Cal Poly virtual climate conference returns for a fifth year with 70-plus talks on practical solutions

For the fifth consecutive academic year, Cal Poly initiative for Climate Leadership and Resilience is hosting the Climate Solutions Now conference - an all-virtual event designed to translate climate science into practical action. This year edition runs from February 23 to 27, with more than 70 talks and discussions covering energy, water, waste, business sustainability, agriculture, education, environmental justice, and what organizers call a Rights of Nature track that uses legal frameworks to pursue climate goals.

The conference has operated virtually since its inception, a deliberate choice that reduces the carbon footprint of travel while expanding reach. Past editions have attracted more than 1,000 attendees per year from locations as distant as Europe, Asia, and Australia, in addition to participants across California and the United States. Ticketing options for the 2026 event include free and paid tiers, with the public welcome.

Who is presenting and what they will cover

This year lineup includes Stephen Ansolabehere, a professor of government at Harvard University presenting on electricity demand and the choices consumers and policymakers face as power systems are redesigned. David Resnik, a bioethicist with the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, will discuss climate debate and policy. Kelly Cooper, president of the nonprofit Open Source Ag, will address balancing farm productivity with climate commitments. Kristin Eberhard, vice president of Rewiring America, will cover home electrification. Paul Price, head of marketing at Pavegen - a company that converts the kinetic energy of footsteps on paved surfaces into electricity - will discuss pathways in green careers.

One of the more distinctive sessions involves author Amy Bowers-Cordalis, whose book The Water Remembers addresses the Klamath River, the site of the largest dam removal project in United States history, completed in late 2024. Bowers-Cordalis is a member of the Yurok Tribe, which relied on the Klamath for millennia before dam construction eliminated salmon runs. Her discussion will address the intersection of indigenous rights, ecological restoration, and climate adaptation.

The conference approach to climate communication

"We want folks to start to understand what climate solutions look like," said Erin Pearse, Cal Poly director of the Initiative for Climate Leadership and Resilience. "Climate change is broad and nebulous and can be difficult to wrap your head around. We showcase many strategies in the hope that they will inspire people to move in impactful directions."

Past conferences have featured presentations on individual-level actions - dietary changes, transportation choices, home energy use - alongside policy, business innovation, and campus sustainability programs. The sustained attendance figures suggest that a demand exists for climate communication that moves past problem description into concrete, actionable territory.

"This conference is about inspiring folks to do things that can impact the climate, which starts to stave off climate anxiety and the paralyzing effects that can come from that," Pearse said. "Even if it is just changing your diet once or twice a week or using an alternative form of transportation, by altering certain habits people can help reduce the carbon footprint and save money in the process."

Sustainable campuses and regenerative agriculture tracks

Beyond individual action, the conference includes dedicated tracks on sustainable campus operations, regenerative agriculture, and climate finance. Regenerative agriculture - farming practices that build soil carbon and biodiversity rather than depleting them - has become an area of significant interest both for its mitigation potential and its resilience benefits as climate variability intensifies. The campus sustainability track addresses how educational institutions can serve as demonstration sites and training grounds for broader adoption of climate practices.

The Rights of Nature track reflects a growing legal and policy movement in which ecosystems - rivers, forests, and other natural systems - are granted legal standing to be represented in regulatory and court proceedings. The Klamath River has been at the center of this discussion in the United States, and Bowers-Cordalis work connects indigenous sovereignty with these emerging legal frameworks.

The virtual format makes attendance accessible to anyone with internet access, without the time and financial costs of travel. For researchers, educators, policymakers, and members of the public seeking practical frameworks for thinking about and responding to climate change, the conference offers a curated overview of current approaches across multiple sectors and scales of action.