Difficult Conversations on Climate

Members of the UB community participating in the Climate Strike on September 20, 2019 near the Student Union on the North Campus. The UB strike was in solidarity with millions of people in 150 countries who walked out of school and work to demand that world leaders take action to address climate change. Photographer: Meredith Forrest Kulwicki.

Time is Running Out- Urgency vs. Equity in Fighting Climate Change

How do we save the planet?

How do we solve climate change? It is becoming increasingly clear we are running out of time, so how does this influence which solutions we leverage? Should we pursue technological advances in renewable energy and food production? Is it a focus on global behavioral change? What about the role of government and business? Could we geoengineer our climate to get out of this crisis? What about returning to indigenous practices that steward and respect our planet?

Date: April 7th

Time: 3-4:30pm

Location: Goodyear Ten, South Campus

Postponed until the Fall

Panelists Include

  • Kim Diana Connolly, Law, Professor, Vice Dean for Advocacy and Experiential Education, Director of Clinical Legal Education  
  •  Dr. Sameer Honwad, Assistant Professor, Learning and Instruction  
  • Jon Hulbert, Organizational Change Management Specialist, Human Resources 
  •  Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, Assistant Professor, Geology 

Coming Together as a Campus to Achieve Climate Neutrality

Are we ready to make change on our campus?

Our university has already cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% in the last few years, but as we continue on our path to neutrality, the tactics and strategies we take to get there will become more difficult, costlier and require greater change.

The campus and the individuals that make it the dynamic place it is will have to make key priority investments and changes that require us to give up past behaviors that drive our daily operations.  Are you prepared to eat less (or no) meat in the dining halls? Greatly reduce attending conferences in person? Pay a fee for the carbon you emitted to commute to UB? Throw on a sweater to account for a two degree thermostat drop?   Our world and our campus demand strong and swift action to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate and while many of our solutions will create greater opportunity and advance our mission of teaching, research and engagement, it is also clear that we will need to make sacrifices, specific investments and collective changes to enable broader systems transformation.

Join us for a difficult, open, fun and much needed conversation centered around what we are willing to do as an institution, a collective and as individuals to meet the challenge and how it can help advance our university’s climate action strategy.

Date: April 22nd

Time: 9-10:30am

Location: Center for the Arts, Main Stage

RSVP Here

Panelists Include

  • Chris Austin, Director of Transportation and Parking
  • Mark Coldren, Associate Vice President for Human Resources 
  • Beth Corry, Associate Vice President for Business Services
  • Christina Hernandez, Senior Associate Vice President, Student Life 
  • Tonga Pham, Associate Vice President for University Facilities