Meeting Real-World Climate-Information Needs of Business, Government

WHAT: Can America really cope with inevitable climate change? How will different kinds of businesses -- from transportation, forestry and fisheries to insurance, construction and tourism -- be affected? Which state and local governments will be hit hardest, and how? And where will these groups obtain the kinds of climate-change forecasts and other tools they need to make decisions for the uncertain decades to come? Find out at "Climate Information: Responding to User Needs," a landmark two-day national conference organized by the University of Maryland, College Park, in conjunction with NOAA, NASA and the American Meteorological Society.

WHO: Keynote speakers include Lockheed Martin retired CEO Norman Augustine, who will explain "What Business Needs to Know about Climate Change;" former CIA Director R. James Woolsey, who will discuss "Energy, Security and the Long War of the 21st Century;" Colorado Supreme Court Justice Gregory J. Hobbs, Jr., who will discuss "Dividing the Waters in the American West;" and Amr ElSawy, President and CEO of Noblis, "a nonprofit science, technology and strategy organization that helps clients solve complex systems, process and infrastructure problems."

WHERE: University of Maryland Inn and Conference Center, College Park, Md.

WHEN: Monday and Tuesday, October 22 and 23, 2007

DETAILS: In addition to the panel sessions, numerous breakout sessions will feature dozens of representatives from various sectors of society who will tell climate researchers exactly what sorts of factors -- and over which time scales -- they, the users, need to know in order to survive and prosper in a rapidly changing climatic environment. For more details, and to register, see the conference web site at www.climateneeds.umd.edu, and click on the tab for "News Media." The conference agenda will be continuously updated on-line. Questions should be sent to cirunworkshop@bcs-hq.com.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Lee Tune, University of Maryland, 301-405-4679, ltune@umd.edu
Curt Suplee, University of Maryland, 301-314-2628, csuplee@umd.edu