L-R: Alliance co-chairs Michael Catania, executive director, Duke Farms, and Kathleen Ellis, chief operating officer of Kathleen Ellis Strategic Solutions; Tammy Snyder Murphy, First Lady of New Jersey; Marjorie Kaplan, associate director, Rutgers Climate Institute and Alliance co-facilitator; Jeanne Herb (CC ’81), executive director, Environmental Analysis and Communications Group, Bloustein School of Planning and Policy and Alliance co-facilitator; Catherine McCabe, commissioner NJDEP; and David Zimmer, executive director, NJ Infrastructure Bank.
New Jersey Climate Change Alliance, formerly New Jersey Climate Adaptation Alliance (NJADAPT), was among 11 winners honored for various areas of environmental stewardship, from protecting water quality to improving access to electric vehicle charging stations and preserving natural resources, at the 19th Annual Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards in Trenton on December 10.
The alliance, which won in the Environmental Education (Educator) category, is facilitated by the Rutgers Climate Institute and Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. It’s a diverse network of leaders who self-organized in 2011 to advance shared goals for addressing climate change. The Alliance has identified options for evidence-based climate-change and resilience policies, convened stakeholders to build consensus-based models, developed decision support tools in use by communities and produced extensive outreach and educational material. The alliance of more than 45 organizations representing public, private, non-governmental and academic sectors has also undertaken research and policy analysis to assess climate impacts in New Jersey as well as outlining policy and other actions that can address sector-based impacts.
“This year’s winners exemplify New Jersey’s strong commitment to protecting the environment and following practices that will help us fight climate change and sea-level rise, while also improving flooding resiliency around the state,” said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Catherine R. McCabe, who recognized the honorees during the awards program luncheon at the New Jersey State Museum. “Their fine work is an example to us all, and I congratulate the winners for their outstanding achievements.”
First Lady Tammy Snyder Murphy spoke at the event and distributed awards with Commissioner McCabe.
The Governor’s Environmental Excellence Awards are New Jersey’s premier environmental awards recognizing outstanding environmental performance, programs and projects in the state. The program has recognized 180 winners since it was initiated in 2000.
