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Panel Discussions

Climate Change, Energy, and the Environment

Upskilling Planners for Mitigation and Adaptation

Sunday, March 30, 2025
8:30 AM – 9:15 AM MT
Location: Mile High Ballroom 3
CM: .75
Division Endorsement: Hazard Mitigation and Disaster Recovery Planning Division
Hazard mitigation and climate adaptation are rapidly changing fields. The introduction of new tools, techniques, and resources, along with the disruptions associated with climate change upon a field heavily reliant on historical information, has made it difficult for practitioners to adjust. Additionally, the rapid pace of change has made it a challenge for practitioners and federal agencies to identify the emerging gaps in their knowledge and skills.

To better prepare planners for a new generation of threats and challenges, APA, in partnership with FEMA, is bringing its upskilling perspective to the field of hazard mitigation and climate adaptation planning. Get an update on APA's ongoing work with practitioners, academics, and allied professionals to identify skills gaps in planning practice, rank and prioritize those topics and gaps, and develop a framework for addressing them over the coming years.

Leave with insights from APA and FEMA staff, local practitioners, and experts on the critical topics and skills gaps confronting planners and practitioners in the world of hazards planning and climate change adaptation.

Learning Objectives:

  • Identify the major emerging topics facing planners in climate adaptation and hazard mitigation.
  • Seek out training resources and opportunities to address skills gaps in mitigation and adaptation.
  • Work with colleagues at the local level to investigate the impacts of new disruptions in the mitigation and adaptation fields.