FCOP Selection Process
In order to ensure participants for the community of practice represent our primary audience, Antioch has established guidelines to ensure participation from these targeted groups. The purpose of this event is to identify climate solutions for the New England region; as such, priority will be given to applicants from that region. Additionally, the primary audience for this event are decision-makers already engaged in regional decision making. This includes but is not limited to:
- Municipal Staff, Appointed/Elected Officials, and Tribal Leadership
- Staff/Board of social service organizations working with local government
- Regional Planning or Council of Government staff
- Community groups/Non-Profits working in one of the 4 conference subject areas.
Priority for selections will be based on applicants from the New England area, who are working in the capacities listed above.
Our commitment to representation includes government officials from all six New England states, as well as an explicit effort to bring the voices of vulnerable populations to the Community of Practice. We define vulnerable populations according to the current characteristics of climate vulnerability. This includes populations that are exposed, sensitive, and lack adaptive capacity in the face of climate impacts.
- Exposure: populations exposed to climate impacts. For example, will be impacted by flooding, high heat, ice storms.
- Sensitivity: populations that are sensitive to climate impact. For example, populations where their roads are sensitive to the impact and they have no access to safety, or where their homes will be flooded during an extreme precipitation event.
- Adaptive Capacity: populations that lack the adaptive capacity to respond to the impact. For example, populations that are low income and have no financial resources to get out of harm’s way, or populations that do not speak English and have no access to information to respond to impacts.
In order for this community of practice to be diverse and inclusive, applicants will be asked to list in the notes section how they represent vulnerable populations in their communities. In addition, we strive to reserve space for members of traditionally marginalized communities that extend beyond our limited definition of vulnerable populations. Grave injustices of the past, which have been allowed to perpetuate today, have created an unjust and inequitable society. Climate change exacerbates these inequities, as those who are the least responsible for climate change are often the most impacted — this includes Black people, Indigenous Peoples, people of color, and people with low incomes, and from low-income backgrounds. Therefore, the field of climate change adaptation must include professionals who can meaningfully represent the concerns of people with these identities and backgrounds. As such, we strongly encourage applications from people who hold these identities.
