MADISON—Today, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes hosted the third member meeting of the Governor’s Task Force on Climate Change via video teleconference.

Today’s meeting focused on land use and conservation with experts, such as the Great Lake Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission and the Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil & Healthy Water, presenting on issues of flooding, carbon sequestration, climate adaptation, and soil conservation.

“We are seeing many similarities between the deadly spread of COVID-19 and the growing threat of climate change. Namely, we know that many of the same communities are being disproportionately and unjustly hurt by both, but we also know that putting action behind science and data is key to minimizing the threat of both,” said Lt. Gov. Barnes. “This is why our work on the Task Force on Climate Change is so important as we reshape how we live our everyday lives and rethink how our systems are working—or not working—for the communities in our state.”

The meeting began with a keynote from Organic Valley, one of Wisconsin’s environmental and clean energy leaders, followed by reports from the task force’s three subcommittees: Healthy Communities & Strong Economy; Energy, Housing & Infrastructure; and Land Use & Conservation.

“Not only is the task force working to develop policies that will protect our environment and help our state transition to a cleaner economy, but the task force is working to center the voices and experiences of those who have been most impacted by climate change—whether they be communities of color, Indigenous communities, or low-income communities,” Lt. Gov. Barnes continued. “I’m grateful to the members for their ongoing work and for their steadfast commitment to moving us towards a more equitable and sustainable future.”

Through Executive Order 52, Gov. Tony Evers created the Task Force on Climate Change and named Lt. Gov. Barnes as the chair. The task force is comprised of individuals from across the state representing various industries, including agriculture, small business, utilities, and Indigenous communities. They are charged with providing policy recommendations to Gov. Evers by October 31, 2020.

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