World Wildlife Fund

What: Climate Camp is a week-long program where conservationists, policymakers and resource managers from Papua New Guinea to Northern California learn how to develop programs that help wildlife, habitats and communities prepare for the consequences of global climate change. Climate scientists from around the world will explain the impacts of climate change and help them design programs to help places like the Congo, Amazon and Rockies prepare for a changing climate. They present these programs to their peers and funders and if the last climate camp is any guide, most will successfully implement projects when they return home.

When: February 25 – 29, 2008

Where: Days 1-4: Pacific Gas & Electric Company Headquarters, 77 Beale St., San Francisco

Day 5 (Presentation of projects): HP Headquarters, 3000 Hanover St., Palo Alto

Interested media should register in advance by calling Lee Poston at 202-299-6442 or emailing lee.poston@wwfus.org

Who:

•         Conservation scientists and resource managers from 30 countries, who work on issues from coral reefs to county planning

• Leading scientists who are experts on preparing wildlife, habitats and communities for the effects of climate change
• Politicians, policymakers and business leaders who care about this issue and want to take action

Why:  Climate change is already causing glaciers to melt around the world, tropical diseases to move into new areas and wildlife species such as the American pika to disappear. This will only worsen as the planet continues to heat up – an estimated 3 degrees Celsius (5.5°F) by 2100. While we must continue doing everything we can to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions that cause climate change, we must begin building resilience into natural systems and their management so that they can withstand the worst effects of climate change. Climate Camp is the world’s only annual gathering of experts designed to develop climate “adaptation” plans, network with other experts and fund programs to achieve this goal. For more information about Climate Camp, go to www.worldwildlife.org/climatecamp/

Climate Camp is sponsored by HP (www.hp.com/go/wwf).

Partners and supporters include WWF, NOAA’s Coastal Training Program (http://www8.nos.noaa.gov/publicnerrs/training.aspx) and Pacific Gas & Electric Company (http://www.pge.com/about/environment/).

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Note to Editors: B-roll and interviews showing the effects of climate change on communities around the world are available. Individual interviews with climate change and conservation experts from around the world can also be arranged.