How Asheville continues to climb as ‘Climate City’
An abundance of climate and weather-related data, conferences, events and other resources attract a new crowd to Asheville.
By WP Creative Group
March 8, 2024
Some of the world’s oldest mountains and one of the world’s most ancient rivers have been drawing visitors to Asheville for generations. In the center of if all is a city with a deeply rooted Appalachian food culture and vibrant artistic community.
Over the past decade, a new kind of visitor began to descend upon Asheville: climate data scientists, meteorology students, weather forecasters and others looking to tap into the city’s climate and weather-related science community.
Today, Asheville has fully embraced its identity as “Climate City”.
The story has its roots back to 1951, when the federal government relocated millions of pages of archived climate data from across the U.S. to Asheville to form the National Weather Records Center. In 2024, the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves was in Asheville to announce an $85 million investment to Asheville to address climate change. The funding will support the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration‘s efforts to deliver more modernized products and services to enhance climate data based in the mountain town.
“The U.S. government chose this area to create a climate hub, so Asheville’s self-proclamation as the Climate City is not a casual thing,” said Liz Tarquin, chief executive officer of CASE Consultants International. “It reflects the city’s real focus on climate-related initiatives, its dedication to addressing environmental challenges and its ability to bring climate experts together.”
CASE, which stands for Climate Arts & Science Experts, located in downtown Asheville, uses the latest climate science to help companies make real-world decisions about climate adaptation and sustainability. CASE also owns and operates The Collider, a venue that offers event and meeting spaces as well as coworking areas and conference rooms for small businesses and the scientific community to connect.
Professionals in the climate sector have started flocking to the city in increasing numbers, hosting large-scale conferences with subject matter experts while also enjoying Asheville’s James Beard-recognized dining options and a vast variety of outdoor experiences.
“Asheville is home to a lot of institutions that play a crucial role in climate research, data collection and analysis,” Tarquin said. “So climate – the study of it and just the appreciation of Asheville’s mild climate – has become part of the city’s DNA.”
Access to climate data and experts
In 2015, the National Weather Records Center merged with other data centers to become the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI). Still headquartered in Asheville, it holds the world’s largest active archive of weather data.
Climate-focused conferences choosing to host events in Asheville can connect with NCEI, CASE and other institutions that hold similar values to create agendas with lasting impact.
The Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI), for instance, is a nonprofit dedicated to transforming global energy systems and working toward a zero-carbon future. RMI chose to host its leadership retreat at The Collider in 2022, where the organization took time to plan future programming and connect to different market sectors.
However, the work done by CASE and other climate-centric organizations in Asheville is vital not only for the science-focused events, but also for any event planners seeking to incorporate climate research and expertise into their programs. Connie Holliday, director of sales at Explore Asheville, says the city’s spirit of collaboration makes these connections possible.
“Innovation of all kinds flows through these mountains,” Holliday said. “Naturally, and intentionally, that makes its way into the meetings, events and business that happens here. It all comes back to a community that is drawn to collaborate, create and connect in meaningful ways.”
Tarquin says she’s looking forward to the climate-related events coming to Asheville in 2024, such as the annual four-day Earth Science Information Partners meeting in July to cover current trends and emerging issues in Earth science data and information.
Additionally, The Collider hosts its own programming focused on sustainability leadership, climate adaptation and transitions. In Fall 2024, the venue will host a series of events in response to the Fifth National Climate Assessment released in 2023.
It’s no surprise that the city of Asheville – which is known for its scenic views, outdoor adventure and creative ingenuity – has embraced this new identity as a hub for climate- and weather-related science.
“Even people not engaged in the science community in Asheville are very open-minded when it comes to understanding and enjoying the natural environment, as well as trying to do the right thing by their community,” Tarquin said. “It makes Asheville a great location for us to be able to do this sort of work.”
Where climate professionals research and relax
In April 2023, over 100 students, professionals, academics and community members attended the Southern Appalachian Weather and Climate Workshop, held on the campus of the University of North Carolina Asheville.
Jana Houser, director of undergraduate studies and associate professor of meteorology at the Ohio State University, serves on the event’s planning committee, and says that what started as a vision of mostly National Weather Service forecasters blossomed to include experts across a variety of environmental sectors.
“The workshop is meant to bring together not just forecasters but also people in the private sector, people in academia, and even people in broadcast media,” said Houser. “The goal is to gather these experts to discuss current research objectives and to facilitate connections between like-minded people.”
Houser says the workshop’s planning committee chose Asheville for several reasons: ease of travel, variety of lodging options, unique attractions and access to the climate science community.
“We had participants spanning from Georgia to Ohio, and from the east coast westward into the Alabama area, and we wanted to choose a geographically centric location to abate any travel issues,” she said. “Proximity to nearby Weather Service forecast offices was also a really good indicator for where we wanted to host our conference.”
Additionally, Houser found that the hotels in Asheville were accepting of large groups and offered group rates even though the Southern Appalachian Weather and Climate Workshop was being held elsewhere.
After each day’s presentations concluded, workshop participants were able to explore the many attractions of Asheville, including nearly 300 artists of different mediums displaying their works in the River Arts District, as well as the wealth of shopping and dining options at Grove Arcade — the original storage location for the archived climate data in 1951.
Houser, who has also vacationed personally in Asheville, says the charming atmosphere of the city is hard to beat.
“Not only does Asheville have many resources in terms of climate data availability, it also has a small-town feel with bigger, city-type accommodations,” she said. “There’s a really fun food scene, and you don’t have to drive very far to get out into the mountains and enjoy nature.”
Tarquin suggests event planners look into “climate adjacent” activities when planning meetings in Asheville as well, such as visiting the Asheville Museum of Science and touring Biltmore, the 8,000-acre estate that holds America’s Largest Home®, through a climate lens.
“The Vanderbilts who built Biltmore likely came down from New York to Asheville because of the climate,” she said. “When touring the Biltmore, you really get a sense that they built the entire grounds with the notion of integrating the natural environment and maximizing the enjoyment of the Blue Ridge Mountains into the overall architecture.”
Now that the trip has ended, Houser wishes the event had been longer, giving the group more time to explore the city.
“Our trip was only two days, but Asheville itself is fantastic, especially if you’re there for a longer period of time,” she said. “Make time to enjoy it all – the food, the outdoors and the connection with like-minded individuals.”
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