Our Future: Embracing the Anthropocene
Dates: February 7-9, 2019
For 25 years, the Public Interest Environmental Conference (PIEC) has sought to promote an understanding of the legal aspects of environmental protection, serve and inform individuals as to the necessity for improvements in environmental legal protection, foster the development of sound environmental legislation, measure the effects of environmental litigation, and assist other groups involved in environmental education. The conference brings together legal practitioners, academics, policy makers, and private citizens to discuss preeminent issues surrounding a different environmental theme each year.
PIEC 25’s theme, Our Future: Embracing the Anthropocene, was centered around the hotly debated idea that the world has left the Holocene and entered a new epoch dominated by human impact. The move into the Anthropocene is supported by evidence that we humans have impacted the geological structure of our planet so severely that, if we were to disappear, our mark would be permanently ingrained in our planet’s fossil record. While the starting date of the Anthropocene is still uncertain, geologist largely agree we have entered a new geological epoch. PIEC collaborated with the Harn Museum, which exhibited The World to Come: Art in the Age of the Anthropocene, to give our attendees a full cultural and technical perspective. Accordingly, the PIEC 25 Welcoming Reception took place at the Harn Museum.
| Thursday, February 7, 2019 |
| Opening Reception, Art Exhibition, and Keynote Address 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM |
| The World to Come: Art in the Age of the Anthropocene | Art Exhibition featuring 45 contemporary artists Location: Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art Conservation Clinic Student Poster Presentation Conference Welcome: Adam Bentley and Megan Lancaster | PIEC Co-Chairs Law School Welcome: Dean Laura A. Rosenbury Who’s Afraid of the Anthropocene? The Case of Geoengineering Keynote Speaker: Andrew Light | Distinguished Senior Fellow in the Global Climate Program, the World Resource Institute, and Professor, George Mason University |
| Friday, February 8, 2019 |
| Breakfast 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM MLAC Foyer: Assorted Pastries and Coffee |
| Opening Plenary 9:00 AM – 10:45 AM |
| Setting the Stage: Perspectives on the Anthropocene Location: MLAC Courtroom (Overflow in MLAC 210) Conference Remarks: Dr. W. Kent Fuchs | President, University of Florida Tracy Hester | Professor of Practice, University of Houston Law Center Andrea Dutton | Associate Professor, Department of Geological Science, University of Florida Francis E. “Jack” Putz | Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, University of Florida Alyson Flournoy | Professor of Law, University of Florida College of Law Student Panel Assistant: Arielle Jeter | Faculty Advisor: Professor Mary Jane Angelo |
| Morning Session 11:00 AM – 12:15 PM |
| Ephemeral Places: Beaches and Islands in the Anthropocene Location: Holland 355B David Migut | City Attorney for Marathon, Florida Holly Parker | Executive Director, Florida Surfrider Foundation Michael Savarese | Professor & Coastal Geologist, Florida Gulf Coast University Megan Houston | Director, Palm Beach County Office of Resilience Moderator: Whitney Gray | Administrator, Florida Resilient Coastlines, Florida Department of Environmental Protection Student Panel Assistants: John Pappas & Valentina Franco | Faculty Advisor: Professor Tom Ankersen |
| Bays and Estuaries in the Anthropocene Location: MLAC 209 Holly Greening | Co-Founder, CoastWise Partner Reinaldo Diaz | Waterkeeper, Lake Worth Tom Frazer | Professor & Director, School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of FloridaStudent Panel Assistants: Adam Bramski & Kaley Tanase | Faculty Advisor: Professor Mary Jane Angelo |
| Driving into the Future: Powering the Next Generation through Energy, Tech and Finance Location: MLAC Courtroom Irene Gutierrez | Attorney, Climate & Clean Energy Program, Natural Resource Defense Council Peter Westlake | Manager, Customer Strategic Projects, Finance, & Contracts, Orlando Utilities Commission Jiri Hulcr | Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida Moderator: Matthew Williams | Director, University of Florida’s Office of Sustainability and Energy Integration Student Panel Assistants: JW Glass & Jess Lefebvre | Faculty Advisor: Professor Amy Stein |
| Lunch Break & Special Event 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM |
| Gee Whiz, Oh Sh*t! and What Now?: Ethical Challenges for the Anthropocene Sponsored by Lewis, Longman & Walker, P.A. Location: MLAC Courtroom (Overflow in MLAC 210) Les Thiele | Professor and Director, Sustainability Studies, University of Florida Andrew Light | Distinguished Senior Fellow in the Global Climate Program, the World Resource Institute, and Professor, George Mason University Brett Scheffers | Professor of Wildlife Ecology, University of Florida Tracy Hester | Professor of Practice, University of Houston Law Center Andrea Dutton | Associate Professor, Department of Geological Science, University of Florida Student Panel Assistant: Stephanie Pocatko & Aleksandra Osterman-Burgess Faculty Advisor: Professor Tom Ankersen |
| Afternoon Session I 2:00 PM – 3:15 PM |
| Changing Tides: The Future of Our Oceans Location: Holland 355B Ryan Orgera | CEO, Sanibel-Captiva Conservation J.P. Brooker | Policy Counsel for Fish Conservation Program, Ocean Conservancy David W. Hastings | Professor of Marine Science and Chemistry, Eckerd College Moderator: Melanie King | International Policy Advisor, NOAA Fisheries Office of International Affairs and Seafood Inspection Student Panel Assistants: Ben Hobbs & Wes Collier | Faculty Advisor: Professor Tom Ankersen |
| Robot Cars, Seawalls, and Bike Share Oh My! How Will We Pay for the Future? Location: MLAC 209 Sponsored by 1000 Friends of Florida Timothy Chapin | Dean, College of Social Sciences and Public Policy, Florida State University Jonathan Paul | Principal, Nue Urban Concepts Student Panel Assistants: Andrea Hartung & Harvey Halprin Faculty Advisor and Moderator: Professor Thomas Hawkins | Policy & Planning Director, 1000 Friends of Florida |
| Keeping Watch Over Our Waters: Florida’s Riverkeepers Location: MLAC Courtroom Jen Lomberk | Executive Director and Matanzas Riverkeeper Lisa Rinaman | St. Johns Riverkeeper Kelly Cox | Staff Attorney & Program Director, Miami Waterkeeper Student Panel Assistants: Sarah Molinaro & Alexa Menashe | Faculty Advisor and Moderator: Professor Christine Klein |
| Afternoon Session II 3:30 PM – 4:45 PM |
| Diving In: Exploring the Future of Florida’s Springs Location: Holland 355B Anne Harvey Holbrook | Staff Attorney, Save the Manatee Club Robert Knight | Executive Director, Howard T. Odum Florida Springs Institute John Moran | Florida Nature Photographer and Writer Student Panel Assistants: Sasha Alvarenga & Andrea Bonvecchio Faculty Advisor and Moderator: Professor Christine Klein |
| Agriculture and the Future Location: MLAC 209 William Kenney | Research Scientist, Land Use and Environmental Change Institute, University of Florida Diane Rowland | Professor and Interim Chair, Programs and Center Director, Agronomy Department, University of Florida Luis Peña-Lévano | Professor, Food and Resource Economics Department, University of Florida Student Panel Assistants and Moderators: Jana Caracciolo & Melissa Dangond | Faculty Advisor: Professor Michael Olexa |
| Truth to Power: From Historical Context to Current Environmental Justice Realities Location: MLAC Courtroom Catherine Flowers | Founder, Alabama Center for Rural Enterprise, Inc. and Board Member, Climate Reality Project Zelalem Adefris | Resilience Director, Catalyst Miami Michelle Nowlin | Supervising Attorney, Environmental Law and Policy Clinic, Duke University Moderator: Sekita Grant | LL.M, Consultant, Emerson Collective & Florida Sea Grant Legal Fellow, University of Florida Student Panel Assistants: Arielle Jeter & Saya Perez | Faculty Advisor: Professor Alyson Flournoy |
| Banquet 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM |
| Securing Our Right to a Healthy Environment Location: Gainesville Woman’s Club (Ticket Required) Keynote Speaker: Maya K. van Rossum, the Delaware Riverkeeper and leader of the Delaware Riverkeeper Network will discuss her most recent book The Green Amendment and how communities can organize around this movement. |
| Saturday, February 9, 2019 |
| Yoga & Mindfulness 7:30 AM- 8:30 AM MLAC Foyer Teresa Drake | Legal Skills Professor and Director, Intimate Partner Violence Assistance Clinic, University of Florida |
| Breakfast 8:30 AM – 9:30 AM Courtyard: Assorted Pastries and Coffee |
| Morning Workshop 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM |
| Law, Policy, and Ethics for a Changed Climate Location: Holland 180
Ryan Smart | Executive Director, Florida Springs Council Moderator: Richard Grosso | Professor, Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern, former Executive Director and General Counsel, Everglades Law Center, Inc. Student Panel Assistants: Rebecca Bee & Aly Siblesz | Faculty Advisor: Professor Tom Ankersen |
| Lunch Event 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM |
| Connecting Activities Across Generations and Disciplines Location: Holland 180 Sponsored by Emerging Leaders in Science Policy and Advocacy (ELIPSA) Oscar Psychas | Florida Plaintiff, Our Children’s Trust Haley Burger | Florida Conservation Coalition (FCC) Administrator Mrs. Merrillee Jipson | Clean Water Advocate, Sierra Club Florida Danielle Jordan | PhD Candidate, Department of English, University of Florida Jiri Hulcr | Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida Advisors: Galen Cobb, PhD Candidate & Angela Walther, Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Florida |
| Closing Conversation 2:00 PM – 3:30 PM |
| Surviving and Thriving in the Anthropocene Location: Holland 180 Sponsored by Imagining Climate Change (ICC) A Closing Conversation Facilitated by: Richard Grosso, Professor | Shepard Broad College of Law at Nova Southeastern University, Former Executive Director and General Counsel, Everglades Law Center, Inc., Former Legal Director, 1000 Friends of Florida Robert Verchick | Gauthier-St. Martin Chair in Environmental Law, Loyola University New Orleans, Senior Fellow in Disaster Resilience, Tulane University, President, Center for Progressive Reform Student Panel Assistants: Andrea Bonvecchio | Faculty Advisor: Professor Mary Jane Angelo |
