Post Carbon Eugene and the University of Oregon's Cultural Forum present...

http://culturalforum.uoregon.edu/issues
Lane County and Rising Oil Prices:
Preparing our communities for the new era of "energy uncertainty"

A presentation for area government officials and staff, and University of Oregon students** and faculty on global energy trends and what cities across the country are already doing in response. Followed by working discussion with Richard Heinberg and Daniel Lerch.

Featuring:

Richard Heinberg

Post Carbon Institute. Internationally-renowned energy industry expert, and author of Peak Everything(2007), The Party's Over(2005), and Powerdown(2004). Richard will be viewed live—exclusively-- by webcast from Sebastopol, CA.

AND

Daniel Lerch

Post Carbon Institute. National expert on local government responses to peak oil, and author of
Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Energy and Climate Uncertainty(2007).

*
Welcoming by Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy
10-11:45AM, Wednesday, April 16th
Lillis Hall 282
955 E. 13th Ave.
University of Oregon
Eugene
$15 for govt. planners and professionals
$5 for students(with ID) and low income
Tickets can be purchased at the UO Ticket Office or by phone at (541) 346-4363
Tickets available Tuesday April 1st

Richard will present an overview with:

Peak Everything: Community Resilience In a Century of Cascading Crises

The 20th century saw unprecedented growth in population, energy consumption and food production.
As the population shifted from rural to urban, the impact of humans on the environment increased dramatically.
The 21st century has ushered in an era of peaks and declines in a number of key parameters:

* Global oil, natural gas, and coal extraction rates

* Yearly grain harvests

* Climate stability

* Population

* Economic growth

* Fresh water

* Minerals and metals, from antimony to zinc

It is a challenging picture. But communities, families, and individuals can do a great deal to prepare for spiraling resource costs and supply chain interruptions. Significantly, the very strategies that will enhance community resilience will also help make our lives more connected and meaningful. If we act sensibly and soon, the crises of our time could become opportunities to build a sustainable future.

Daniel will present on:

* the changing energy and climate contexts of the 21st century;

* the facts and fiction surrounding 'peak oil', and how the problem is really a much broader, more complex issue of 'energy uncertainty';

* what energy uncertainty means for cities, and why local governments in particular should take action on it;

* the parallel and evolving threat of 'climate uncertainty' and what it means for cities and their local governments;

* what 'early actor' cities in the U.S. and Canada have already done in response to energy uncertainty; and

* recommendations for what local governments should do about the combined threat challenge of 'energy and climate uncertainty.'