This year's American Planning Association conference is in Las Vegas next week, and while the theme for 2008 isn't exactly "sustainability", there are a lot of great sessions this time around focusing on green initiatives, climate change, and even peak oil.

I'll be hosting a session on "Responding to Peak Oil and Energy Uncertainty" (S639) on Wednesday starting at 4:00pm. Here's a quick overview:

• Daniel Lerch, Program Manager at Post Carbon Institute and author of Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Energy and Climate Uncertainty introduces the issue of peak oil (the imminent maximum point of global oil production), describes how the problem is really one of uncertainty and explains how local officials and planners can best approach it. Daniel will also cover what some cities in the U.S. and Canada are already doing in response to peak oil. [bio]
• John Kaufmann, Senior Policy Analyst at the Oregon Department of Energy, was the lead staffer for the groundbreaking Portland (Ore.) Peak Oil Task Force. He has given presentations about peak oil and the experience of the Portland task force to state and local governments across the country. John will describe in detail how the Portland Peak Oil Task Force went about its work, what its findings were and what Portland has accomplished since.
  
• Jennifer Sarnecki is a Senior Planner in the Environmental Division of the Southern California Association of Governments. She serves as the lead staff for all of SCAG's energy planning efforts, which includes developing the Regional Comprehensive Plan's Energy Chapter, staffing SCAG's Energy Working Group and positioning SCAG to be successful in its approach to AB 32 (California Global Warming Solutions Act). Jennifer will discuss SCAG's leadership on energy uncertainty, including the challenges of approaching this complex topic from the regional perspective.

We're also happy to announce that Post Carbon Cities: Planning for Energy and Climate Uncertainty will be carried by the APA Bookstore at the conference! Pick up your copy there, or order it directly from us at postcarbonbooks.com.