Jefferson County Commissioner Kate Dean and Port Townsend Mayor Deborah Stinson are featured speakers at a climate march taking place April 29 in Port Angeles.

A safe climate and a prosperous clean-energy economy are the focuses of the march, set to be one of several taking place across the country, including in Washington, D.C., with dozens of sister marches around the world to send a message of resolve on climate, jobs and justice.

Dean said the effects of climate change are already present on the North Olympic Peninsula, including impacts to the shorelines, more frequent and more extreme weather, disruptions to transportation, property damage, landslides and adverse effects to the economy.

The 2015 summer drought was an example of what area residents can expect more of in the future, Dean said, along with higher risks of forest fires, reduced water supply and adverse agricultural effects.

MARCH TIMING

The march begins at 3 p.m. at the Port Angeles City Pier with a speaker to kick off the event. The march is to go through downtown Port Angeles, then return to the pier at 4 p.m., when speakers from across the peninsula are to speak about climate impacts, actions and opportunities in the region.

To deal with climate change, people can take action to reduce their carbon footprint by making climate-friendlier choices regarding electricity use, food consumption, heating sources and fuel-efficient transportation, organizers say. Replacing older inefficient appliances with newer ones can also result in a lower carbon footprint.

Dean said governments and individuals need to be smart about how they make use of waterfront property and also be careful about what kind of development is allowed at the waterfront. She also said it is important to prepare for emergencies so that people are more resilient when storms knock the power out or render roads and bridges impassable.

REPORT ON PENINSULA

A report on how the North Olympic Peninsula can prepare for climate change, titled “Climate Change Preparedness Plan for the North Olympic Peninsula,” is available at

noprcd.org/about2. It includes sea level rise maps that show the probability of sea level rise for 2030, 2050 and 2100.

Speakers at the march include: Jon Preston, Forks City Council; Commissioner Dean; Chad Bowechop manager, Makah Tribal Council Office of Marine Affairs; Mayor Stinson; Mark Ozias, Clallam County commissioner; and Dianna Somerville, author and activist.

The march is being organized by the Sierra Club North Olympic Group and the Olympic Climate Action group.

The event is a sister march of the broader Peoples Climate Movement, with the goal of protecting the right to clean air, water, land and healthy communities, and to advance solutions to the climate crisis.

Parking is to be available at the Clallam County Courthouse, 223 E. Fourth St. Carpooling is encouraged. For those coming from Jefferson County who would like to carpool, contact

cindy@L2020.org.

Learn more at

actionnetwork.org/events/peoples-climate-march-port-angeles,

olyclimate.org and

peoplesclimate.org.