BY ISAIAH FRIZZELL
Sun Valley Forum
We face many challenges in our society with some so big that the sheer size can make them difficult to comprehend. When a giant challenge is also complex, finding how to respond can be even more overwhelming. Aimee ChrIstensen, from Sun Valley Forum, has been working on clean energy and environmental impact for over 30 years. Christensen has her finger on the pulse of climate and brings that knowledge to Sun Valley every year, broadly, from her consulting firm and concentrated at the Forum.
Christensen hails from Sun Valley proper as her family has been here for generations. She started the Forum back in 2015 just after launching her nonprofit, Sun Valley Institute for Resilience, now helmed by Amy Mattias. The Institute is a community-focused think tank of activists who educate and invest in the resilience of communities. They’re active in Sun Valley and well regarded for making lasting impact with their beloved educational events and project investment.
Christensen’s 30 years in climate and clean energy has taken her right to the heart of policy and international law. Early in her career, she persuaded Al Gore to let her activist group open for him at a climate conference where he was speaking as head of the congressional delegation. It was successful and led to Christensen working on Gore’s vice presidential campaign and, after election, on the transition team. She would be invited to intern in the White House on environmental policy and continue working in government and law for the next few decades, with a massive list of accomplishments, acting as special adviser to the UN Secretary General in 2012. Christensen has a number of firsts, including negotiating the first U.S. bilateral climate change agreement while she was with the Department of Energy for Latin American Energy Policy.
Community Resilience
Highly decorated, Christensen is also a speaker and moderator, sought after for her wide-ranging experience and expertise. She lives and breathes climate and her everyday focus is on sustainable and clean living. With her own consulting firm, Christensen Global Strategies, in downtown Ketchum, she works to help clients advance climate solutions and sustainability.
“When the Beaver Creek fire happened, I just decided I really needed to work on a community resilience effort here and make us more resilient to climate impacts given the threats it’s causing to our local economy.”
The Forum exists to educate, inspire and invest in uplifting everyone, from the patio gardener to heads of local industries. “It’s become a community over the years and I have returning participants and advisors who I just adore. But the goal of the forum is to be an accelerator, to uplift with information and help have the conversations we need to be having to understand this better and enable anyone in the room to find their role.
“Whether they’re an individual who votes and buys, and so they have that power, or somebody with a philanthropic organization, a foundation, a business, investors—what is their role? How is the best way to live? So we always have four key topics. The major one is on finance. How to get money invested in the right way to have better outcomes for our climate and a healthy, stable planet with more resilient communities.
“It takes everybody and we all have a role to play. Climate is an all-encompassing issue. It is unequal in its impacts, hurting, more, the people who have contributed pollution the least. We believe everyone can be part of the solution and want to make it accessible to everyone. It’s a really nice mix of folks coming from different perspectives, including storytellers and communicators.”
Forum Agenda
The Forum’s 2024 incarnation, Restoring Harmony with Nature, marks the ninth annual event and the lineup is a who’s-who of climate conscious, environmentally studious leaders from a huge swathe of industry. Hear keynotes from Xiye Bastida – Re-Earth Initiative, Dr. Sylvia Earle – Mission Blue & National Geographic Explorer, Jenna Johnson – President of Patagonia, Shannon Wheeler – The Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee, Rev. Lennox Yearwood Jr. – the Hip Hop Caucus and many more.
Enjoy trail hikes, rafting, breakfasts, dinners and discuss incredible ideas for solutions from all over the world, including leaders of some of the largest climate companies. The Forum is wide open to the public and there are a number of options on how to participate, whether in person or streamed online. From Monday, July 15, through Wednesday, July 17, the event takes place at The Argyros in Ketchum. Thursday, July 18, is adventure day with an early morning hike, a rafting trip on the Salmon River and a finale biking/hiking event at Galena.
Registration and Volunteering
You can find a value for any level of participation you prefer from streaming online to mainstage only to full VIP passes at https://www.accelevents.com/e/u/checkout/sunvalleyforum/tickets/order
The mainstage-only day passes are $100 per day or $300 for the mainstage plus lunch and evening receptions/meals. They also offer $50 day passes for those who might only want to catch the keynotes and for $150 you can watch the keynotes and join for dinner reception at the Limelight.
There is much room and need for volunteers who want to become involved on a deeper level. Visit www.sunvalleyforum.com to volunteer, check out the speaking agenda or register tickets for the event.
Guaranteed to be an engaging educational event, the Forum is largely catering to business and investing to help understand the nuances of sustainability policy.