Southwest Practitioners Adaptation Network (SPAN) Launch Event

Through a cooperative agreement between the Center for Climate Adaptation Science and Solutions and the Southwest Climate Adaptation Science Center, the Southwest Practitioners Adaptation Network (SPAN) was created to gather climate adaptation and assessment practitioners in the Southwest to exchange experiences and best practices from their work and build a network dedicated to finding and implementing integrated, community-based adaptation solutions. The four main goals of SPAN are to: 1) strengthen existing and build new relationships among climate adaptation and assessment practitioners and organizations in the region; 2) identify gaps and needs in our stakeholder and practitioner networks; 3) generate synergy and momentum for future engagement among partners and stakeholder groups; and 4) position this emergent network to take tangible action.

The first working group meeting of this new network was on February 7, 2020 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The event brought together 33 adaptation and assessment practitioners from across the Southwest, with a primary focus on southern Nevada. This included emergency managers, planners, and sustainability directors. Preliminary feedback from the meeting indicates it was a success and practitioners want to stay engaged in the group moving forward. Connections were made at the meeting that we hope will only be strengthened and expanded with the existence of this network of networks. Participants emphasized the importance of acknowledging and preparing for the impacts of climate change on health.