UN Foundation US-China roundtable on climate policies

The UN Foundation, International Fund for China’s Environment and the National Wildlife Federation will be hosting the 2^nd U.S.-China roundtable on climate change policies on September 15^th from 1.30-4.30pm at the UN Foundation. Attached please find the formal invitation and event agenda. Please feel free to pass this message to your colleagues, this event is open to the public. We hope to see you all there.

What: U.S. – China Climate Roundtable Series II

When: September 15, 1.30-4.30pm

Where: United Nations Foundation

1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, 1^st floor conference room,

Washington, DC 20036

(Contact Peter, your TA, for agenda file if interested.)

RSVP Requested to Jichong Wu at jwu@unfoundation.org or call 202-778-3628

Best regards,

__________

Jichong Wu
Program Associate
International Bioenergy and Sustainability Initiative
United Nations Foundation
1800 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 400,
Washington, DC 20036
202-887-9040

jwu@unfoundation.org

www.unfoundation.org

Friday, Sept. 17 Seminar: David Ropeik, expert in risk communication, Harvard University Extension School

Dear colleagues,

Please join us Friday, September 17 at 1130am in Butler Boardroom for the first speaker in a new seminar series organized by the Media & Communication Research Group. Details are below. Students are strongly encouraged to attend and to participate in the discussion.


David Ropeik
Harvard University Extension School

The Perception of Risk:
Why Our Fears So Often Don’t Match the Facts



Friday, September 17, 2010
11:30 A.M. – 1:00 P.M. (Lecture)
1:00 P.M. – 1:30 P.M. (Book Signing)

Butler Boardroom (Butler, 6th Floor)
Copies will be sold before and after the lecture.


Mounting bodies of evidence make clear that the perception of risk is not purely rational and fact-based, but a complex affective process that calls on many subconscious, instinctive, and emotional tools. As much as we must respect the reality that risk perception is a mix of fact and feeling, intellect and instinct, reason and gut reaction, we must also come to grips with the inescapable reality that the way we perceive and respond to risk can get us into trouble. We are sometimes more afraid than the scientific evidence suggests we need to be, and often we are not as afraid as the evidence suggest we should be. So it is vital to understand in as much detail as possible just how we sense and respond to potential danger. Knowledge of the affective system of human risk perception can provide key insights that will help us make healthier choices for ourselves, our society, and our futures.

David Ropeik is an Instructor at Harvard, consultant in risk perception and risk communication, former environment reporter in Boston, and author of the newly released, “How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match the Facts.”


***

The Media & Communication Research Group (MCRG) in the School of Communication is a collaborative network of American University faculty and students studying the influence of media and communication on public life, civil society, and social problems. MCRG also serves as a public forum for discussion and debate and as the host for a speaker and seminar series. For more information, contact Matthew Nisbet at nisbet@american.edu.

China/Water/Energy events on 9/15 & 9/22

The Evolution of Sulfur Dioxide Pollution Control in China's Power Sector
Date: Wednesday, September 15th, 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: Xuehua Zhang, Independent Energy and Environment Consultant; Jeremy Schreifels, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Location: 5th Floor Conference Room
RSVP with your name and affiliation: cef@wilsoncenter.org

2010 is the final year of what was one of China’s “greenest” five-year plan (FYP) periods. The 11th FYP contained considerably stricter standards for SO2 and other pollutants and aggressive energy intensity standards have been touted as key in shifting the country to a more low carbon development path. However, skies over Chinese cities are still smoggy, which raises valid questions as to the effectiveness of China’s air pollution control efforts. It is often too easy for outside assessments to blame the apparent poor air quality to lack of political commitment, limited action by Chinese local governments, low quality pollution control equipment, and untrustworthy data. At this September 15th CEF meetings our speaker— Jeremy Schreifels (U.S. EPA) and Xuehua Zhang (Independent Energy and Environment Consultant)-will dig into some of the complexities of pollution control efforts in China to help us understand some major progress in SO2 emission measurement and control in the power sector with thoughts on what led to this progress.

ChokePoint: US: Understanding the Tightening Conflict between Energy and Water in the Era of Climate Change
Date: Wednesday, September 22nd, 2010, 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Speakers: J. Carl Ganter, Circle of Blue, Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue, Jeffrey Fulgham, GE

Location: 5th Floor Conference Room
RSVP with your name and affiliation: cef@wilsoncenter.org

On September 22nd, 2010, J. Carl Ganter, the director of Circle of Blue <http://www.circleofblue.com/> , Keith Schneider, Circle of Blue’s senior editor, and Jeffrey J. Fulgham, chief sustainability officer and ecomagination leader at General Electric will discuss the findings of Choke Point: U.S., an exploration into the fierce contest between the nation’s growing demand for energy, and the tightening supplies of fresh water. The presentation will also look into the development of a similar project, Choke Point: China.

In undertaking Choke Point: U.S., Circle of Blue set out to understand whether the transition to a low-carbon economy would produce a penalty or a dividend for freshwater consumption in the United States. Multi-media reporters were dispatched to the coalfields of southwest Virginia, the dry plains of South Dakota, the tar sands region of Alberta, Canada, the oilfields and solar generating deserts of southern California, and the biofuel production plants in the Midwest.

The facts and insights gathered by Circle of Blue also point to a new national narrative of resource urgency. Choke Point: U.S. makes a strong case that the United States quickly needs to reconsider and realign much of its energy production policy and water management practices in order to avoid dire shortages of water and potential shortfalls in energy. None of the big energy producers or large water use sectors will be left untouched.

CEF programming, publications, and other activities are currently funded by The Blue Moon Fund, Rockefeller Brothers Fund, USAID, Vermont Law School, Western Kentucky University, Japan Foundation's Center for Global Partnership, U.S. Department of State, World Resources Institute, and the ENVIRON Foundation.

Hear Bill McKibben: CCAN event

In 1979 Jimmy Carter installed solar panels on the White House.

In 1986 Ronald Reagan removed them.

Next week, Bill McKibben and a team of students from Unity College in Maine will be traveling to Washington, D.C. to deliver one of the original Carter panels to President Obama, asking him to reinstall solar on the White House, and to follow this symbolic gesture with substantial legislative action.

We're calling it the Solar Road Trip, and after the panel has traveled through Unity, Boston. and NYC, we hope you'll be able to celebrate with us when it reaches its final destination--our nation's Capitol!

Here are the details of the event:

Date: Thursday, September 9

Location: All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church, 2835 16th Street NW Washington, DC 20009

Time: 6:30 - 9:00pm

This event will include guest speakers Bill McKibben from 350.org and CCAN's own Mike Tidwell. In addition, there will be a film screening of "A Road Not Taken", an hour long documentary about the story of Carter's solar panels.

Please join 350.org, Unity College students, the Carter solar panel, Energy Action Coalition and the Chesapeake Climate Action Network in on Thursday, September 9 to show that our country supports a clean energy future.

In solidarity,

Keith Harrington, CCAN

P.S. Did you get a chance to see Bill McKibben on Letterman Tuesday night? If not, you can watch the clip here!

Internship opportunities with Earth Day Network

Hi all -- here's an internship announcement from one of your classmates, Melissa Winn:

"I am currently working for Earth Day Network, a non profit that seeks to "broaden and diversify the environmental movement worldwide to mobilize it as the most effective vehicle for promoting a healthy, sustainable environment."
 
"There are positions available in several departments, and the company is actively seeking applicants for the semester or year.
 
"Here is a link to all the job descriptions that also includes contact information:
http://earthday.net/node/62"

Student activism training from Greenpeace

Greenpeace is offering another semester of life-changing training this Spring 201.

The Greenpeace Organizing Term is the best hands-on training and leadership program available to college-aged students.

Not only will you learn how to organize environmental campaigns more effectively, but it will also give them skills and a network of activists and peers with whom they can work when they return to campus and work alongside after graduation.

The Greenpeace Organizing Term (http://www.greenpeace.org/got) is a semester-long program packed with rigorous training, travel, and action.

Contact info: got@wdc.greenpeace.org or call Linda Capato at 877-450-3517 ext. 320

New Semester Underway

The new semester is underway, and with it the revival of the 388 blog. Course-related announcements will begin again shortly.

Best,
Simon