The Future of Energy, Innovation, and Environmental Leadership - Vanderbilt @ NYCW

The event will feature three panels beginning at 1:00 and running until 5:00. There will be ample time for audience Q&A within each panel. Panelists and a precise agenda will be shared with those who RSVP below and posted here. Panel 1: Climate Governance in City Flooding Strategies (in collaboration with the Waterfront Alliance) This panel will discuss an ongoing project to protect New York's frontline communities from flooding using nature-based solutions. Learnings from the local project have national implications including the balance of community interests, development, and conservation;responding to growing climate threats in historically underserved areas;and nature-based solutions as opportunities to meet multifaceted goals. Panel 2: The Future of Energy and AI Panelists will discuss actionable ways to meet growing electricity demand without ballooning electricity rates, carbon emissions, and reliability risk. Key topics will include how to increase generation in ways that are consistent with government and private climate commitments;opportunities to shift demand volume and timing;opportunities for non-carbon energy in the future grid mix;governing the energy and environmental footprint of AI;and addressing negative polarization against data center development Panel 3: Environmental Progress in an Era of Government Withdrawal Panelists will discuss how the U.S. can maintain progress toward environmental targets even as the federal government and half the states turn away from environmental regulation. The panel will highlight experts from states that have combatted harsh political landscapes prior to the current administration. The goal is to present a realistic view of how decisionmakers can act upon the ambitions discussed throughout climate week.