The Regional Green Jobs Summit is a collaborative effort amongst agencies and organizations working towards similar goals to create awareness, set a platform for ‘Green Deal’ partnerships and develop an agenda with national implications for communities most in need throughout the San Joaquin Valley. There are three fundamental reasons why the inaugural Green Jobs Regional Summit will be held in Fresno:

• Most importantly to build awareness of the severity on the need to make the projects for clean energy and green jobs that pays livable wages in the region
• Create awareness on clean energy opportunities that will help stem global warming and help to alleviate rural/urban poverty
• Expose the models and opportunities for community based organizations, municipalities and agencies, and business leaders and private organizations/groups take the lead in the growing of green business and jobs
• Create a regional leadership vehicle to leverage human and financial resources, advance appropriate legislation and sustain regional equity throughout the San Joaquin Valley.

All of these are integral to the economic advancement of the region known as the “Appalachia’s of the West”; a region with the highest rates of pollution, asthma, dropouts and poverty. 

Targets & Purpose: This summit is intended to engage the different partners that could ideally work together to unfold a new economy, protect the environment and create local sustainable systems. The Summit format will allow for active participation between keynote speakers, workshop presenters, local community experts/residents and small city and county representatives as engaged participants. Informational booths with representatives sharing existing models for sustainable living, energy and economies will also be available to attendees. The main targets are policy makers, industry, community and four year colleges as well as local community elected, appointed and grassroots leaders. This is the formula for a strong Valley with the summit serving as a catalyst at a critical time in our planetary history and regional reality.