Rural communities are particularly vulnerable to climate change, as they are often directly linked to natural resources for their economic, social and environmental well-being. Rural communities are also essential to developing solutions to climate change, including energy, food and fiber production. Rural America’s unique vulnerability to climate change paired with the potential role it could play in addressing climate change makes it clear that climate policy should be deeply inclusive of rural concerns. Unfortunately, that has not been the case. This problem needs to be addressed – and that’s why a group of rural residents and advocates gathered in Washington D.C. on September 8, 2015 to share perspectives and develop a clearer understanding of rural climate change priorities.
Dr. Andreas Wieg of the German Cooperative and Raiffeisen Confederation presented on the transition to renewable energy in rural Germany. This presentation demonstrated the importance of local involvement in the development of energy systems. In addition, local control of energy systems allows communities to retain the benefits, thereby furthering resilience, energy independence, and climate change preparedness.
The PDF of this presentation is attached above.