Climate Change: New and Emerging Trends

Mia Mansfield, Dir. Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Mass Exec Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. 

Mia co-leads the implementation of the State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan, and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program. She most recently managed the Climate Ready Boston initiative for the City of Boston, where she led development of the Climate Ready Boston Plan and Resilient Boston Harbor Vision. 

Patricia B. Gary, Of Counsel, Donovan Hatem LLP

Patricia is Of Counsel at Donovan Hatem and focuses her practice on the defense of professional liability actions against architects and engineers. She handles complex commercial disputes for individuals and businesses across a broad range of industries.

Lisa Churchill, PG, Founder, Climate Advisory LLC

Lisa is a climate change expert with 25 years of experience in the A&E field, working with public and private sector clients on sustainability and climate change. She is a regular contributor to industry-leading research, and invited speaker at national and international forums.  Her training as a paleontologist, with a focus on mass extinctions, has given her a unique perspective on the characteristics of resilient systems.

Moderated by Eric Howard, Partner, Donovan Hatem LLP

Topics

• The Commonwealth's key initiatives to advance its net zero and climate resilience goals, with a focus on the 2050 Decarbonization Roadmap, Resilient Massachusetts Action Team (RMAT) climate resilience tools and guidelines, and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program.
• How climate change is redefining professional liability risks, how this relates to the standard of care, and why new guidelines, standards, and tools inform best practices.
• Pending regulatory changes and opportunities at the federal level;  evolving climate disclosure criteria --including recent FTC and SEC guidance; potential risks and liability for owners and operators, as well as underwriting and credit rating considerations.