A standing room only crowd gathered at the Dungeness River Audubon Center on Saturday, Sept. 20, to learn about climate change, its local impacts and the importance of community and global action to prepare for and influence climate change.

In preparation for the 2014 United Nation Climate Summit, a conference that brought together world leaders from government, finance, business and civil society, on Tuesday, Sept. 23, to discuss a global climate action plan, local organizations and groups from around the world held their own climate-centric events.

The Olympic Peninsula community’s wasn’t void from the collaborative efforts being made to enhance climate change awareness and education. Talks, walks and demonstrations took place in Sequim, Port Angeles and Port Townsend. Sequim resident and climate change educator, Bob Lynette, gave an informative and scientific talk at the Dungeness River Audubon Center about the local impacts Clallam County and the greater peninsula can expect because of climate change. Lynette is a founding member of the Olympic Climate Action and devoted his career to climate change education and renewable energy.

“For this area, it’s important that city and county planners really start thinking about the local impacts from climate change,” Lynette said. “The update of the Clallam County Comprehensive Plan is the perfect opportunity to begin to address some of these things associated with climate change.”