Empowering Climate Resilience in Rural Northeast Communities

In an era defined by climate change and its cascading impacts, building resilience at the local level is more critical than ever. The Local Solutions conference supports communities in the rural Northeast striving for a climate-resilient, equitable, economically revitalized, and decarbonized future. This year's conference, held at Dartmouth from September 18-19, brought together over 170 attendees, including academics, town officials, emergency health care managers, and practitioners, to share knowledge, foster collaboration, and build capacity to address the unique challenges facing rural communities.

"It was the most valued I've felt in a conference workshop." 2025 Local Solutions Conference Participant

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The conference recognizes that effective climate action requires a multi-faceted approach, encompassing aspects like affordable housing, community health, and energy and flood resilience. It serves as a vital platform for bridging the gap between research and practice, equipping individuals and organizations to implement solutions at the local level.

A History of Collaboration and Impact

The Local Solutions conference has over a decade-long history, initiated by Antioch University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Running biennially since 2014, this year marked the sixth conference, and the first with Dartmouth as a co-host, underscoring its commitment to regional climate action.

Christa Daniels, Resident Scholar at Dartmouth's Irving Institute and Conference Coordinator, shared the conference's core mission: "The goal of these conferences is capacity building for local rural communities. We need to avoid working in silos, and we can do this by convening a community of practice."

Exploring Innovative Solutions and Building Community

The conference program offered a rich tapestry of training sessions, presentations, panels, and networking opportunities.

"The speakers were incredible, covering a wide range of important topics in such a short amount of time." 2025 Local Solutions Conference Participant

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Participants delved into critical topics such as:

• The Adaptive Mind & The Multisolving Way: This workshop focused on building psychosocial resilience, equipping individuals and organizations to navigate challenges and create multi-beneficial outcomes.
• Energy Resilience Sessions: Participants explored Dartmouth's decarbonization efforts and strategies for building community-driven pathways to renewable energy.
• Circularity of Materials and Energy: This session challenged conventional thinking about waste and growth, exploring circular solutions for cities and towns.
• US Climate Resilience Toolkit and Climate Smart Communities: Participants learned to leverage tools and resources to build climate-smart communities of practice.

Other sessions explored topics like accessible and resilient housing, public health, flood resilience, and energy justice. A walking tour of Hanover and a visit to the Dartmouth Organic Farm provided hands-on learning and community building opportunities.

Erich Osterberg, co-organizer and Dartmouth Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences, emphasized the importance of connection and emotional support at this year's conference: "This year was special because many participants are feeling the effects of federal budget cuts that impact local services. Through collaboration, we can empower individuals and organizations to address common problems ranging from flood resilience to affordable housing even during this time of limited resources."

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At the end of the conference, participants felt empowered to tackle the complex challenges facing their communities. One participant shared, "The activities and questions were so engaging. I could have stayed all day. It was incredibly generative and regenerative."

The conference structure was designed to promote interaction and collaboration. "It was truly interactive," noted Osterberg. "Most of the sessions involved small group discussions with 4-8 people and then sharing out to the larger group. These deep conversations forged meaningful personal relationships."

Looking Ahead: Building a Sustainable Community of Practice

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The organizers are committed to fostering ongoing collaboration and building a sustainable community of practice beyond the conference. Plans are underway to develop a digital platform and maintain working groups to sustain momentum.

As Christa Daniels explained, "We want to identify what is scalable in process and adaptable to other communities so we can facilitate the co-production of knowledge through communities of practice."

The conference acts as a springboard for action, empowering participants to return to their communities with new knowledge, tools, and relationships. The goal is to create a resilience resource hub and provide links to resources identified at the workshop, sharing best practices and financing tools.

Gratitude to Sponsors

The Local Solutions conference was made possible by several sponsors, including The Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy & Society at Dartmouth; Dartmouth's Climate Collaborative; Casella Waste Systems; Hypertherm Associates; Weston & Sampson; Sustainable Hanover; Norwich Solar; American Planning Association's Northern New England Chapter; and EcoAdapt. Their commitment to building climate resilience in the rural Northeast is deeply appreciated.