Tuesday, August 29, 2023

Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - September 2023

 These kinds of events below are happening all over the world every day and most of them, now, are webcast and archived, sometimes even with accurate transcripts. Would be good to have a place that helped people access them. 

This is a more global version of the local listings I did for about a decade (what I did and why I did it at http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2013/11/what-i-do-and-why-i-do-it.html) until September 2020 and earlier for a few years in the 1990s (https://theworld.com/~gmoke/AList.index.html).  

A more comprehensive global listing service could be developed if there were enough people interested in doing it, if it hasn’t already been done.  

If anyone knows of such a global listing of open energy, climate, and other events is available, please put me in contact.

Thanks for reading,

Solar IS Civil Defense,
George Mokray
gmoke@world.std.com

http://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com - notes on lectures and books
http://solarray.blogspot.com - renewable energy and efficiency - zero net energy links list
http://cityag.blogspot.com - city agriculture links list
http://geometrylinks.blogspot.com - geometry links list
http://hubevents.blogspot.com - Energy (and Other) Events
http://www.dailykos.com/user/gmoke/history - articles, ideas, and screeds

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Index
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Achieving Energy Efficiency at Scale in Your Building Portfolio
Tuesday, August 29
2:00pm-3:00pm ET 

Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite
Tuesday, August 29
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy
Thursday, August 31
8 - 9am EDT

Big Data Conference 2023
Thursday, August 31- Friday, September 1
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Living on Borrowed Time
September 5
5pm 

On Disinformation:  How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy
Tuesday, September 5
7:00 PM ET 

Experimenting with AI in the Classroom 
Wednesday, September 6
3:00 PM 

Lessons from a global champion for preventing conflict-related sexual violence and the tireless fight for gender equity and justice
Wednesday, September 6 
5:15pm to 6:30pm

Greenbiz Net Zero
Thursday, September 7 (Virtual)
11:30am - 4:15pm

Food Politics 2023: What Matters and Why
Thursday, September 7
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM

Changing Climate for the Insurance Sector
Thursday, September 7
2pm - 3pm EST

Little Amal Walks
Thursday, September 7
4 pm - 6pm

The 90th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps: Civilian Conservation Corps: Its History & Legacy in Massachusetts
Thursday, September 7 
6pm 

Nuclear Power: Expensive Menace or Low-Carbon Solution
Thursday, September 7
7:30 PM 

Progress Toward a Swimmable Charles
Friday, September 8 
6 - 8pm

Built Environment Plus Bike Tour
September 9
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Tour de Streets 
Saturday, September 9
9:30AM–2:00PM

Mid-Cambridge PLANT SWAP:
Saturday September 9
NOON to 2 pm

Will Industrial Policies Lead to a Manufacturing Renaissance?
Monday, September 11
12 – 1:15 p.m.

Partnering with Nature and Technology to Address Climate Challenges
Monday, September 11
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Automating heat pump demand: Findings from the HeatFlex UK pilot 
September 12
6am - 7:30am [12:00 – 13:15 GMT]

This is Not Your Usual Heat Extreme
Tuesday, September 12
2pm EDT [11am PT]

Climatetech Career Fair 2023
Tuesday, September 12
4:30 - 6:30pm EDT

Connecting with Americans on Climate Change 
Wednesday, September 13
12:30pm to 2:00pm 

Leading Cities: Cleantech Connect
September 14
9:00 AM ET

Developing Data Stories: Using Global Forest Watch for Journalism 
Thursday, September 14
9:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Climate & Indigenous Leadership
Friday, September 15
12 - 3pm EDT

Climapalooza VI
Saturday, September 16
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM

March to End Fossil Fuels
Sunday, September 17

Water Stories: River Goddesses, Ancestral Rites, and Climate Crisis
Monday, September 18
4 – 5 p.m.

Afterglow: Envisioning a Radically Different Climate Future
Monday, September 18 
7:00pm - 8:30pm ET

Planning and building the energy infrastructure for a net-zero future
September 19
3:00 AM EDT [9:00 - 13:00 CET]

How the Industrial Internet of Things Changed Manufacturing Forever
Tuesday, September 19
12pm to 1:15pm

Biodiversity 9 Deep Dive: Transformation to a Holistic Perspective – Nature Can Cool the Planet
Starting Wednesday, September 20

Climate, Communication and Public Opinion
Wednesday, September 20
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM

Book Talk: "When Democracy Breaks"
Wednesday, September 20
4 – 5:30 p.m.

Refuge in the Storm Webinar Series, Part I: Buddhist Approaches to Large-Scale and Community Crises
Wednesday, September 20
6 p.m.

Green Banks: Financing Climate Solutions
Wednesday, September 20
7:30 PM

EnergyBar: New Member Spotlight
Thursday, September 21 
5:30 - 7:30pm EDT

The IAEA at the Crossroads of History - Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA (2023 David J. Rose Lecture) 
Friday, September 22
11:00am to 12:00pm

Thea Energy: Reinventing the Stellarator
Tuesday, September 26
12:00pm to 1:00pm

Roundtable on Idea City: How to Make Boston More Livable, Equitable, and Resilient
Tuesday, September 26
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

National Policies Coping with Energy Crisis and Climate Targets: The Case of Italy
Wednesday, September 27 
8am - 9:30am EDT [2:00 PM - 3:30 PM CEST]

How to foster “just adaptation”
Wednesday, September 27
6-7:30am EDT [11:00 BSTending at 12:30 BST]

Whose Sustainability? - Unpacking decolonization in sustainability science Why sustainability sciences must be decolonized
Wednesday, September 27
9 - 11am EDT

Dr. Samantha Montano - Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis
Wednesday, September 27
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Creating Sustainable Systems: Soil, Carbon, and Food
September 28
7:30 PM

Strategic Transmission Planning & Innovations in Siting
Friday, September 29
9:00 am-12:30 pm

Materials Innovations to the Rescue: Delivering ‘Green’ Hydrogen using Electrochemical Cells Built on Superprotonic Conductors
Friday, September 29
3:30pm to 4:30pm

Cooperating for the Climate: Learning from International Partnerships in China’s Clean Energy Sector”
Monday, October 2
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM

Feeding the Future: Food Sustainability and Climate Change
Tuesday, October 3
9 AM ET

Creating the Post-Soviet Russian Market Economy: Through American Eyes
Tuesday, October 3
12pm to 1:30pm

Deep Live Gathering
October 30 - November 5

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Events
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Achieving Energy Efficiency at Scale in Your Building Portfolio
Tuesday, August 29
2:00pm-3:00pm ET 
Online
RSVP at https://now.greenbuildexpo.com/Greenbuildhoneywell0829

Companies face increasing pressure today – from stakeholders, employees as well as regulatory agencies – to curb energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions and create more sustainable and healthier facilities. Setting goals is one thing; making real change happen is another.

Discover how you can implement accretive energy improvements in your facilities without sacrificing the occupant experience or the bottom line. The webinar will provide building owners and operators with an understanding on how to scale energy efficiency improvements throughout a building portfolio with little-to-no upfront capital investments.

Learning Objectives:
Understand how to more effectively manage the environmental impact of your buildings.
Discuss how to scale improvements from one building to your entire portfolio.
Learn how to overcome potential financial restraints through unique project funding options.

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Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite
Tuesday, August 29
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/5016594478101/WN_o1sIx5kqSUWrxAmnwwgBDA#/registration

Dean King discusses his 2023 book, Guardians of the Valley: John Muir and the Friendship that Saved Yosemite, the dramatic and uplifting story of legendary outdoorsman and conservationist John Muir’s quest to protect one of America’s most magnificent landscapes, Yosemite.

In this portrait of a place, a time, and a movement, the bestselling author Dean King takes us behind the scenes, to the beginning of America’s love affair with Yosemite Valley. In June of 1889 in San Francisco, John Muir—iconic environmentalist, writer, and philosopher—met face-to-face with his longtime editor Robert Underwood Johnson, an elegant and influential figure at The Century magazine. Before long, the pair ventured to Yosemite Valley, the magnificent site Muir had visited twenty years earlier. There, they confronted a shocking vision, as predatory mining, tourism, and logging industries had plundered and defaced “the grandest of all the special temples of Nature.” The rest is history: that watershed moment led to the creation of Yosemite National Park, and launched an environmental battle that at once captivated the nation and ushered in the beginning of the American environmental movement. Join us for King’s illustrated presentation of his riveting new book, Guardians of the Valley, “a rich, enjoyable excursion into a seminal period in environmental history” (The Wall Street Journal).

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Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy
Thursday, August 31
8 - 9am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/harnessing-machine-learning-for-climate-policy-tickets-661756731197

This presentation explores applications of machine learning in the realm of climate policy, with a specific focus on evaluating the actions of subnational and non-state actors such as cities, regions, and corporations. In recent years, these actors have emerged as key players in driving climate action, and their efforts have the potential to significantly impact global emissions reduction targets. Leveraging machine learning techniques, we can effectively assess the initiatives and contributions of these entities towards climate mitigation and adaptation goals. This presentation showcases the diverse ways in which machine learning can analyze large-scale data sets, identify trends, and provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.

Speaker: Prof. Angel Hsu (Assistant Professor of Public Policy + Environment at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Director/Founder of Data-Driven EnviroLab)

Speaker Bio
Angel Hsu is an Assistant Professor of Public Policy and the Environment at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. She is the Founder and Director of the Data-Driven EnviroLab, an interdisciplinary research group that applies data-driven approaches to pressing environmental issues. She was a contributing author to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report and was a lead author of the 2018 UNEP Emissions Gap Report special chapter on non-state and subnational actors. She holds a PhD in Environmental Policy from Yale University and was formerly an Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies at Yale-NUS College in Singapore.

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Big Data Conference 2023
Thursday, August 31- Friday, September 1
9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Harvard Science Center, Lecture Hall D, 1 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://cmsa.fas.harvard.edu/event/bigdata_2023/

On August 31-Sep 1, 2023 the CMSA will host the ninth annual Conference on Big Data. The Big Data Conference features speakers from the Harvard community as well as scholars from across the globe, with talks focusing on computer science, statistics, math and physics, and economics.

SPEAKER(S) Jacob Andreas, MIT
Morgane Austerne, Harvard
Albert-László Barabási, Northeastern
Rachel Cummings, Columbia
Melissa Dell, Harvard
Jianqing Fan, Princeton
Tommi Jaakkola, MIT
Ankur Moitra, MIT
Mark Sellke, Harvard
Marinka Zitnik, Harvard Medical School
COST Free, Registration required

CONTACT INFO Maureen Armstrong 
Harvard University Center of Mathematical Sciences and Applications 
20 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
maureen@math.harvard.edu

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Living on Borrowed Time
September 5
5pm 
Online
RSVP at https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/8016776058934/WN_GnVE8bHsSAupn8JOq0GF0A#/registration

LIVING ON BORROWED TIME begins a series of Forums providing a multi-faceted analysis of the environmental problems that we are all going to have to tackle sooner or later, not with platitudes and empty promises but with serious commitment and resolve! 

Our guest speaker will be Jeff Goodell, NY author and contributing editor at Rolling Stone, where he has been covering climate change for two decades. His latest book, THE HEAT WILL KILL YOUR FIRST: Life and Death on a Scorched Planet presents a sobering prognosis of the impact that rising temperatures will have on our lives and on our planet. He will be joined by Dr. Mike Flannigan, Research Chair for Predictive Services, Emergency Management & Fire Science at Thompson Rivers University + Scientific Director of the Canadian Partnership for Wildland Fire Science. Flannigan has been studying fire and weather/climate interactions including the potential impact of climatic change for over 40 years.

Looking ahead, we will be examining the changing nature of work and the future of credible information and "news" as we approach another election in 2024. Wear the Peace has a new T-shirt out which proclaims that "social media killed reality" - and I tend to agree.

See you on the 5th - sign up here and now - and spread the word to your friends your future may depend upon it!

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On Disinformation:  How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy
Tuesday, September 5
7:00 PM ET 
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.harvard.com/event/lee_mcintyre/

Harvard Book Store welcomes LEE MCINTYRE—Research Fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University—for a discussion of his new book On Disinformation: How to Fight for Truth and Protect Democracy. He will be joined in conversation by HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN—investigative reporter for Channel 7 News on WHDH-TV.

About On Disinformation
The effort to destroy facts and make America ungovernable didn’t come out of nowhere. It is the culmination of seventy years of strategic denialism. In On Disinformation, Lee McIntyre shows how the war on facts began, and how ordinary citizens can fight back against the scourge of disinformation that is now threatening the very fabric of our society. Drawing on his twenty years of experience as a scholar of science denial, McIntyre explains how autocrats wield disinformation to manipulate a populace and deny obvious realities, why the best way to combat disinformation is to disrupt its spread, and most importantly, how we can win the war on truth.

McIntyre takes readers through the history of strategic denialism to show how we arrived at this precarious political moment and identifies the creators, amplifiers, and believers of disinformation. Along the way, he also demonstrates how today’s “reality denial” follows the same flawed blueprint of the “five steps of science denial” used by climate deniers and anti-vaxxers; shows how Trump has emulated disinformation tactics created by Russian and Soviet intelligence dating back to the 1920s; provides interviews with leading experts on information warfare, counterterrorism, and political extremism; and spells out the need for algorithmic transparency from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. On Disinformation lays out ten everyday practical steps that we can take as ordinary citizens—from resisting polarization to pressuring our Congresspeople to regulate social media—as well as the important steps our government (if we elect the right leaders) must take.

Compact, easy-to-read (and then pass on to a friend), and never more urgent, On Disinformation does nothing less than empower us with the tools and knowledge needed to save our republic from autocracy before it is too late.

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Experimenting with AI in the Classroom 
Wednesday, September 6
3:00 PM 
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Vr2tNRYESC-JwzEDeggsYQ#/registration

There is great interest in the consumer world in AI systems that generate content, like ChatGPT — but in the hallowed halls of academia the response has been more cautious. In this episode we explore the potential risks and rewards associated with using AI-assisted technology to help with teaching and learning in the classroom. Can AI actually increase the opportunities for creativity and imagination in our classrooms, for both teachers and learners?  

Speakers: 
Dora Demszky, Assistant Professor in Education Data Science, Stanford Graduate School of Education
Houman Harouni, Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Lakshya Jain, a Senior at King Philip Regional High School in Wrentham, MA 
Host: Uche Amaechi, Lecturer on Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education 

Education Now is an HGSE webinar series that responds to the dramatic changes in the field of education in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our episodes provide insights and strategies to shape equitable new approaches to challenges across the education landscape.

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Lessons from a global champion for preventing conflict-related sexual violence and the tireless fight for gender equity and justice
Wednesday, September 6 
5:15pm to 6:30pm
Boston College,  Fulton Hall, 511, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467, USA
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeSU1pORCatSVfyk58_1dYNsJ28oRF4WbBvfucoMOwVTYefDg/viewform

With Jineth Bedoya Lima, Colombian journalist, and UN Global Champion in the Fight against Sexual Violence in Conflict
Moderator: Katharine G. Young, Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty and Global Programs, BC Law School

Jineth Bedoya Lima a worldwide laureate Colombian journalist, a milestone in the global fight for gender equality, women's human rights, and the prevention of conflict-related sexual violence. She was abducted in both 2000 and 2003, and a victim of sexual violence while reporting as a journalist in Colombia during the armed conflict there. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled in her favor in a landmark decision in 2021, condemning the state of Colombia to give her an integral reparation. In 2022 the UN appointed Jineth Bedoya as a Global Champion in the Fight against Sexual Violence in Conflict (CRSV). In this event, Jineth Bedoya will address the challenges currently facing the fight against sexual violence in cases of conflict at a global level, and the relevance of restorative justice, jurisdiction for the peace, integral reparation for victims and non-repetition measures in this context.

Presentation to be delivered in Spanish with simultaneous translation to English available. 

Co-sponsored by the BC Women's Center, the Journalism program, the BC Organization for Latin American Affairs, the BC Latin American Law Students Association and the Women's and Gender Studies program.
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Greenbiz Net Zero
Thursday, September 7 (Virtual)
11:30am - 4:15pm
Online
RSVP at https://hopin.com/events/net-zero

Discover GreenBiz Net Zero—an innovative online experience delivering proven strategies to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Join us for interactive small group discussions, solution-focused workshops, and enlightening keynotes, all designed to accelerate your organization’s net-zero journey. Plus, access event recordings for future reference.

RMI’s Ryan Shea will be discussing challenges facing residential building decarbonization and potential solutions, including RMI’s upcoming Green Upgrade Calculator to help homeowners and contractors understand their potential financial and emissions savings of various home decarbonization upgrades.

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Food Politics 2023: What Matters and Why
Thursday, September 7
12:00 PM - 1:15 PM
Harvard Kennedy School, Rubenstein 414AB, 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge
and Online
RSVP at https://hksexeced.tfaforms.net/f/event-registration?c=7014V000001zCEuQAM

​​​This hybrid seminar will be given by Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University. It will be moderated by Bill Clark, Harvey Brooks Research Professor of International Science, Public Policy and Human Development at HKS.

Lunch will be served for those joining us in person in Rubenstein 414AB. Others should register to join us remotely via Zoom.

M-RCBG welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs. Live captioning will be provided via Zoom. To request accommodations or ask questions about access provided, please email mrcbg@hks.harvard.edu.

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Changing Climate for the Insurance Sector
Thursday, September 7
2pm - 3pm EST
Online
RSVP at https://www.persefoni.com/events/changing-climate-for-the-insurance-sector

As climate change continues to exert its influence on the global stage, the insurance sector finds itself facing a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Recent research conducted by Ceres, ERM, and Persefoni has shed light on the significant exposure of the insurance industry to fossil fuel-related assets, totaling $536 billion in 2019.  Despite recognizing climate-related risks and the impact of natural disasters on their business, many insurers still hold a substantial share of these high-risk assets.

In this webinar, we will delve into the findings of the research report and explore the implications of continued investment in fossil fuel-related assets. The webinar will feature experts from Ceres, ERM, and Persefoni, who will discuss the intersection of climate risk and financial risk in the insurance sector and the urgent need for action to build resilience while facilitating the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Learning Objectives:
Understand the current exposure of the insurance sector to fossil fuel-related assets and the potential financial risks associated with climate change.
Explore the role of insurers as significant asset owners within the institutional investor sector and the importance of incorporating climate-related factors into investment decision-making and transition plans.
Learn about the steps taken by some insurers to mitigate climate-related risks, including policy changes, premium adjustments, and withdrawal from certain markets.
Identify the potential for insurers to play a pivotal role in encouraging corporations to transition to low-carbon solutions, with a focus on analyzing the role of green bonds in investment portfolios.
Discuss the importance of insurers adopting a proactive approach to address climate change's impact on the quantification and pricing of risk, and how this can benefit both their business models and their customers.

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Little Amal Walks
Thursday, September 7
4 pm - 6pm
Dewey Square to Chinatown Gate, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://artsemerson.org/events/little-amal/

Dewey Square, Boston — 4:00 PM  
(Activities begin at 3:30, Amal arrives at 4:00)  
Amal takes her first steps in Boston in Dewey Square, home of one of the largest murals in the city, at the southern end of the Rose Kennedy Greenway, just across the street from South Station—the entry point into the city for so many visitors and new residents. All of Boston is invited to welcome Little Amal and celebrate the past and present of the city’s immigration story. 

Chinatown Gate, Boston — 4:30 PM 
Little Amal travels to the grand gate at the border of Chinatown which was gifted to the city of Boston from Taiwan in 1982. Here, the surrounding neighborhoods were once known as Little Syria from the late 1800’s until the 1950’s. Another celebration welcomes Amal to the city here which will continue even after she departs to her next destination (5:00-6:00PM).

Little Amal, whose name means “hope” in Arabic is a 12 foot puppet of a 10 year old Syrian refugee child whose journeys across many countries carry a message of hope for displaced people everywhere, especially children who have been separated from their families. She has traveled across 13 countries meeting more that a million people.
Her urgent message is simple: “Don’t forget about us.”

On September 7, she will begin her journey of 6,000 miles across the United States in one of the largest free public festivals ever created to bring a message of compassion, empathy and hope.

ArtsEmerson is proud to partner with the City of Boston as we welcome Amal and kick off the 35 city tour from Boston to San Diego where 1,000+ artists and arts organizations will create 100+ events to welcome her. Amal’s journeys of art and hope celebrate the rich stories of refugees, immigrants and displaced people, and the communities that welcome them.

Everyone is welcome to walk with Amal.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

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The 90th Anniversary of the Civilian Conservation Corps: Civilian Conservation Corps: Its History & Legacy in Massachusetts
Thursday, September 7 
6pm 
Boston Public Library, 700 Boylston Street, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://bpl.bibliocommons.com/events/6491d14765b521b504b87b26

The Civilian Conservation Corps began on April 5, 1933 when President Roosevelt signed the Emergency Conservation Act that was part of the "New Deal" to relieve the poverty and unemployment of the Depression. The program provided unskilled manual labor in environmental conservation and the development of natural resources in rural lands. There were 51 CCC camps in these Massachusetts towns, state parks, and forests.

Editorial Comment:  The CCC was run by the USArmy under the direction of General George C Marshall.  It was, in one aspect, a preparation for WWII as many young men who were in the CCC already had some basic military training before WWII was declared.

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Nuclear Power: Expensive Menace or Low-Carbon Solution
Thursday, September 7
7:30 PM 
Online
RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wzkvyhs-T5ODoNfd4DFSpw#/registration

Given the severity of the climate crisis, is it time to take another look at nuclear power? This discussion will explore the question of whether next-generation nuclear technology should be a significant component of worldwide climate mitigation strategies. 

Speakers Include:
Kaylee Cunningham, MIT doctoral candidate in nuclear engineering and widely-recognized social media influencer — TikTok's "Ms. Nuclear Energy" — will present the pro-nuclear case.
Vick Mohanka, Acting Chapter Director at the Massachusetts Sierra Club will be articulating the continuing dangers and uncertainties of nukes. 
Moderator: Elizabeth Turnbull Henry, President of the Environmental League of Massachusetts

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Progress Toward a Swimmable Charles
Friday, September 8 
6 - 8pm
Portico Brewing, 101 South Street Somerville, MA 02143
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/progress-toward-a-swimmable-charles-tickets-706110594797

Raise a glass for restored rivers! Join us for an exciting night at Portico Brewery to learn about our work for a clean Charles River.

Raise a glass for restored rivers! Join us for an exciting night at Portico Brewing to learn about our ongoing work to restore a clean, resilient Charles River for future generations. You'll learn about long-term trends in water quality, challenges, and progress toward a swimmable Charles, all while sipping brews and learning how you can get involved.

We will be debuting our new collaboration beer–Dam Free Ale–by Portico Brewing x Charles River Watershed Association. A portion of proceeds from flavorful German Wheat beer will support CRWA's ongoing efforts to remove defunct dams and restore fish passage. You don't want to miss this!

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Built Environment Plus Bike Tour
September 9
9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Alewife Brook Reservation - Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://builtenvironmentplus.org/bike-tour/

Brought to you by the Built Environment Plus Emerging Professionals Community, this bike tour will begin in Cambridge and end in Boston's Seaport, following the Green Line Extension community path. The tour will also explore projects from local architecture and engineering firms in their efforts in creating a more sustainable built environment.

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Tour de Streets 
Saturday, September 9
9:30AM–2:00PM
The Charles River Speedway, 525 Western Ave, Brighton, MA 02135
RSVP at https://secure.qgiv.com/event/tourdestreets2023/

Join us for two exhilarating bike rides, a walk, and a celebration filled
with food, drinks, and ice cream, provided by local vendors!

*Featured bike routes:* 5 miles, 10 miles

Help us reach our 2023 fundraising goal by participating and rallying your
friends and family!

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Mid-Cambridge PLANT SWAP:
Saturday September 9
NOON to 2 pm
Rain date—in case of DOWNPOUR—is Sunday Sep. 10, 12-2
Fayette Park (near the corner of Broadway and Fayette Street) Cambridge, MA

As ever, bring anything you’d like to share. No need for elegant packaging, but please do write down the names of plants. We expect to have perennials, seedlings, seeds, indoor plants, books, pots, tools, and lots of "whatever."  Feel free to come empty-handed or bring a carload—drop by and chat with neighbors, talk gardening. And if you can help with setup or cleanup, thank you.

Note: To avoid spreading jumping worms, please wash off plant roots if you have the worms, and either pot the plants in clean soil or bring them bare-root, wrapped in newsprint. Thanks!

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Will Industrial Policies Lead to a Manufacturing Renaissance?
Monday, September 11
12 – 1:15 p.m.
Harvard Kennedy School, Wexner 434AB, 79 John F. Kennedy Street, Cambridge
and Online
RSVP at https://hksexeced.tfaforms.net/f/event-registration?c=7014V000001zCH0QAM

This hybrid panel discussion will include Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of International Trade and Investment at HKS; and Anna Stansbury, Class of 1948 Career Development Assistant Professor and an Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management. The panel will be moderated by Edoardo Campanella, M-RCBG research fellow and senior global economist at UniCredit Bank. 

SPEAKER(S) 
Robert Z. Lawrence, Albert L. Williams Professor of International Trade and Investment at HKS
Anna Stansbury, Class of 1948 Career Development Assistant Professor and an Assistant Professor of Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management
Moderated by Edoardo Campanella, M-RCBG research fellow and senior global economist at UniCredit Bank
CONTACT INFO mrcbg@hks.harvard.edu

This event will take place in Wexner 434AB for those who wish to attend in person. Other may join us remotely via Zoom. M-RCBG welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs. To request accommodations or ask questions about access provided, please email mrcbg@hks.harvard.edu.​

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Partnering with Nature and Technology to Address Climate Challenges
Monday, September 11
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
Online 
RSVP at https://cpree.princeton.edu/events/2023/partnering-nature-and-technology-address-climate-challenges

David Hayes, a lecturer in law at Stanford Law School and a senior fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council, will present “Partnering with Nature and Technology to Address Climate Challenges.” This seminar will be held in-person (PUID holders only) and available via livestream (open to all).

Since returning to Stanford in January 2023, Hayes has been working through Stanford’s Law School and the new Doerr Sustainability School on climate matters, with a special focus on climate resilience and nature-based climate solutions, including climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices.

Hayes served as Special Assistant to the President for Climate Policy from January 20, 2021 until October 2022. As a senior member of President Biden’s White House Climate Policy Office, Hayes developed and implemented national climate policy in three principal areas: reducing the greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change—with a special focus on reducing methane emissions and deploying nature-based climate solutions; accelerating the transition to a clean energy economy—with a special focus on successful permitting of clean energy projects (e.g., offshore wind; transmission); and organizing the Biden Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to improve resilience to climate-related disasters.

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Automating heat pump demand: Findings from the HeatFlex UK pilot 
September 12
6am - 7:30am [12:00 – 13:15 GMT]
Online
RSVP at https://www.nesta.org.uk/event/automating-heat-pump-demand-findings-from-the-heatflex-uk-pilot/

Share The UK’s home heating landscape is dominated by gas boilers, which are responsible for around 14% of our national carbon emissions. To decarbonise the UK and reach net zero, households will need to transition to low-carbon alternatives such as heat pumps – but without intelligent design and rollout, the electrification of heat can increase the demand on the grid, particularly at peak times, costing billions in future upgrade costs over the coming decades.
In an upcoming report from Nesta and the Centre for Net Zero, we explore results from a pilot project designed to test the potential of automation in unlocking heat pump flexibility, shifting electricity demand away from peak times. To mark the launch of our report, we’re gathering experts from the green energy sector on Tuesday 12 September from 12:00-13:15 GMT to explore our findings and share our plans to implement a larger-scale trial in Winter 2023-24.

Nesta’s sustainable future Mission Manager Andy Regan will be discussing our insights with Behavioural Scientist Oli Berry, and Daniel Lopez-Garcia, Research Manager at Centre for Net Zero. They will be joined by an expert panel: Jenny Crawley, Senior Research Fellow at the UCL Energy Institute, and Adam Smith, Senior Policy Advisor at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero.

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This is Not Your Usual Heat Extreme
Tuesday, September 12
2pm EDT [11am PT]
Online
RSVP at https://events.stanford.edu/event/ee_panel_series_this_is_not_your_usual_heat_extreme

Join the Woods Institute for the Environment for the next event in our ongoing Environment & Energy Panel Series - policy focused briefings that explore the intersection of environmental and energy concerns.

2023 has seen heat records smashed around the world in places like Phoenix, AZ, where temperatures of 110 degrees or more continued for over 30 straight days. Rising temperatures and increased heat have been accurately projected in climate change modeling, but to describe 2023 temperatures as the new normal is inaccurate; we are just beginning to feel the effects of a changing climate, and things will likely get worse. How much worse it gets depends on our ability to mitigate GHG emissions and implement adaptation measures. 
Stanford scientists and other climate experts will discuss what we know about extreme heat and the range of possible future scenarios we should reasonably prepare for. They will discuss the health implications of extreme heat for people, especially vulnerable populations, and highlight additional significant impacts on the planet and nature.
Panelists 
Noah Diffenbaugh, Senior Fellow, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
Lisa Patel, Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Stanford Medicine
Paul Schramm, Climate Science Team Lead, Climate and Health Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Moderated by Chris Field, Perry L. McCarty Director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment

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Climatetech Career Fair 2023
Tuesday, September 12
4:30 - 6:30pm EDT
Greentown Labs, 444 Somerville Avenue Somerville, MA 02143
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climatetech-career-fair-2023-tickets-668291446707

Join us in Somerville to learn about career opportunities with our community of world-changing climatetech startups!

We’re proud to support climatetech startups as they develop their technologies, scale their businesses, and grow their teams. Greentown startups are not only developing climatetech solutions—they’re building a climate workforce that is ready to harness the massive economic opportunities of the energy transition. And that climate workforce is hiring.

There’s a place for everyone in climatetech, whether you’ve previously worked in traditional energy, have experience tackling climate change, or are new to the climate and energy fields. The jobs are here. We just need you!

The types of roles you'll find at the fair:
Business Administration
Data
Engineering
Marketing
Operations
Sales
Software
And more!

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Connecting with Americans on Climate Change 
Wednesday, September 13
12:30pm to 2:00pm 
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/connecting-with-americans-on-climate-change-tickets-699800059817

How do we engage Americans in areas of the country where many still are uncertain about the science of climate change, the seriousness of the impacts, or the practicality of the solutions?

Join a dialogue between celebrated climate scientist and communicator Prof. Katharine Hayhoe and the 2023 MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellowson the challenges and rewards of connecting with Americans across the country on climate change. Moderated by Laur Hesse Fisher, Program Director at MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative, this event will share best practices for understanding your audience, uplifting local trusted messengers, and bridge-building for impact, and will answer questions from the audience.

This event is part of the People, Prosperity and the Planet lecture series produced by the MIT Environmental Solutions Initiative.

Presenting Speaker:
Katharine Hayhoe is an atmospheric scientist whose research focuses on understanding what climate change means for people and the places where we live. She is the Chief Scientist for The Nature Conservancy and a Horn Distinguished Professor and Endowed Professor of Public Policy and Public Law in the Dept. of Political Science at Texas Tech University. She is the author of the book “Saving Us: A Climate Scientist’s Case for Hope and Healing in a Divided World,” has given a TED talk with over 4 million views, and she also hosts the PBS digital series Global Weirding. Katharine has been named one of TIME's 100 Most Influential People, the United Nations Champion of the Environment, and the World Evangelical Alliance’s Climate Ambassador.

Featured Panelists:
The 2023 MIT Environmental Solutions Journalism Fellows developed deeply reported pieces from across the country that connect climate science and solutions with local priorities and opportunities.
Micah Drew covers local government, the environment and athletics for The Flathead Beacon in Northwest Montana. When not in the newsroom, Micah is routinely found running on alpine trails in Glacier National Park. 
Fellowship Project: An eight-part series in The Flathead Beacon: “Montana’s Climate Change Lawsuit”

Joan Meiners is the climate news and storytelling reporter at The Arizona Republic in Phoenix, AR. With a background in science writing and a Ph.D. in Ecology, she publishes a weekly story aimed at helping readers understand how climate change is altering life in the southwest and what we can do about it. 

Annie Ropeik is a freelance journalist based in Portland, Maine, where she reports on climate change, energy and environmental issues for The Maine Monitor and other outlets. 
Fellowship Project: A five-part series in the Maine Monitor: “Hooked on Heating Oil,” and “Making Maine’s next generation of housing fossil-free—and affordable” in Energy News Network

Mike Tony is The Charleston Gazette-Mail’s energy and environment reporter in Charleston, WV. He has written extensively about how West Virginia’s topographic and political landscapes make its residents vulnerable to climate impacts. 
Fellowship Project: A four-part series in The Charleston Gazette-Mail: ”‘We have to move on’: WV leaders pushing state flood risk upward by favoring resource extraction over climate action,””‘More intense, more water’: West Virginians call for greater flood protection amid climate concerns from extraction projects,” “‘Focus on the solutions’: Climate change communication looms large as WV faces flooded future,””Unfunded, uninsured and ignored: Experts urge support for flood protection solutions amid mounting disaster costs” 

Ryan Van Velzer is Louisville Public Media’s Energy & Environment reporter and is dedicated to covering climate change and environmental issues across Kentucky. He has won numerous awards including regional Edward R. Murrow awards, Associated Press Broadcasters awards and Society of Professional Journalists Louisville Pro Chapter awards. 

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Leading Cities: Cleantech Connect
September 14
9:00 AM ET
Online
RSVP at https://share.hsforms.com/1l11URfzRT9-2OcAMwZWC8Q1zso9

Join Leading Cities on September 14th for their Cleantech Connect event! This virtual event unites global cleantech leaders, igniting discussions on cutting-edge solutions and emerging trends. Register now & be a part of the clean tech revolution.

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Developing Data Stories: Using Global Forest Watch for Journalism 
Thursday, September 14
9:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://wri.zoom.us/webinar/register/4716914591432/WN_8vy1vN6OSEWVwpHa0jg4gw#/registration

Maps and data can take reporting to the next level and bring stories to life. Are you new to environmental journalism or looking to expand your data toolbox? Want to learn more ways to incorporate Global Forest Watch into your current reporting work? Looking for inspiration to kickstart your next story? Global Forest Watch visualizes forest data and equips journalists with evidence and tools to research and communicate the state of deforestation around the world. Whether you’re reporting on forest trends and commitments, completing a deforestation investigation, or searching for story ideas, Global Forest Watch can help. Join us to learn the different ways Global Forest Watch can inspire and strengthen your reporting and how you can work directly with our team. Journalists at Mongabay and the Pulitzer Center will share how they use data on Global Forest Watch and other geospatial monitoring tools in their reporting, before a discussion with the GFW team, with input from attendees, on data journalism experiences, lessons and reflections. By registering for this webinar, I agree to subscribe and receive updates from WRI.

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Climate & Indigenous Leadership
Friday, September 15
12 - 3pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-indigenous-leadership-registration-656180893717

CEMTF 4TH Virtual Summit Series: Climate, Social Justice & Rights 2 Nature 
UNITED ACTIONS for an Environmentally Just and Regenerative Future
By Climate Emergency Mobilization Task Force

4TH Virtual Summit Series: CLIMATE & INDIGENOUS LEADERSHIPSTAY TUNED, program pending! 
Website: https://cemtf.org

Editorial Comment:  CEMF does an online conference every month

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Climapalooza VI
Saturday, September 16
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
University Park Commons, MIT (65 Sidney Street, Cambridge, MA 02139)

Climapalooza VI, will take place on this date from 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM at University Park Commons, MIT (65 Sidney St, Cambridge, MA 02139), is free and open to the public. There will be live music, food and drinks available for purchase, lawn games, a raffle, and more! 

A short description of the event:
On Saturday, September 16th, join Climable for an incredible night of music and fun in Cambridge. Catch us, fabulous local performers and TONS of our friends at this climate action rally and benefit concert! Hope you can all join us in this celebration of what the community can do when it comes to climate change. The show kicks off at 6 pm- so bring a blanket, your dancing shoes, and a can-do attitude and meet us there. We can't wait!

*Please note that this will be an outdoor event, so there should be plenty of space for people to comfortably socially distance. 
**There is a rain date of Sunday, September 17th and the concert would start at 4 pm that day.

Taking public transportation? We love to see it! University Park is conveniently located to both the MBTA Red Line (Central Square stop is closest) and multiple bus stops. The CT2, 1, 47, 64, 70, 83, and 91 buses all have stops within a 5 minute walk of the park. There is plenty of bike parking in the area too! 

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March to End Fossil Fuels
Sunday, September 17
NYC and around USAmerica
RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/forms/march-end-fossil-fuels/

Join us on September 17th* in New York City as we march, rally, and protest to demand that President Biden take bold climate action. Biden must reject new fossil fuel projects, phase out fossil fuel production, and declare a climate emergency.

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Water Stories: River Goddesses, Ancestral Rites, and Climate Crisis
Monday, September 18
4 – 5 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2023-water-stories-exhibition-opening

In this opening discussion for the exhibition, “Water Stories: River Goddesses, Ancestral Rites, and Climate Crisis,” exhibition curator and faculty director Jinah Kim will engage in conversation with art historian Yukio Lippit and Radcliffe’s curator of exhibitions, Meg Rotzel.

Harvard Radcliffe Institute’s exhibition, “Water Stories: River Goddesses, Ancestral Rites, and Climate Crisis” (on view September 18–December 16, 2023), presents artworks that tell alternative stories of water experiences in the context of climate change. They treat water not as a commodity to be exploited but as a cyclical, life-giving, life-dissolving, and inert but innately alive spiritual force—a view widely shared among Indigenous communities, especially in the Global South. The exhibition juxtaposes older, traditional paintings depicting myths with works by contemporary artists that evoke various aesthetic experiences of water in the age of climate crisis.

CONTACT INFO events@radcliffe.harvard.edu

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Afterglow: Envisioning a Radically Different Climate Future
Monday, September 18 
7:00pm - 8:30pm ET
The Greene Space, 44 Charlton Street, New York, NY
and Online
RSVP at https://thegreenespace.org/event/afterglow-climate-future/
Cost:  Pay what you can

Join us for an evening of literature, imagination, science, and hope as part of Climate Week NYC!

The stories we tell about the future have the power to shape the world we eventually create. From creative scientific solutions to climate change, to an economy built on ecological restoration, to the pursuit of right relationships in social systems and inclusive design, imagination has the power to shift what we see as possible. 

Inspired by cutting-edge literary movements, such as Afrofuturism, hopepunk, and solarpunk, Afterglow imagines intersectional worlds in which no one is left behind—where humanity prioritizes equitable climate solutions. Whether through adaptation, reform, or a new understanding of survival, Afterglow offers flickers of hope, even joy, and a springboard for exploring how fiction can help create a better reality.

The SciFri Book Club from Science Friday and Looking Forward from Grist invite you to join us for a live event featuring New York Times bestselling author Morgan Jerkins (This Will Be My Undoing, Wandering In Strange Lands and Caul Baby), environmental health professor and researcher Dr. Yoshira Ornelas Van Horne, Grist’s Creative Manager for Climate Fiction Tory Stephens, and artist and social movement strategist Aisha Shillingford, exploring the role that creativity and imagination play in helping society envision and achieve a just, sustainable, and inclusive world for all people. The event will also feature live readings from OBIE Award-winning writer and actor Eric Lockley (playwright, Sweet Chariot, The Public Theatre).

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Planning and building the energy infrastructure for a net-zero future
September 19
3:00 AM EDT [9:00 - 13:00 CET]
Online
RSVP at https://agora-energiewende-de.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_dVuQIwGFTuWMtwUeo-bbvQ

A well-developed energy infrastructure - the cables that transport electricity and the pipelines that transport molecules - is a pre-requisite for a successful clean energy transition. Yet, the planning and building of energy infrastructure has not received the attention it deserves with most policy debates focussing on the scaling of renewable energies or on market rules for power, gas, and hydrogen.

One big shortcoming is that infrastructure planning in Europe is still done separately for cables and pipelines. The power, heat, hydrogen, and transport maps should be looked at together, since electrification plays a leading role in the decarbonisation of all sectors. Power grids and offshore interconnectors will need to be built faster to correspond to the renewable energy deployment needs, while investments in energy storage and carbon capture and storage as well as in the flexibilisation and digitisation of the energy system need to be scaled up significantly. 

At this event, we will discuss how moving away from fossil fuels is more than just a fuel change - it is a transformation of the way we design, build and invest in the infrastructure for a net-zero future. The event is organised by Agora Energiewende together with the Regulatory Assistance Project, Energy Cities, and Foresight Climate and Energy.

Findings from recent Agora reports on the need to manage gas distribution grids in Germany (LINK) and the phase-out of fossil gas in the EU (LINK) will feed into the discussion. Michael Liebreich, leading global expert on clean energy and infrastructure will set the stage with a keynote speech; other confirmed speakers include Jens Geier, Member of the European Parliament and lead rapporteur on the EU Gas Markets Directive; Dennis Hesseling from the International Energy Agency; and Frauke Thies, Executive Director of Agora Energiewende. The full list of panellists will be announced soon.

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How the Industrial Internet of Things Changed Manufacturing Forever
Tuesday, September 19
12pm to 1:15pm
Online
RSVP at https://calendar.northeastern.edu/event/nardone_family_seminar_how_the_industrial_internet_of_things_changed_manufacturing_forever#about_stream

The world has gone through three industrial revolutions since the late 1700s and we are currently in the early phases of the fourth industrial revolution, also known as Industry 4.0, or the era of smart manufacturing led by digital technologies and smart (intelligent) machines. 

Smart machines, or the Internet of Things (IoT), are physical products with digital technologies (e.g., software and sensors) embedded into them and connected to the Internet. Examples of IoT devices include Amazon's digital assistant Alexa, Apple watches, cars that can parallel park themselves, drones, and NEST thermostats. The Industrial IoT (IIoT) consists of physical devices such as industrial equipment and vehicles that are embedded with sensors, software, and connectivity. These features enable them to connect and exchange data with other connected devices over the internet. The adoption of IoT technologies in emerging markets is still quite low but growing fast, especially in China. By 2030, China will likely be the single largest country market for the IoT, surpassing all other emerging markets combined.

The IIoT has revolutionized manufacturing and supply chains, assisted by digital technologies like artificial intelligence, robotics, data analytics, 3D printing, and cloud computing. As the population of IoT devices reaches a critical mass, manufacturing is already undergoing a major transformation—how products are made, delivered, and used by customers. They have literally changed industrial manufacturing forever.  

Come hear Vinod K. Jain, expert in global & digital strategy, explore how the IIoT is changing industrial manufacturing globally and what it means for the future.

About Vinod K. Jain
Vinod K. Jain is an expert in global and digital strategy, a former business school professor, Fulbright Scholar, and author of books on Global Strategy and Digital Strategy. His latest book, Global Meets Digital: Global Strategy for Digital Businesses – Digital Strategy for Global Businesses, was published by Routledge in June 2023.

Vinod has taught at the University of Maryland, College Park, Rutgers Business School in Newark and New Brunswick, and Nottingham University Business School in China. Before transitioning to academia, Vinod worked with foreign subsidiaries of British and American multinationals for many years, including Macmillan Publishers (Vice President), Molins (Manager Coordination), and Coca-Cola (Marketing Research Executive).

While not a techie, Vinod is fascinated by and has flirted with digital business and digital strategy almost since the dotcom days. (He registered his first internet domain and first company in 1998). His articles and opinion pieces have appeared in the Authority Magazine, Baltimore Sun, CEOWORLD Magazine, Forbes, Mensa Bulletin, Washington Post, and Economic Times and Mint (India's #1 and #2 business dailies).

Vinod is a member of the Forbes Business Council, TiE (one of the world's largest associations of CEOs and entrepreneurs), and both the Academy of Management and the Academy of International Business continuously since 1991-92.

He has a Ph.D. in Strategy and International Business from the University of Maryland, College Park, an MS in Management from UCLA, and an MS and BS (Hons.) in Statistics from the Indian Statistical Institute, Calcutta.

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Biodiversity 9 Deep Dive: Transformation to a Holistic Perspective – Nature Can Cool the Planet
Starting Wednesday, September 20
RSVP at https://bio4climate.org/course-offerings/biodiversity-9-deep-dive-transformation-to-a-holistic-perspective/registration-biodiversity-9/
Cost:  $5 - $240

Taught by Jim Laurie
Are you ready to transform your understanding of how life on the planet works and how we can participate in its regeneration? Join us as we follow the journeys of two leading writers and thinkers and develop a deeper understanding of natural systems, our role, and the ability of nature to cool the planet.

Books used in this course: 
1. Nourishment: What Animals Can Teach Us About Rediscovering Our Nutritional Wisdom – by Fred Provenza (2018) 
2. Cows Save the Planet: and Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth – by Judith D. Schwartz (2013)

While this is Jim's ninth course, he invites everyone to join regardless if you have participated in previous courses. As long as you're willing to learn, listen, and partake in class discussions, Jim and the rest of us at Bio4Climate would love to have you.  

Editorial Comment:  My notes to Cows Save the Planet
https://hubeventsnotes.blogspot.com/2014/02/cows-save-planet.html

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Climate, Communication and Public Opinion
Wednesday, September 20
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://trusted.bu.edu/s/1759/2-bu/19/1col.aspx?sid=1759&gid=2&pgid=13754&content_id=15985

Climate, Communication and Public Opinion
How does disinformation about the climate crisis spread through social media and deceptive advertising? What influence does it have on public attitudes? And what can be done about it? A panel of Boston University researchers, who just concluded a year-long study, will seek to provide some answers in this hour-long, interactive discussion.

Panel: Chris Wells, COM Associate Professor, Journalism and Emerging Media Studies; Michelle Amazeen, COM Associate Professor, Mass Communication, Advertising and Public Relation; Arunima Krishna, COM Assistant Professor, Public Relations.

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Book Talk: "When Democracy Breaks"
Wednesday, September 20
4 – 5:30 p.m.
Harvard Kennedy School, Allison Dining Room, 5th Floor, Taubman Building, 15 Eliot Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://ash.harvard.edu/event/book-talk-when-democracy-breaks?admin_panel=1

The Ash Center invites you to a book talk with contributors to the forthcoming When Democracy Breaks (Oxford, 2023), a new edited volume intended to deepen our understanding of what separates democratic resilience from democratic fragility — by focusing on the latter.

SPEAKER(S) Lisel Hintz, Assistant Professor of European and Eurasian Studies at Johns Hopkins University
Scott Mainwaring, Eugene and Helen Conley Professor of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame
Chris Miller, Associate Professor of International History at Tufts University
David Moss, Paul Whiton Cherington Professor at Harvard Business School

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Refuge in the Storm Webinar Series, Part I: Buddhist Approaches to Large-Scale and Community Crises
Wednesday, September 20
6 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yFCnKvBPSN2_Jk8YrSaN6A#/registration

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

This webinar, the first in a series offered by the Buddhist Ministry Initiative at Harvard Divinity School, will feature a panel discussion of contributors to part I of Refuge in the Storm: Buddhist Voices in Crisis Care, edited by Nathan Jishin Michon. The panel will include Dr. Victor Gabriel, Chun Fai (Jeffrey) Ng, and Dr. g, and will be co-moderated by Rev. Dr. Nathan Jishin Michon and Rev. Dr. Monica Sanford.

Panelist and moderator bios
Nathan Jishin Michon is a JSPS visiting scholar focused on Buddhist chaplaincy at Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Japan. Jishin is editor of Refuge in the Storm: Buddhist Voices in Crisis Care and A Thousand Hands: Guidebook to Caring for Your Buddhist Community, among other works. Jishin especially focuses their research on Japanese Buddhist chaplaincy, chaplain training, and contemplative forms of care. They previously helped in disaster relief and hospice care.

Monica Sanford joined Harvard Divinity School as assistant dean for multireligious ministry in September 2021. Sanford comes to HDS from the Rochester Institute of Technology, where she became one of only two Buddhists in North America to lead a multireligious life department at a college or university.

Sanford is one of the first full-trained Buddhist practical theologians in the United States, having earned her PhD in practical theology from Claremont School of Theology. Sanford also holds an undergraduate degree in design from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a master of divinity degree from University of the West. Sanford is an ordained Buddhist lay minister in a Chan lineage and trained as a Buddhist chaplain. Her recent book, Kalyāṇamitra: A Buddhist Model for Spiritual Care (January 2021), is the first textbook for Buddhist chaplains.

Chun Fai (Jeffrey) Ng is a graduate of the Master of Buddhist Counseling program at the Centre of Buddhist Studies, University of Hong Kong, and a certified mindfulness teacher with the Search Inside Yourself Leadership Institute. He also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration (Professional Accountancy) from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and is a CPA, CFA charter holder, and certified FRM. His academic areas of interest include Buddhist counseling, mindfulness and Buddhist meditation, contemporary Buddhist practice, transpersonal psychology, and comparative spirituality. He is currently a Buddhist Ministry Initiative fellow at the Harvard Divinity School.

Victor Gabriel is an Assistant and Tenured Professor in the Department of Buddhist Chaplaincy at the University of the West. He was chair from 2014-2018 and 2022 to present. He is program coordinator for the Master of Divinity in Buddhist Chaplaincy. He is a board member for the Society of Buddhist-Christian Studies and a Buddhist co-convener of the National Council of Churches’ Buddhist-Christian Dialogue.  His dissertation was titled Embodying Generosity: Buddhist and Feminist views of the Physical Body as seen through the Tibetan Buddhist Ritual of Chöd and it explores the contribution of Feminists to the construction of American Tibetan Buddhism by way of Feminist Theory and the intersectionality of the body and ritual. His publications included: “Ecology of the Bodhisattva” in Refuge in the Storm: Buddhist Approaches to Compassionate Crisis Care, North Atlantic, 2022; “Leading and Facilitating Spiritual Reflection” with Rev. Duane Bidwell PhD in Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care in the 21st Century, University of North Carolina, 2022; “Implications for Interfaith Chaplaincy from a Tibetan Buddhist Understanding of Religious Location and the Two Truths” in Navigating Religious Difference in Spiritual Care and Counseling, Claremont School of Theology, 2019; “Buddhism and Sexuality” in A Thousand Arms: A Guide to Caring for your Buddhist Community, Toronto: Sumeru Books, 2016. His research areas include Applied Buddhist “theology,” Feminist and Queer Theory, conceptualizations of the Body as seen in Buddhist Art, Ritual Studies and the inculturation of American Buddhism. He was a psychotherapist and is a Buddhist lay minister.

Dr. g (Claudelle R. Glasgow), PsyD, SEP, NEDA Proficient (doc/we/she) is a multipotentialite serving as healer, author, and educator. As a nonbinary, queer, first-generation Being from Afro-Caribbean-American roots, liberatory views and dismantling constructs naturally flow throughout doc’s lineage as well as the work. Dr. g’s nearly twenty years in healing are emergent and grounded in a radical existential-somatic approach, which works with the power of the here and now, somatics, creativity, and liberation. doc enjoys the conversations and collaborations that bring difference across diverse streams of thought and ways of being into mutual understanding.

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Green Banks: Financing Climate Solutions
Wednesday, September 20
7:30 PM
Online
RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_2AJQqmFxRyqFjisjsWjDtQ#/registration

Green banks offer new funds for a plethora of projects related to the environment. This forum will be a full, informative discussion about green banks on the national level, the workings of an actual green bank, and the plans for the new green bank in Massachusetts. 

Speakers include: 
Paul Mark, State Senator from Western Mass., will speak about plans for the Massachusetts Community Climate Bank, the nation's first green bank dedicated to affordable housing. 
Nenya Young, Director of Policy and Network at the Coalition for Green Capital, will provide a national perspective, including the role of the Inflation Reduction Act in stimulating new and existing green banks. 
Eric Shrago, Vice President of Operations at the Connecticut Green Bank will talk about the experience of the nation's first Green Bank, est. in 2011. 
Lee Harris, staff writer at The American Prospect with many bylines in her name about green banks and capital markets, will moderate.
Senator Edward Markey has also been invited to say a few words about his work to create a green bank at the national level. He will be joining us at the beginning of the session either on Zoom or via a pre-recorded video, depending upon his schedule. 

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EnergyBar: New Member Spotlight
Thursday, September 21 
5:30 - 7:30pm EDT
Greentown Labs, 444 Somerville Avenue Somerville, MA 02143
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/energybar-new-member-spotlight-tickets-686781912187

EnergyBar is Greentown Labs' networking event devoted to connecting partners and investors to our community of climatetech entrepreneurs!

Thirty-five startups have joined the Greentown community so far in 2023, working on climate solutions across the agriculture, buildings, manufacturing, electricity, and resiliency and adaptation sectors. 
We're thrilled to support these groundbreaking startups—let us introduce you! Join us for our fall EnergyBar on Sept. 21 to hear lightning pitches from some of the newest members of our community and network with entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, students, and other climate champions passionate about innovations in climatetech and the energy transition.

Presenting startups will be announced soon! You can learn more about all of our incredible new members in our Q1 and Q2 new member roundups.

About EnergyBar
EnergyBar is Greentown Labs’ signature networking event that fosters conversation and collaboration among entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders, students, neighbors, and other climate champions passionate about innovations in climatetech and the energy transition.

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The IAEA at the Crossroads of History - Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, IAEA (2023 David J. Rose Lecture) 
Friday, September 22
11:00am to 12:00pm
MIT Samberg Conference Center, E52, 6th floor 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, MA 02142

Abstract The International Atomic Energy Agency helps the international community address many of its biggest challenges, including the existential threat of climate change and the ever-present menace of nuclear weapons proliferation.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, the IAEA’s Director General, will discuss the IAEA’s unique role, cutting across science, international security and development, and what it means amid today’s challenges, ranging from poverty, disease and hunger to energy insecurity, global warming and war.

Bio:  A diplomat with more than 35 years of experience in non-proliferation and disarmament, Rafael Mariano Grossi assumed the office of Director General of the IAEA on 3 December 2019.

Prior to this, he served as Ambassador of Argentina to Austria and Argentine Representative to the IAEA and other Vienna-based International Organizations. Mr Grossi was president-designate of the 2020 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, and from 2014 to 2016 served as president of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Before this, he worked at the IAEA, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and in various positions within Argentina’s Foreign Ministry.

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Thea Energy: Reinventing the Stellarator
Tuesday, September 26
12:00pm to 1:00pm
MIT, Building NW17, 218, 175 Albany Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
and Online
RSVP at https://www.psfc.mit.edu/events/2023/thea-energy-reinventing-the-stellarator

Abstract: Thea Energy (formerly Princeton Stellarators, Inc.) is a new stellarator fusion company that is focused on the use of an entirely new way of building the stellarator coil system using only noninterlocking planar coils – which we refer to as the all-planar coil stellarator. The coil set includes hundreds of small, individually controllable coils, allowing for an unprecedented degree of configurability and controllability. Initial work has focused on demonstrating viable techniques to optimize this new configuration, both the plasma and the coil set. As an initial use case, we propose a beam-target deuterium-deuterium stellarator neutron source at ~1/2 the linear dimensions of a fusion pilot plant based on the same concept. We present the concepts behind the all-planar coil stellarator as well as the methods we have developed to perform the field coil optimization. We also discuss the compatibility of the concept with reliability, accessibility, maintenance, and inspectability as well as the ability to incorporate a blanket. Additionally we will present initial studies of blanket design for the stellarator neutron source.

Bio: Dr. David Gates, the Chief Technology Officer at Thea Energy, was until recently the Head of the Advanced Projects Department of PPPL and the stellarator physics leader at the Laboratory. He also held a joint appointment as a Senior Research Scholar at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. David previously led collaborative efforts with the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator in Greifswald, Germany and also on the Large Helical Device in Toki, Japan. He served as the Principal Investigator of the ARPA-E project “Stellar Simplification using Permanent Magnets”. Prior to taking the role as stellarator leader, he was the leader of the NSTX Advanced Scenarios and Control topical science group as well as head of the Magneto-Hydrodynamic (“MHD”) Stability group. He also was a Physics Operator on NSTX. David did his undergraduate studies in Physics and Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and did his graduate studies at Columbia University where he received his M.S., M. Phil., and Ph.D. in Applied Physics. He was a research associate at Culham Laboratory in Oxfordshire, England from 1993-1997 where he worked on the COMPASS-D and START devices. David was a visiting professor at the National Institute for Fusion Science in Toki, Japan in 2010 and 2011. He became a Fellow of the American Physical Society in
2013.

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Roundtable on Idea City: How to Make Boston More Livable, Equitable, and Resilient
Tuesday, September 26
6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Central Library in Copley Square, 700 Boylston Street, Boston MA 02116
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/idea-city-how-to-make-boston-more-livable-equitable-and-resilient-tickets-695323881447

Join us for a roundtable talk on Idea City: How to Make Boston More Livable, Equitable, and Resilient (UMass Press, 2023) with editor David Gamble and contributors Marie Law Adams, Alice Brown, Michelle Danila, and Andres Sevtsuk. This discussion is free, open to the public, and will be held in person in the Commonwealth Salon at the Central Library in Copley Square.

Racial strife, increased social and economic discrimination, amplified political friction, and growing uncertainty around the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change have laid bare many inequalities within the city of Boston. How will these disruptions and inequities influence the city’s future, especially as Boston celebrates its quadricentennial in 2030?

Just released over the summer, this collection of original essays addresses the many challenges Boston contends with in the twenty-first century and considers ways to improve the city for everyone. Presenting a range of perspectives written by area experts—academics, reflective practitioners, and policymakers—these essays tackle issues of resiliency, mobility, affordable housing, health outcomes, social equity, economic equality, zoning, regionalism, and more. Reflecting the diversity of the city and the challenges and opportunities Boston currently faces, Idea City will help readers think differently about their own areas of expertise and draw conclusions from urban regeneration work in other fields.

About our speakers
Marie Law Adams is a co-founder of Landing Studio, an urban design practice focused on the development of more just and sustainable urban infrastructure, and Associate Professor of Architecture at Northeastern University.
Alice Brown, AICP, is the Chief of Planning and Policy at Boston Harbor Now. Her work extends around the Boston waterfront and to the Boston Harbor Islands where she works on water transportation, park improvements, and creating high quality privately owned public space along the Harborwalk. Through planning processes, public workshops, and comment letters, Alice strives to improve the accessibility, inclusiveness, and resilience of the region’s coast. Prior to joining Boston Harbor Now, Alice worked at the Boston Transportation Department as the project manager for Go Boston 2030. She has previously worked as a planner at Sasaki, at the LivableStreets Alliance, and as a middle school and high school math teacher. Alice holds a MUP from Harvard’s Graduate School of Design as well as degrees in math, philosophy, and teaching. You may find her around the city riding her bike, leading a tour, or eating ice cream.

Michelle Danila, PE, PTOE strives to improve safety for all roadway users, especially people walking, biking, and taking transit. Michelle has worked on roadway and intersection design projects throughout the United States, and is skilled in taking designs from concept through construction. During her career, she has worked in both the public and private engineering sectors.

David Gamble, AIA AICP LEED AP Principal, Gamble Associates. David Gamble is an architect and urban planner and Principal of Gamble Associates, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The firm focuses on urban revitalization and community development. He is a Lecturer in the MIT Department of Urban Studies and Planning and his research looks at the catalytic effects of urban design and planning projects with a focus on the creative design and implementation strategies. David is Editor of Idea City (UMass Press, 2023) and co-author of Rebuilding the American City (co-author Patty Heyda, Routledge Press, 2016) which looks at the catalytic effects of urban design and planning projects with a focus on creative implementation strategies. His next book Repositioning the American Town will be published in 2024.

Andres Sevtsuk is Head of the City Design and Development Group and the Charles and Ann Spaulding Career Development Associate Professor of Urban Science and Planning at the Department of Urban Studies and Planning, where he also leads the City Form Lab. His research focuses on public qualities of cities, and on making urban environments more walkable, sustainable, and equitable, bridging the fields of urban design, spatial analytics, and mobility research. Andres is the author of the Urban Network Analysis toolbox, used by researchers and practitioners around the world to model pedestrian flows along city streets and to study coordinated land use and transportation development along networks. He has published a book entitled Street Commerce: Creating Vibrant Urban Sidewalks with Penn Press and before that, Urban Network Analysis: Tools for Modeling Walking and Biking in Cities with Tianjin University Press. Andres has collaborated with a number of city governments, international organizations, planning practices, and developers on urban designs, plans, and policies in both developed and rapidly developing urban environments, most recently including those in US, Indonesia, Australia, Lebanon, Estonia, and Singapore. He has led various international research projects, published in planning, transportation and urban design journals, and received numerous awards for his work. Before joining MIT, Andres was an Associate Professor of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He holds a PhD from the Department of Urban Studies and Planning and an SMArchs in Architecture and Urbanism from MIT.

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National Policies Coping with Energy Crisis and Climate Targets: The Case of Italy
Wednesday, September 27 
8am - 9:30am EDT [2:00 PM - 3:30 PM CEST]
Online
RSVP at https://fsr.eui.eu/event/national-policies-coping-with-energy-crisis-and-climate-targets-the-case-of-italy/

This episode of #FSRDebates is jointly organised by the Florence School of Regulation (FSR) and the International Energy Agency (IEA).

This debate will offer the occasion to present and discuss the recently published IEA Italy Energy Policies Review Report, which analyses the Italian energy and climate policies in response to the energy crisis and the wider climate goals. 

Background
Italy has raised its climate ambitions by aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050, and the country is on track to reach its 2030 targets for emissions reductions and energy efficiency. The government has taken encouraging initial steps to overcome the long permitting procedures, administrative burdens and increasing local opposition that have delayed new renewable installations.   In 2022, Italy successfully reduced its reliance on Russian natural gas imports, by signing new contracts with alternative suppliers, making use of the pipeline and LNG infrastructure that it has built up over the last decade. Reducing overall demand for natural gas through an accelerated shift to alternative energy sources and a stronger focus on energy efficiency, especially in the building sector, will not only further strengthen energy security, but also help the country meet its climate targets. 

Draft Programme
13.00 – 13.05 Introduction to the Debate  Ilaria Conti | Florence School of Regulation  
13.05 – 13.20  The IEA Italy Energy Policies Review 2023: main findings Alessio Scanziani | IEA  
13.20  – 13.30 The regulator’s perspective
13.30 – 13.40 The Government’s perspective
Discussion: Introductory Remarks and Comments
Moderator:  Alberto Pototschnig | Florence School of Regulation  
13.40 – 14.05 FSR Donors’ roundtable
14.05 – 14.25 Comments on the polls outcome and Q&A from the audience
14.25 – 14.30 Concluding remarks Ilaria Conti | Florence School of Regulation  Alberto Pototschnig | Florence School of Regulation 

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How to foster “just adaptation”
Wednesday, September 27
6-7:30am EDT [11:00 BSTending at 12:30 BST]
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.se/e/how-to-foster-just-adaptation-tickets-687831351087

Join us for an online, interactive webinar examining best practices to create and scale up just resilience in the face of a changing climate.

Climate change puts hundreds of millions of people at risk. Life’s basics – such as water access, food security, and the ability to earn a living – are threatened in many parts of the world. Extreme climate events and disasters are becoming more frequent worldwide. And while climate change affects us all, it poses the greatest threats to populations and communities that are the least equipped to cope.   How can the world ensure that “just resilience” emerges at this time of escalating risk? What are the hallmarks of measures that can help the most vulnerable groups and ensure that their voices are heard? How can sharing and learning from adaptation successes and failures help support the change needed?  Please join weADAPT as we embark on a new era of knowledge sharing by hosting this timely session that will probe issues at the forefront of the adaptation agenda. The event is intended to inform thinking about agendas for the Global Goal on Adaptation, National Adaptation Plans, the upcoming Adaptation Futures Conference, and upcoming UN Climate Conference (COP28) in Dubai.  Experts working at the frontier of climate change adaptation practice and research from around the world will discuss key issues and take your questions. 

Participants include: 
Srilata Kammila, Head of Climate Change Adaptation, UN Development Programme  
Pirawan Wongnithisathaporn, Environment Programme Officer, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP)   
Dhesigen Naidoo, Head of Adaptation for the South African Presidential Climate Commission  
Luis Daniel Llambi Cartaya, Project coordinator, CONDESAN; Coordinator in the Andes, Adaptation at Altitude Programme  
Sukaina Bharwani, Senior Research Fellow at SEI and a Founder of SEI’s online adaptation platform and community, weADAPT 

These participants will provide insights from their experiences to help inform and enhance climate change adaptation efforts worldwide. There will be time for you to ask questions and for participants to offer answers. Please join us for this important discussion!  

Event contact
Karen Brandon / karen.brandon@sei.org

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Whose Sustainability? - Unpacking decolonization in sustainability science Why sustainability sciences must be decolonized
Wednesday, September 27
9 - 11am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/whose-sustainability-unpacking-decolonization-in-sustainability-science-tickets-706615364577

Researchers, policymakers, and Indigenous and local communities alike are recognizing the significance of incorporating diverse and sometimes conflicting knowledge and value systems to effectively address sustainability challenges. What (un)learning is necessary to enhance the autonomy of Global South scientists? How do researchers engage and highlight different visions for the future that are currently excluded in dominant Western paradigms? In practice, the predominance of the Eurocentric scientific paradigm continues to hamper this effort while reinforcing deep social injustices and unequal power relations, leaving many researchers at a loss on how to effectively contribute to more diverse and inclusive approaches. This webinar explores decolonizing research, focusing on Sustainability Science. It will interest and support researchers who wish to treat decolonization as a process more than a buzzword. Decolonizing research in practice is a nuanced and multifaceted endeavour that involves reexamining and restructuring research practices to challenge and undo the complex and ongoing impacts of colonization.

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Dr. Samantha Montano - Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis
Wednesday, September 27
7:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://boston-public-library.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_BifuLN6KTMaccKtcpGn8MQ#/registration

Dr. Samantha Montano discusses her 2021 book, Disasterology: Dispatches from the Frontlines of the Climate Crisis, part memoir, part expert analysis and a passionate and personal account of a country in crisis—one unprepared to deal with the disasters of today and those looming in our future.

In Disasterology, Dr. Montano, a disaster researcher, brings readers with her on an eye-opening journey through some of our worst disasters, helping readers make sense of what really happened from an emergency management perspective. She explains why we aren’t doing enough to prevent or prepare for disasters, the critical role of media, and how our approach to recovery was not designed to serve marginalized communities. Now that climate change is contributing to the disruption of ecosystems and worsening disasters, Dr. Montano offers a preview of what will happen to our communities if we don’t take aggressive, immediate action. In a section devoted to the COVID-19 pandemic, what is thus far our generation’s most deadly disaster, she casts light on the many decisions made behind closed doors that failed to protect the public.

A deeply moving and timely narrative that draws on Dr. Montano's first-hand experience in emergency management, Disasterology is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand how our country handles disasters, and how we can better face them together.

Dr. Samantha Montano became interested in disasters following a trip to New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina and the Levee Failure. She worked with various nonprofits in New Orleans on recovery efforts related to both Katrina and the BP Oil Disaster in 2010. She has a B.S. in Psychology from Loyola University New Orleans and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Emergency Management from North Dakota State University. 

Currently, Samantha is an assistant professor of emergency management at Massachusetts Maritime Academy. She has taught courses on disaster preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation, vulnerable populations in disaster, the political and legal foundations of emergency management, disaster communications, and disaster nonprofits.

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Creating Sustainable Systems: Soil, Carbon, and Food
September 28
7:30 PM
Online
RSVP at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eGaJ3BzGQW-zvTiceKvSYg#/registration

Regenerative Agriculture, Sustainable Nutrition, Equitably Ecological Land-use, and Democratic Power are all part of the solution to the climate crisis. The panel will highlight some of the technical/economic/political/practical challenges and opportunities that we need to honestly face in order to make farming-based climate improvement strategies actually work at scale. Our hope is to raise the level of discussion about these important strategies, acknowledging the unknowns and limits while suggesting ways forward. 

Speakers Include: 
David Montgomery, Professor of Geology at University of Washington and an expert on regenerative agriculture, will focus on farming for soil quality as a way to both feed our growing population and reduce greenhouse gasses. 
Walter Willett, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition, currently the co-chair of the EAT-Lancet Commission on sustainable nutrition, will summarize their findings about staying healthy in a climate-endangered world. 
Ilan Zugman, 350.org's Latin America Director, will provide an overview connecting the pressure on land use with fossil fuel extraction from a Global South perspective. 
Danielle Nierenberg, co-founder and President of Food Tank, has a long history of making discussions exciting and insightful, will moderate.

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Strategic Transmission Planning & Innovations in Siting
Friday, September 29
9:00 am-12:30 pm
Foley Hoag LLP, 155 Seaport Boulevard 17th Floor Boston, MA 02210
and Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/9-29-23-roundtable-strategic-transmission-planning-innovations-in-siting-tickets-684186579477
Cost:  $0 -$100

This Roundtable will feature a keynote from Maria Robinson, Director of the US Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office and will include panels on the Innovations in Clean Energy Siting and Strategic Transmission Planning needed to achieve the region’s clean energy and decarbonization goals.
 Keynote Address on Federal Transmission Planning, Siting, and Funding
Maria Robinson, Director, US DOE Grid Deployment Office
The U.S. Department of Energy Grid Deployment Office has been charged with the responsibility for numerous key transmission planning, siting, and funding initiatives central to delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s clean energy priorities. 

As Director, Maria Robinson is leading these efforts, leveraging the office’s unique authorities to drive transmission investment and improve transmission and distribution system resilience. These include, among others:
$2.5 Billion Transmission Facilitation Program to support development of transmission to improve access to clean energy;
$760 Million Transmission Siting and Economic Development Grants Program to facilitate permitting of certain interstate and offshore transmission, and additional grid resilience opportunities; and 
Strategic national transmission planning and needs studies related to designating National Interest Electric Transmission Corridors (NIETC) to unlock critical federal investment, regulatory and permitting tools to spur transmission investment.  

These federal initiatives present unprecedented opportunities to improve long-term planning, facilitate siting, and advance specific transmission projects for clean energy in the region. The New England states, along with New York and New Jersey, as well as transmission and clean energy developers across the Northeast, are vigorously pursuing them.   

Innovations in Clean Energy Siting
Houtan Moaveni, Executive Director, New York Office of Renewable Energy Siting
Elizabeth Mahony, Commissioner, Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources 

States are setting ambitious goals for renewable energy development as part of their climate action and clean energy plans. Accomplishing these goals is going to require siting and development of new renewable generation at a far quicker pace than we’ve seen in recent years. New approaches and siting innovations to accelerate the regulatory and permitting process, as well as greater efforts at community engagement, will be needed if states and the region, as a whole, are to succeed in developing the clean energy resources we need.   

New York, with a goal of a zero-emission electricity sector by 2040, including 70% renewable energy by 2030, has recently revised its renewable energy siting policies and procedures, and is now implementing these changes. Massachusetts, with an estimate of 27 to 34 GW of solar needed by 2050 to meet its carbon emissions limits, has recently released a report on land use and solar siting suitability. It has also announced a broader effort to convene a Commission and interagency task force to review siting processes and regulations for all in-state renewables. These are just two examples of states in the region that have begun to revisit their siting processes.   

Policymakers on this panel will share the different paths their states are taking to innovate their siting practices. Houtan Moaveni, Executive Director of New York’s Office of Renewable Energy Siting, will describe how his agency is working to achieve its mission: “to consolidate the environmental review and permitting of major renewable energy facilities in New York State into a single forum that provides a coordinated and timely review of siting permit applications …. while ensuring the protection of the environment with consideration of all pertinent social, economic and environmental factors (including environmental justice) while providing opportunity for local government and community participation in the permitting process” – and highlight best practices that can be applied in other states.  

Commissioner Elizabeth Mahony of the Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources will discuss the Massachusetts Technical Potential of Solar report and how its siting suitability analysis can be used to help policymakers, program designers, utilities, communities and solar companies advance policies and develop projects to achieve the Commonwealth’s solar goals. Commissioner Mahony will also touch on the new Siting Commission and interagency task force that will undertake a comprehensive review of siting policies, regulations, and processes in Massachusetts, and then make recommendations for improvements.
  
Strategic Planning for Transmission 
Philip Bartlett, Chair, Maine PUC 

Clarke Bruno CEO, Anbaric
Mike Calviou, Senior Vice President, National Grid 
Robert Ethier, VP System Planning, ISO New England 

Successful development of new major transmission infrastructure to connect both on- and off-shore clean energy resources to load is essential to meeting federal, state, and local clean energy goals and mandates. It is also needed to continue to ensure the reliability, safety, and affordability of the electricity system; and to enhance its resilience in the face of increasing extreme weather events and potential threats (cyber and physical). Achieving these multiple objectives will require new considerations and sophistication in strategic planning for transmission.

The second panel brings together a wealth of experience from a variety of perspectives to address this critical topic.  

Maine PUC Chair Philip Bartlett will speak to policymaker and regulator objectives as well as planning for a transmission system capable of delivering them. Specifically, Chair Bartlett will cover the multi-state-led initiatives on transmission planning to support the states’ clean energy and climate mandates, including cost allocation or who pays for various types of new transmission infrastructure.  

Anbaric CEO Clarke Bruno will offer the perspective of a merchant transmission developer thinking about ways to design an offshore transmission network to connect the gigawatts of offshore wind on which the region is relying to achieve a carbon free economy.  

National Grid SVP Mike Calviou will bring his company’s experience in the UK and the US to highlight the challenges of developing and integrating new transmission with an existing transmission system.  

ISO-NE System Planning VP Robert Ethier will discuss how ISO’s Transmission Planning 2050 study is responding to the states’ clean energy, affordability, and other priorities.  

This panel will also be poised to touch on other strategic transmission-related topics, such as FERC’s various transmission planning and other Notices of Proposed Rulemakings (NOPRs) (and potentially final rules by the time of the Roundtable), as well as funding opportunities for transmission infrastructure enabled by the various new federal programs. 

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Materials Innovations to the Rescue: Delivering ‘Green’ Hydrogen using Electrochemical Cells Built on Superprotonic Conductors
Friday, September 29
3:30pm to 4:30pm
MIT, Building 6, 6-120, 182 Memorial Drive (rear), Cambridge, MA 02139

Speaker: Sossina M. Haile, Walter P. Murphy Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, Northwestern University

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Cooperating for the Climate: Learning from International Partnerships in China’s Clean Energy Sector”
Monday, October 2
12:15 PM - 1:15 PM
Princeton, 300 Wallace Hall, Princeton, NJ
Online
RSVP at https://environment.princeton.edu/event/cooperating-for-the-climate/

Joanna Lewis, provost distinguished associate professor and director, Science, Technology and International Affairs (STIA) Georgetown University, will present “Cooperating for the Climate: Learning from International Partnerships in China’s Clean Energy Sector.” This seminar will be held in-person (PUID holders only) and available via livestream (open to all).

Lewis will present findings from her new book Cooperating for the Climate: Learning from International Partnerships in China’s Clean Energy Sector. Drawing on decades of work in clean energy technology and climate policy and hundreds of interviews with policymakers, companies, and researchers, Cooperating for the Climate is the first comprehensive analysis of international clean energy partnerships with China. In her talk, Lewis will discuss the motivations, science, and politics behind international clean energy technology collaboration with China, and why different clean energy partnerships result in different political and technological outcomes. Lewis will also discuss the implications of her research for understanding China’s climate trajectory and the U.S.-China relationship.

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Feeding the Future: Food Sustainability and Climate Change
Tuesday, October 3
9 AM ET
Knafel Center, 10 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
and Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2023-feeding-the-future-symposium

The 2023 Harvard Radcliffe Institute Science Symposium will explore the dilemma of addressing the global climate crisis while feeding the world’s population healthfully and equitably. How we produce, transport, prepare, and consume our food has direct implications for food access and security, as well as the future of the planet.

Speakers
David Abel, contributing reporter, Boston Globe; documentary filmmaker; professor of the practice, journalism, College of Communication, Boston University
Edo Berger, codirector of the science program, Harvard Radcliffe Institute; professor of astronomy, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Tomiko Brown-Nagin, dean, Harvard Radcliffe Institute; Daniel P.S. Paul Professor of Constitutional Law, Harvard Law School; professor of history, Harvard Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Immaculata De Vivo, codirector of the science program, Harvard Radcliffe Institute; professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; professor of epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health
Christina Hicks, professor, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University (United Kingdom)
Frank B. Hu, Fredrick J. Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology and chair, Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital
David P. Hughes, Dorothy Foehr Huck and J. Lloyd Huck Chair in Global Food Security, Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences
M. Jahi Johnson-Chappell, director, Center for Regional Food Systems; professor and W.K. Kellogg Endowed Chair, Michigan State University
Mengyu Li, postdoctoral research fellow, Integrated Sustainability Analysis, Faculty of Science, University of Sydney (Australia) 
Meredith T. Niles, associate professor, Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and associate director, Food Systems Research Center, University of Vermont
Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava, chef and owner, Bo.lan restaurant (Thailand)

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Creating the Post-Soviet Russian Market Economy: Through American Eyes
Tuesday, October 3
12pm to 1:30pm
Online
RSVP at https://calendar.northeastern.edu/event/nardone_family_seminar_creating_the_post-soviet_russian_market_economy_through_american_eyes#about_stream

In this seminar, Daniel Satinsky, attorney, business consultant, and independent scholar, will discuss his latest book, Creating the Post-Soviet Russian Market Economy: Through American Eyes, which tells the story of American participation in the dismantling of the Soviet economy and the creation of the Russian market economy in the 1990's. It is based on more than 100 interviews with citizen diplomats, entrepreneurs, bankers, consultants, and aid program administrators active in Russia in those years.
The book chronicles the real-life experiences of these Americans as they participated in building new sectors of the post-Soviet Russian economy in finance, investment, stock trading, real estate, restaurants, public relations, law, and media (television, radio, newspapers, and movies) at a time of historically unprecedented collaboration and interaction between Russians and Americans.
With the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the rise of official Russian anti-Western nationalism, it is easy to lose sight of the profound transformation of Russian life in the 1990's and the critical role of Americans in those changes that make the structure of modern Russian life fundamentally different than it was at the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Appreciating the extent of American and European influence on Russia in the 1990's is also fundamental to understanding the Russian nationalist backlash of today. The interview excerpts and analysis in the book are a necessary corrective to stereotypical presentations of Russia in the 1990's and argue for a more sophisticated look at Russia and its enduring role in the geopolitics, economics, and culture of our evolving world.

About Daniel Satinsky
Daniel Satinsky, Esq. is an independent researcher and consultant. He worked with joint ventures in the Soviet Union before its collapse and then continued with business projects in Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia and Uzbekistan until 2014.  

He has written widely on the development of the post-Soviet business and economic transformation. Satinsky is a co-author of Hammer and Silicon – The Soviet Diaspora in the U.S. Innovation Economy, with D'Amore-McKim School of Business Professors Daniel McCarthy, Emeritus, and Sheila M. Puffer, University Distinguished Professor of International Business and Strategy. 

Satinsky is a graduate of Northeastern University School of Law, holder of a master's degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and currently an Associate at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard University. He served as President of the US-Russia Chamber of Commerce of New England until 2014.

Editorial Comment:  Might have some relevance as to how Putin got to power and what might come after him.

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Deep Live Gathering is a multi-local non-commercial event which combine offline and online processes.

In October 30 - November 5 we invite you to gather in different places around the globe in order to meet each other in physical, virtual and spiritual spaces.

https://futuref.org/deeplivegathering

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