing multiple contracts for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) focused on policy level adaptation to and prevention of catastrophic wildfire on public lands.

On Wednesday, Brian Smith, J-U-B Boise Area Manager and Board Member, participated in an invite-only dinner discussion about risks and opportunities related to climate change with summit keynote speaker and founding executive Director of the Risky Business Project, Kate Gordon. The Risky Business Project is an initiative to assess and publicize the economic risks to the US associated with climate change, chaired by Michael R. Bloomberg, Mayor of New York City and Henry M. Paulson, former US Secretary of the Treasury.

Thursday and Friday, TLG’s Idaho staff (Bryant Kuechle, Elizabeth Spaulding, Andrea Gumm and Gemma Puddy) provided facilitation support at all conference locations to help groups develop tangible and actionable economic based strategies. As a member of the conference steering committee, Kuechle also presented to the general session on climate related research data developed in cooperation with the University of Idaho James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research.

Other conference sponsors and exhibitors included the Idaho National Laboratory, BLM, US Department of Agriculture, Idaho tribes, Idaho Power, Monsanto, Potlatch, HP, Simplot and Clif Bar.