On November 18 I was a speaker for Bard CEP's Naitonal Climate Seminar. The topic? A preview of the Paris climate conference. In my talk I spoke about who goes to the COP, why and what do they do; background about the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; key issues for the Paris conference; possible outcomes; and what comes after Paris.
On the last of these, it's important to recognize that the action is not over with Paris. Whether the conference is considered a success or failure will not depend on the words that are in the agreement that is reached. It will depen on all of us, on what we do as actors on our college campuses, employees and leaders of businesses and organizations, as involved citizens and community activists. In the US, whatever agreement our delegation brings home, we need to create a political climate in which the necessary steps to fulfill the agreement, and even exceed it, can and will be taken. We need to make climate change denial untenable for political candidates and parties at local, state and national levels.
You can listen to my talk here.
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