Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director at The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, explored how coastal communities can proactively plan for rising sea levels and intensifying storms, shifting the focus from whether to adapt to how.

Erika Spanger, Director of Strategic Climate Analytics at the Union of Concerned Scientists, lead a community conversation exploring the global implications of surpassing the 1.5°C warming threshold established under the Paris Agreement.

Curt Rogers and Jose Tapia from the Merrimack River Watershed Council presented a clear, data-driven look at the challenges facing the river—from the scale of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) to the impacts of increasingly intense rainfall driven by climate change. They also shared early findings from MRWC’s real-time monitoring sensor placed in Newburyport, which provides valuable on-the-ground insight into bacterial conditions in the harbor.

The December 2024 closure of Massachusetts' only Shellfish Purification Plant marks a pivotal moment for one of New England's most productive fisheries. For decades, this facility on Plum Island—the nation's oldest and largest depuration plant—has been the lifeline for Merrimack River estuary clams, purifying harvests from waters impacted by upstream development before they reach consumers nationwide.

Charlie Sidoti, Executive Director of InnSure provided an informative presentation on cutting-edge approaches to closing the climate insurance "protection gap” and the growing challenges coastal communities face as traditional insurance markets struggle with increasing climate risks.

The event features Katie Giannakopoulos, Coastal Dynamics Research Associate at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute, who will examine the complex factors driving coastal flood risks in New England. Her presentation will address both long-term climate change impacts and the immediate threats posed by severe weather events, including an analysis of the devastating January 2024 storms that significantly impacted Gulf of Maine communities.

Phil Colarusso, marine biologist and diver for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), returns to provide an update following his February 2020 presentation. Joining Dr Colarusso will be Nedret Andre, an internationally recognized artist based in Boston’s South End, uses abstract painting to raise awareness of seagrass conservation.

Liv Woods and John Cigliano from the Mass Oyster Project joined us at the Newburyport Senior/Community Center on Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Liv presented an overview of the Mass Oyster Project and John spoke to the affects of coastal acidification on the Gulf of Maine and Oyster populations.