Climate Fast Forward is a statewide climate change action conference taking place in Madison, WI on Monday, October 17, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This conference takes a unique approach to solving the climate emergency. Participants will take part in a facilitated process designed to engage all conference participants in creating a climate change action plan.

The recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) provides a unique opportunity to use this conference to unite changemakers from across Wisconsin around the funding and programming opportunities presented by this legislation.

“Climate Fast Forward will seek input and commitments from conference attendees on how our state will move forward on climate change action,” said Erika Monroe-Kane, executive director of the Wisconsin Academy. . “The new funds available through the IRA can accelerate solutions to climate change and help new strategies gain momentum.”

Climate Fast Forward organizers have reconfigured the conference’s opening plenary panel of speakers to focus on the opportunities presented by these federal programs for Wisconsin, as well as how these opportunities can be leveraged for further action at federal and state levels.
Panel Moderator: Maria Redmond, Director, Office of Sustainability and Clean Energy
Speakers: Rachel Bouressa, Board Member, Wisconsin Farmers Union
Joe Pater, Director, Office of Energy Innovation
Kevin Kane, Chief Economist, Green Homeowners United
Deneine Powell, FUSE Executive Member with the City of Milwaukee
Daniel Wiggins, Vice President, Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association

“This is an extraordinary time to work on clean climate and energy solutions,” said Maria Redmond. “I am excited to speak with key Wisconsin leaders about how additional support from federal funding and new programs can best lead to positive outcomes for Wisconsinans.”

Following the panel, conference attendees will break into working sessions guided by subject matter experts and professional facilitators. The conference’s lively sessions are centered around five themes: climate justice and community resilience; green jobs and the new economy; Natural and functional landscapes; The built environment; and the Aboriginal-led session Traditional Perspectives on the Environment.

“When you co-create ideas in the community, an energy for action develops,” said Darin Harris, Senior Facilitator of Climate Fast Forward. Harris is the co-founder of organizational development and leadership firm Living Giving Enterprises.

“Climate Fast Forward is not a sit-and-get conference,” Harris said. “It’s about immersing participants in creative conversations that end in specific actions. It’s about people participating in a creative and collaborative experience to make a difference on climate change.

Climate Fast Forward will bring people together from across Wisconsin to organize around these new federal opportunities. The Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters has focused on environmental issues for more than 20 years. A nonpartisan organizer, the Academy addresses topics that are priorities in Wisconsin and have the power to improve life in the state.

The Wisconsin Academy creates opportunities for people to connect, learn, and collaborate to improve lives in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Academy showcases contemporary Wisconsin art at the James Watrous Gallery, examines science and culture in Wisconsin People & Ideas magazine, and explores pathways to a sustainable future through the Climate and Energy Initiative. Academy programs and public lectures provide opportunities to learn and explore, while connecting with curious and creative people across Wisconsin. The Academy recognizes excellence through the annual Fiction & Poetry Awards and Fellows Awards for leadership within and across disciplines. We also support the Wisconsin Poet Laureate and many other initiatives that help the Academy create a better world by connecting Wisconsin people and ideas.