HARTFORD, Conn. — Connecticut will begin a weeklong celebration of Sustainability and Resiliency Week starting Sunday to highlight ongoing work across the state to protect local natural resources, communities and the economy.
Gov. Ned Lamont announced earlier this week that several state agencies are partnering to host a series of in-person, online and hybrid events from Sept. 22-29 to promote engagement, foster collaboration and celebrate the progress and innovation undertaken as the world faces complex environmental and social challenges.
According to a release from Lamont’s office, Connecticut spent years working to put in place actions that will make the state one of the most resilient in the country. The state has taken steps to increase energy efficiency, reduce its carbon footprint, reduce waste and reduce the costs of government operations.
The Sustainability and Resilience Week activities are designed to encourage more collaboration among partners and engage the public and external organizations in the efforts.
Lamont’s office said that more than 20 events have been organized for the week, each related to a different theme such as climate resilience, nature-based solutions, water quality, transportation, energy initiatives and more. Anyone who wants to learn more about the initiatives is invited to participate.
To enroll and view the full week schedule, one can click here.
Lamont said Connecticut’s communities and natural resources are a source of great pride among residents.
“Protecting our resources and growing the Connecticut economy can be done together,” Lamont added. “The Sustainability and Resiliency Week events are an opportunity for residents, elected officials, educators and advocates to come together to learn about efforts underway and identify solutions to mitigate the damaging effects of climate change and to manage our resources sustainably.”
Dr. Joanna Wozniak-Brown, the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management’s climate and infrastructure policy development coordinator, said that the week will offer opportunities to bring important issues into greater focus, celebrate ongoing work and develop key relationships that will make the work a success.
“A top focus of the Lamont administration is facilitating sustainability and resiliency across the state, from transportation to agriculture, from public health to our electrical grid, from rural to urban communities as our natural resources are challenged by a changing climate and legacy infrastructure,” Wozniak-Brown said.
Connecticut Department of Administrative Services Commissioner Michelle Gilman said sustainability and resiliency are at the center of everything that the state government undertakes.
Gilman added that the week will be a great chance to highlight ongoing work and testify to both Lamont’s vision and the leadership of those tasked with implementing his climate agenda.
“Our department plays a critical role in these efforts on behalf of Connecticut state government – from constructing highly efficient and net-zero energy state buildings, to building out electric charging infrastructure and working toward an electrified fleet, to partnering with our sister agencies to improve the efficiency of our physical spaces,” Gilman said.
Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the state Department of Public Health, said that science shows that Connecticut is experiencing severe health impacts of human-caused climate change. The effects of climate change can lead to shifts in rain patterns, more frost-free days and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
“These changes have resulted in health impacts from extreme weather and more exposure to infections like EEE, West Nile virus and Lyme disease,” Juthani said. “We commend Gov. Lamont for highlighting Sustainability and Resiliency Week and giving all Connecticut residents, especially those living in our most vulnerable communities, the opportunity to learn more about improving and maintaining their health for years to come.”
One of the key activities next week will be UConn’s second annual Sustainable Clean Energy Summit at its Storrs campus on Monday. The event will include a keynote address from U.S. Department of Energy Assistant Secretary for Energy Gene Rodrigues.
UConn hopes to work toward carbon neutrality on its campuses by 2030. It endeavors to be entirely carbon zero by 2040 and is serving as a laboratory to develop and demonstrate new approaches to sustainability and energy resilience.
UConn President Radenka Maric, who Lamont’s office describes as “an internationally recognized expert and researcher in clean energy,” said that mitigating the effects of climate change, ensuring environmental equity and providing energy security are among the greatest imperatives of our time.
“At the same time, meeting those challenges also offers extraordinary opportunities for Connecticut to lead the nation and world in innovating and demonstrating solutions,” Maric said. “We commend Gov. Lamont and state leaders, both for designing the Sustainability and Resilience Week and for supporting UConn in the critical work underway here and elsewhere to address these issues.”
In addition to Lamont’s office and UConn, state agencies participating in Sustainability and Resiliency Week include:
-Office of Policy and Management
-Department of Administrative Services
-Department of Economic and Community Development
-Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection
-Department of Energy and Environmental Protection
-Department of Public Health
-Department of Transportation
-Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
Lamont’s office said that anyone interested in participating in any of the events is strongly encouraged to enroll as quickly as possible.
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Dalton Zbierski is a digital content producer and writer at FOX61 News. He can be reached at dzbierski@FOX61.com.
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