Energy (and Other) Events Monthly - May 2025

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 
http://zeronetenrg.blogspot.com - 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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Climate Trace - a non-profit that uses satellite and other data to monitor climate globally and present monthly updates
https://climatetrace.org/

Now that Trmp is dismantling USAmerican climate science, it is good to have an independent resource for such information.

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Climate Chat on YouTube with Dan Miller - https://www.youtube.com/@climatechat/featured
Every Sunday at 1pm EDT, 10am Pacific Time

"Climate Chat is a channel where we discuss all things climate with scientists, technologists, authors, advocates, communicators and others helping us understand and fight climate change.”

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`
Sustainability Symposium 2025
Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday, May 1
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustainability-symposium-2025-tickets-1251652539439

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The Clean Industrial Deal: Turning Strategy into Impact
Wednesday, April 30
3:30am - 5am EDT [9:30 AM - 11:00 AM CEST ]
Online
RSVP at https://fsr.eui.eu/event/the-clean-industrial-deal-turning-strategy-into-impact/

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Launch Webinar: 'Achieving Net Zero Buildings’ 
Wednesday, April 30
4am - 11:30am EDT [10:00 AM - 5:30 PM CEST]
Online
RSVP at https://www.wbcsd.org/events/launch-webinar-achieving-net-zero-buildings/

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Climate Tech in the City
Wednesday, April 30
10am - 7pm EDT
City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square Boston, MA 02203
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-tech-in-the-city-tickets-1286665133049

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Dollar Dominance, Deterrence, and Denial
Wednesday, April 30
12pm to 1:30pm
MIT, Building E40, E40-496,  1 AMHERST ST, Cambridge, MA 02142
And online
RSVP at  https://ssp.mit.edu/events/2025/dollar-dominance-deterrence-and-denial

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Building resilience: Enhancing biosafety, biosecurity, and pandemic preparedness
Wednesday, April 30
2:00 PM - 5:15 PM EDT
The Brookings Institution, Saul Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
And online
RSVP at https://www.brookings.edu/events/building-resilience-enhancing-biosafety-biosecurity-and-pandemic-preparedness/

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Dukakis: Recipe for Democracy FilmWinning, Losing, and Winning: Michael Dukakis’ Long Arc of Leadership
Wednesday, April 30
6:00 p.m.
Suffolk University, 120 Tremont Street, Fifth Floor Commons, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dukakis-recipe-for-democracy-tickets-1291375331379

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Microbial Food as a Sustainable, Healthy, and Resilient Source of Nutrients for the UK
Thursday, May 1
11:15 am - 3pm EDT [16.15 - 20.00 BST]
Imperial College, City and Guilds Building, Lecture Theatre 200, Main Entrance, South Kensington Campus, London
And online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/192029/briefing-paper-launch-microbial-food-as-a-sustainable-healthy-and-resilient-source-of-nutrients-for-the-uk/

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The Wildfire Crisis Is Escalating — But There’s a Better Way Forward
The course runs on Thursdays, May 1, 8, 15 & 22 
12pm and 7pm option
Online
RSVP at https://bio4climate.org/course-offerings/wildfires-fact-and-fiction/

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Ensuring the Energy Transition: The Critical Role of Insurance Companies in Scaling New Technologies
Thursday, May 1
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Harvard. Pierce Hall, Room 301, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://chinaproject.harvard.edu/event/ensuring-energy-transition

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Jeff Chu, author of Good Soil, in conversation with Kristin T. Lee
Thursday, May 1
7pm
Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140
RSVP at https://www.portersquarebooks.com/rsvp-attend-our-event-jeff-chu

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MIT Sustainability Summit 2025: Adapting for tomorrow
Friday, May 2 
8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mit-sustainability-summit-2025-adapting-for-tomorrow-tickets-1226552233749
Cost:  $65.87 - $157.63

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NSF CBIKS Indigenous Sciences Speaker Series: Dr. Kiana Frank "Microbes to Meaʻai (food): Lessons from proven models of sustainability in ancient Hawaii" 
Friday, May 2
4pm to 5pm
Online
RSVP at https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclfuiqqj8tHdUw7uePgy3NXMTAMmLfIPVF#/registration

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Miyawaki Forest Planting
Saturday, May 3
8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Peabody Elementary School, 70 Rindge Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcksYfzP1JVssowXCdBGDUSGq3DWqJdSEDI-GiZYJseqTFHg/viewform

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The Spring 2025 Mid-Cambridge PLANT SWAP
Saturday, May 3 
NOON to 2 pm
Rain date—in case of DOWNPOUR—is Sunday May 4, 12-2
Fayette Park (near the corner of Broadway and Fayette Street), Cambridge, MA

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Biodiversity Day at Danehy Park
Saturday, May 3
3:00 - 5:00 pm
99 Sherman Street Entrance, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXVw9ITdk5mCvO_xFXkYwmx8KHE4BuInWUD4o26ftStLB9VQ/viewform

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Amazonia Community Building: Co-Designing Research for Impact
Monday, May 5
10:30am to 12pm
MIT, Building 6, 104, 182 Memorial Drive, Rear, Cambridge, MA 02139
And online
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1X5-hIG8yBLkpB2698EUBLD5bTuKbz35EjoffGpvw2Os/viewform?edit_requested=true

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Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality
Monday, May 5
11:30 a.m. ET
Northeastern University, 177 Huntington Avenue, Boston
And online
RSVP at https://northeastern.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MOjWS8fFRQicq4oJen2CAw#/registration

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My Home, Our Planet: Venezuelan Migrant Children in Brazil and the Role of Education of Climate Change
Monday, May 5
12 – 1 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-gabrielle-oliveira-fellow-presentation-virtual

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Human Compatible AI for Science and Government
Monday, May 5
2:00 PM  in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://necsi-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/PZjRgWGlTuqLsyUzP0hwAw#/registration

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Managing Skyrocketing US Electricity Demand: A State and Local Perspective
Tuesday, May 6
2:00 - 3:00pm EDT  
Online
RSVP at https://www.wri.org/events/2025/5/managing-skyrocketing-us-electricity-demand-state-and-local-perspective

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Beyond Climate Silence: Transforming Eco-Anxiety Workshop
Tuesday, May 6
2 - 3pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-climate-silence-transforming-eco-anxiety-workshop-tickets-1332606886069

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Carbon: The Book of Life
Tuesday, May 6
5:00 pm
Online
RSVP at https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/9517448230119/WN_XZccPp2eTYycl2AwO2WT7w#/registration

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Communicating Climate Tipping Points: Unpacking Uncertainty, Avoiding Alarmism, Inspiring Action
Tuesday, May 6 
6:00–7:30 PM (Panel Discussion) 
7:30–8:00 PM (Optional) 
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Armstrong Hall, 545 W. 112th Street, New York, NY 10027 Room/Area: 2nd Floor, Codan Conference Area, Room 230 
And online
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmR6GuPV3AItkfUFjtVyxBpxGWnhwWkVFGcos9OCLsQEJ7Pw/viewform

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Electric Vehicle Charging At Home
Tuesday, May 6
7:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CngZwHXkSOuBUCv2jffB8Q#/registration

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Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge 
Tuesday, May 6
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

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AI for Climate Science seminar series: Why We Still Need Traditional Climate and Earth System Models – and How They Might Be Improved
Wednesday, May 7
10am - 11:30am Eat [14:00-15:30 CEST]
Wodak room at IIASA (Laxenburg, Austria)
And online
RSVP at https://iiasa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_j8wlfq4_TlWGafyIzy6RWQ

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When and Why the United States Promotes Democracy or Dictatorship
Wednesday, May 7
12pm to 1:30pm
Online
RSVP at  https://ssp.mit.edu/events/2025/a-decent-democratic-regime-a-trujillo-regime-or-a-castro-regime-when-and-why-the-united

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Rewilding your backyard: Science to boost biodiversity and climate resilience
Wednesday, May 7
5:00pm–7:00pm ET
149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA
And online
RSVP at https://join-us.woodwellclimate.org/woodwellclimateconversations/may

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Not Here, Not Now: Speculative Thought, Impossibility, and the Design Imagination
Wednesday, May 7
6:00pm - 8:00pm
MIT Museum, 314 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP at https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/not-here-not-now-speculative-thought-impossibility-and-the-design-imagination
Cost:  $5

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Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax of the Century, Its Enduring Impact, and What It Reveals About America Today
Wednesday, May 7
7:00pm
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phil-tinline-virtual-event-tickets-1303131805309
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $39.00 (book + U.S media mail shipping included)

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Mental Health and Climate Change: When a Global Crisis and Planetary Emergency Collide
Thursday, May 8
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Online
RSVP at https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/events/details/mental-health-and-climate-change-when-a-global-crisis-and-planetary-emergency-collide/

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We Can Save Our Earth: Environment Opportunities 2025
Thursday, May 8
7:30 - 9pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-can-save-our-earth-environment-opportunities-2025-tickets-1330021583359

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For Our Common Home: Resounding Ecojustice, An Oratorio
Saturday, May 10
8 – 10 p.m.
Harvard, Sanders Theatre
RSVP at https://boxoffice.harvard.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=harvard-radcliffe-chorus&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=
Cost:  $25 general admission, $15 senior citizens, $5 EBT cardholders, students free. 

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Indo-China Workshop on Environmental and Climate Law
Monday, May 12 
4:30am - May 13 · 7am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indo-china-workshop-on-environmental-and-climate-law-tickets-1283269516669

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Adapt or Collapse? The Radical Overhaul Our Living World Needs
Monday, May 12 
9 - 10:30am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adapt-or-collapse-the-radical-overhaul-our-living-world-needs-tickets-1291225061919

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The Transmission & Interconnection Crises Blocking NY Climate Goals
Monday, May 12
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://events.columbia.edu/cal/event/eventView.do?b=de&calPath=/public/cals/MainCal&guid=CAL-00bbdb7c-95f06a46-0195-f2d24369-00005dbaevents%40columbia.edu&recurrenceId=

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Funding the future: What’s next for local climate solutions?
Monday, May 12
1 - 2pm EDT
Online
RRSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/funding-the-future-whats-next-for-local-climate-solutions-tickets-1321631648839

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Against the Headwinds: How Tax Policy Can Advance Clean Energy
Monday, May 12
2pm EDT [11:00 AM to 11:45 AM PT]
Online
RSVP at https://nrdc.tfaforms.net/69?caid=701UR00000VKdEgYAL&coid=0033600001M0Z6dAAF

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Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider's View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead
Monday, May 12
6:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm)
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kenneth-rogoff-at-the-cambridge-public-library-tickets-1295848300149
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $37.19 (book-included)

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ClimaTech 2025
Tuesday, May 13 - Wednesday, May14
The MGM Music Hall, 2 Lansdowne St, Boston, MA 02215
RSVP at https://www.masscec.com/event/climatech
Cost:  $0 - $199

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Kelman Seminar: Ukraine: Scenarios for the Future
Tuesday, May 13
12 – 1 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-5WrnhUySiK-k8kzdiOcuA

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Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI
Tuesday, May 13
6:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm)
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/john-cassidy-at-the-cambridge-public-library-tickets-1295975851659
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $38.25 (book-included)

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Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary
Tuesday, May 13
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

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Nature Risk and Reporting: Utilizing TNFD in a Changing Disclosure Landscape
Wednesday, May 14
10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://ceres-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_trJcustpRu2KslzbXjISkw#/registration

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Spending in Solidarity: Unions, Corporations, and Money in Politics
Wednesday, May 14
12 PM ET
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-laura-weinrib-fellow-presentation-virtual

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Using Managed Relocation to Advance Climate Adaptation: Benefits, Risks, and Barriers
Wednesday, May 14
4:00 pm
Online
RSVP at https://necasc.umass.edu/webinars/using-managed-relocation-advance-climate-adaptation-benefits-risks-and-barriers

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Plastics: Exposing their Climate Impacts
Wednesday, May 14
4:00 - 5:15pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.wri.org/events/2025/5/plastics-exposing-their-climate-impacts

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Thinking with Plants and Fungi Conference An Interdisciplinary Exploration into the Mind of Nature 
Thursday, May 15 - Saturday, May 17
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 
And online
RSVP at https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/thinking-plants-fungi/conference-may-2025

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Behavioural interventions to change the world with Professor David Halpern CBE
Thursday, May 15 
1 pm - 2 pm EDT[18:00 – 19:00 BST]
Online and in person [central London]
RSVP at https://www.nesta.org.uk/event/behavioural-interventions-to-change-the-world-with-professor-david-halpern-cbe/

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US Consumers Stand by Sustainability: Webinar on the latest consumer viewpoints on sustainability 
Thursday, May 15
11:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kBSfUvnbQFKHFP-LCwdb6Q?_gl=1*1o0uc9q*_gcl_au*MTg4NDkyODYzOC4xNzQxMTk3NDQ5*_ga*MTQyNzg1MzMzMC4xNzM0MzYyNjk2*_ga_L8TBF28DDX*MTc0NDkwNTEyMC4zMy4xLjE3NDQ5MDU3MjQuMC4wLjA.#/registration

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Conversation & Exhibition Preview | Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic
Thursday, May 15
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Harvard, Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9CL6b2hFBUGtQy461HJpVwaEfAvKIKRHjDqup5ZqIVNUQjNUU0tDMVo0VzhNOEtKRk9LTVJLMlI1Qi4u

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Webinar on Massachusetts' Tactical Transition Bill
Date 1: May 19th 12pm - 1pm
Date 2: May 20th 7pm - 8pm
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xivv7ENhTRSjalDyo7mfKQ?_x_zm_rtaid=Jwz5NFnjRkeSo-o70_zk3A.1745809599034.86d9cdcd120ae59e52f9c724d5fbdb47&_x_zm_rhtaid=977#/registration
or
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/07oDLL3pSauynhx_etPsKQ?_x_zm_rtaid=Jwz5NFnjRkeSo-o70_zk3A.1745809599034.86d9cdcd120ae59e52f9c724d5fbdb47&_x_zm_rhtaid=977#/registrat

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Gloria Browne-Marshall, author of A Protest History of the United States, in conversation with Tochukwu Okafor
Tuesday, May 20
7pm
PSB: Boston Edition, 50 Liberty Drive, Boston, MA 02210
And online at  https://www.crowdcast.io/c/a-protest-history-of-the-united-states
RSVP at https://www.portersquarebooks.com/rsvp-attend-our-event-gloria-browne-marshall

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By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine
Tuesday, May 20
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

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Save the Ice! Climate Action Party
Tuesday, May 20
7 - 8pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-the-ice-climate-action-party-tickets-1273260579669

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Tipping points webinar series: AMOC shifts: scientific insights and policy implications
Wednesday, May 21
7am - 8:30am EDT [13:00-14:30 CEST]
Online
RSVP at https://amoc-shifts-scientific-insights-policy-implications.confetti.events/signup

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Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World and How We Can Take It Back
Wednesday, May 21
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

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Webinar: Nature-based solutions for climate-resilient cities: digital tools for decision-makers
Thursday, May 22
8am - 9:30am EDT [14:00 - 15:30 CET]
Online
RSVP at https://www.sei.org/events/nature-based-solutions-for-climate-resilient-cities/

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Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class, and How to Get Them Back
Thursday, May 22
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

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Climate Change and Biodiversity
Friday, May 23
7 - 7:45am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-change-and-biodiversity-tickets-1312763694549

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Frontiers in NeuroAI Symposium
Thursday, June 5 – Friday, June 6, 2025
Harvard, Science and Engineering Complex, 150 Western Avenue, Allston
RSVP at https://secure.touchnet.net/C20832_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=171&SINGLESTORE=true
Cost:  $85.00 general admission, $10.00 undergraduate admission

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Dance for World Community Conference
Thursday, June 5 - Sunday, June 8
Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://www.danceforworldcommunity.org/conference
Cost:  $165

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Protecting Our Communities: A Whole-Society Approach to Resilience
Friday, June 6
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
In person and online
RSVP at https://climateadaptationforum.org/event/protecting-our-communities-a-whole-society-approach-to-resilience/
Cost:  $15 - $45

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Events
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Sustainability Symposium 2025
Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday, May 1
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sustainability-symposium-2025-tickets-1251652539439

SS25 is a transformative two-day virtual event exploring groundbreaking innovation and actionable solutions for a sustainable future.

The clock isn’t just ticking—it’s racing. Climate change, resource depletion, and outdated systems are on a collision course with reality. The good news? The solutions we need are here, and sustainability is unstoppable.

Green Builder Media’s 9th annual Sustainability Symposium 2025: A Force of Nature, held virtually on April 30 and May 1, isn’t just another conference. It’s a call to arms. A revolution. A reckoning. It’s where industry leaders, radical innovators, and climate warriors partner to forge the future—because waiting for an invitation to act is no longer an option, and failure isn’t on the agenda.

Here's the schedule:

April 30: Unleashing Innovation
Kill the Carbon, Keep the Comfort: The Net Zero Revolution is Here!
Sara Gutterman, CEO, Green Builder Media

Burn the Rulebook: The Radical Future of Homebuilding
Allan Merrill, CEO, Beazer Homes

Power, Water & Survival: The Race to Keep the Lights On & Taps Flowing
Jacob Atalla, VP Sustainability, KB Homes; Will Sarni, Earth Finance

AI & Sustainability: Game-Changer or Apocalypse Machine?

Decarbonization Now: The Business Revolution We Can’t Afford to Ignore
Laura Kohler, VP Sustainability Kohler

May 1: Ready for Anything
Climate Capitalism: Saving the Planet is the Smartest Investment Yet
Akshat Rathi, Senior Climate Reporter, Bloomberg

ClimateTech Evolution: The Next Frontier

Resiliency Evolution: Building for a World That Won’t Play Nice
Matt Power, Green Builder Media; Marshall Gobuty, Pearl Homes; Cynthia Adams, Pearl Certification

Don’t Say the ‘D’ Word: Winning the Decarbonization Debate in Hostile Territory Reuven Carlyle, Founder, Earth Finance

The Sustainability Symposium 2025: A Force of Nature isn’t just about knowledge—it’s about action. It’s a launching pad for the future. Believe us, this is an event you don’t want to miss.
A heartfelt thank you to Trane Technologies and Whirlpool Corporation for their continued support of our annual Sustainability Symposium, as well as their total commitment to corporate sustainability.

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The Clean Industrial Deal: Turning Strategy into Impact
Wednesday, April 30
3:30am - 5am EDT [9:30 AM - 11:00 AM CEST ]
Online
RSVP at https://fsr.eui.eu/event/the-clean-industrial-deal-turning-strategy-into-impact/

This online debate will explore:
How the Clean Industrial Deal can be effectively implemented and monitored at the EU and national level
The roles of industry, Member States, and institutions in translating strategy into action
How monitoring frameworks, KPIs, and cross-sectoral dialogue can support adaptive policy and investment.

On February 26, 2025, the European Commission adopted its landmark Clean Industrial Deal (CID) Communication – an ambitious initiative to drive decarbonization and strengthen the competitiveness of European industry. Delivered within the first 100 days of the new Commission, the CID underscores a commitment to boosting innovation, sustainability, and economic resilience across the EU.

The CID lays out 40 flagship actions across six key areas, addressing issues from access to affordable energy, the need to accelerate investment in renewables and infrastructure, to skills and quality jobs. However, achieving impact goes far beyond announcing flagship initiatives; the litmus test of whether the objectives of the Deal will be achieved are the detailed measures that will follow and monitoring their impact – a strategy is only as good as its execution. To track progress, ensure accountability, and allow timely adjustments, the CID introduces seven Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), including:
Increase economy-wide electrification rate from 21.3% today to 32% in 2030
Reach 40% of domestically produced key components of clean tech products on the EU market
Annually install 100 GW of renewable electricity capacity up to 2030, and
Increase circular material use rate from 11.8% today to 24%28 by 2030

In parallel, the Antwerp Declaration, endorsed by over 1,300 signatories from 25 industrial sectors, has introduced its own Monitoring Framework with 29 KPIs across 10 pillars, reinforcing the need for collaborative, data-driven oversight.
We’re honored to welcome Miguel Gil Tertre, Head of Cabinet to the First Executive Vice-President of the European Commission, Teresa Ribera, for a keynote address. His presentation will be followed by a high-level panel discussion featuring voices from industry, academia, and policy:
James Watson | Director General, Eurometaux
Marco Mensink | Director General, CEFIC
Laura Cozzi | Director of Sustainability, Technology and Outlooks, IEA
Adolfo Aiello | Deputy Director General of Climate and Energy, EUROFER
Anne-Sophie Corbeau | Global Research Scholar, Center on Global Energy Policy
Join us on April 30 to explore how Europe can make the Clean Industrial Deal a true engine for climate leadership and industrial renewal.

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Launch Webinar: 'Achieving Net Zero Buildings’ 
Wednesday, April 30
4am - 11:30am EDT [10:00 AM - 5:30 PM CEST]
Online
RSVP at https://www.wbcsd.org/events/launch-webinar-achieving-net-zero-buildings/

We’re excited to invite you to the launch webinar of WBCSD's report titled "Achieving Net-Zero Buildings: An Action Plan for Market Transformation", supported by Arup and other key built environment value chain practitioners. 

This session will provide valuable insights from the publication and feature discussions with esteemed guest speakers on buildings decarbonization. Speakers include:
Morning Session
Anne Kuenning, Assistant Vice President of Sustainability and Content at Nan Fung Group
Sophie Chick, Vice President, Research & Advisory Services, Europe, ULI
Hannah Audino, Built Environment Decarbonization Lead, ETC
Afternoon session: 
Hugh Garnett, Senior Specialist Real Assets at Institutional Investors Group on Climate Change
Mark Lessans, Sr Director, Sustainability and Regulatory Affairs at Johnson Controls
Frankie Downy, Head of Building Strategy and Implementation at C40 Cities
Moderators
Roland Hunziker, Director Built Environment at WBCSD
Stephen Hill, Associate Director Buildings Sustainability at ARUP
We will host two sessions:
Option 1: April 30, 10:00 - 11:00  AM CEST
Option 2: April 30, 4.30 - 5.30 PM CEST

Please, register for the time zone that better suits your schedule.
Join us to explore actionable steps toward a net-zero built environment and engage with industry leaders shaping the future of buildings!

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Climate Tech in the City
Wednesday, April 30
10am - 7pm EDT
City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Square Boston, MA 02203
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-tech-in-the-city-tickets-1286665133049

Join us for two outdoor events that will bring together Boston's climate tech community for a day of demonstrations and celebration.

Presented by the City of Boston, The Alliance for Climate Transition (ACT), the Downtown Boston Alliance, the Massachusetts Center for Clean Energy (MassCEC) and Schneider Electric, Climate Tech in the City is a day that consists of two free events that unite entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, policymakers, and the public to exchange ideas and explore partnerships that can drive real-world impact.

Climate Tech on the Plaza
Event Date: April 30, 2024
Time: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: City Hall Plaza, Boston, MA

Join us for Climate Tech on The Plaza on April 30th, a vibrant outdoor event showcasing why Boston possesses one of the country's most robust climate tech clusters. This rapidly growing industry is forming to solve the energy and environmental challenges of the future. Stay tuned for a full list of companies, community organizations, and startups that will be tabling!  

You can expect the following activities on City Hall Plaza:
Technology Demonstrations: Experience cutting-edge climate technologies first-hand, from renewable energy solutions to advanced environmental monitoring systems.
Information Exchange: Talk with industry experts, policymakers, and thought leaders about the latest trends and innovations in climate tech.
Networking Opportunities: Connect with key players in the climate tech community, including startups, investors, researchers, and government representatives.

Climate Tech Block Party
Event Date: April 30, 2024
Time: 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Location: Summer Street Plaza at Downtown Crossing, Boston, MA
Celebrate Boston's climate tech sector's achievements and milestones with live entertainment, food, and networking.
These events are open to the public and welcome everyone interested in climate change and climate technology, including industry professionals, entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, students, and concerned citizens.
For more information, visit: https://www.boston.gov/climate-tech

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Dollar Dominance, Deterrence, and Denial
Wednesday, April 30
12pm to 1:30pm
MIT, Building E40, E40-496,  1 AMHERST ST, Cambridge, MA 02142
And online
RSVP at  https://ssp.mit.edu/events/2025/dollar-dominance-deterrence-and-denial

Professor Carla Norrlöf from the University of Toronto will speak at the MIT Security Studies 
This talk examines how the United States leverages the dollar’s global dominance as a national security tool. By employing strategies of deterrence and denial, the US uses its financial hegemony to influence other states and non-state actors. This financial dominance has prompted others to seek alternatives to mitigate their exposure to US monetary power presenting risks to the dollar’s primacy with significant security implications. Professor Norrlöf will explore what these emerging dynamics mean for the future of US hegemony and global order.

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Building resilience: Enhancing biosafety, biosecurity, and pandemic preparedness
Wednesday, April 30
2:00 PM - 5:15 PM EDT
The Brookings Institution, Saul Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
And online
RSVP at https://www.brookings.edu/events/building-resilience-enhancing-biosafety-biosecurity-and-pandemic-preparedness/

The world just lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than 7 million reported direct deaths globally, more than 775 million reported cases, more than 14 million indirect excess deaths, and likely millions more unreported deaths. At the same time, bird flu is currently spreading widely among birds and cattle herds in the U.S., increasing the likelihood for another potential pandemic. Despite the devastating effects of pandemics on people and economies around the world, most countries, including the U.S., seem ill-prepared for another pandemic, whether caused by a natural spillover, by a lab accident, or intentional misuse.

On April 30, the Center on Regulation and Markets will hold a public event to examine how we can become more resilient against biological threats by enhancing biosafety, biosecurity, and pandemic preparedness.

Viewers can join the conversation and ask questions in advance by emailing events@brookings.edu and on X @BrookingsEcon using the hashtag #BuildingResilience.

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Dukakis: Recipe for Democracy FilmWinning, Losing, and Winning: Michael Dukakis’ Long Arc of Leadership
Wednesday, April 30
6:00 p.m.
Suffolk University, 120 Tremont Street, Fifth Floor Commons, Boston, MA
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dukakis-recipe-for-democracy-tickets-1291375331379

From speakers to senators to presidential candidates and presidents, Massachusetts has a long history of influence on American politics. At the same time, it is a state that doesn’t like losing. The new documentary Dukakis: Recipe for Democracy suggests taking a second look at the legacy of Massachusetts’ longest-serving governor, Michael Dukakis, himself known for winning and losing, as one to uplift and emulate. Dukakis offers a reason to pause, take stock in the past and look forward with renewed faith in what’s possible when people believe in democracy, and each other.

After the screening, the filmmaker Erin Trahan will be joined in conversation by Joan Vennochi, opinion columnist and associate editor, The Boston Globe and Juan Gallego, assistant deputy chief of staff to Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll in a conversation moderated by Rachael Cobb, associate professor, Political Science and Legal Studies Department, Suffolk University.

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Microbial Food as a Sustainable, Healthy, and Resilient Source of Nutrients for the UK
Thursday, May 1
11:15 am - 3pm EDT [16.15 - 20.00 BST]
Imperial College, City and Guilds Building, Lecture Theatre 200, Main Entrance, South Kensington Campus, London
And online
RSVP at https://www.imperial.ac.uk/events/192029/briefing-paper-launch-microbial-food-as-a-sustainable-healthy-and-resilient-source-of-nutrients-for-the-uk/

Join us for the launch of the “Microbial Food as a Sustainable, Healthy, and Resilient Source of Nutrients for the UK” Briefing Paper, a key event that aligns with Imperial College London’s commitment to pioneering sustainable food technologies. This event will bring together policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and the general public to explore the potential of microbial food as a sustainable and resilient solution to food security challenges in the UK.

About the Briefing Paper
The paper covers the need for investment in alternative and sustainable food solutions to provide better choices for consumers. Microbial foods present an opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of our diets while, in parallel, meeting the nutritional needs of the wider population, and minimising the UK’s dependency on imports.
A cross sectoral panel will discuss the potential of microbial foods as an alternative to animal food products, as well as the current state of investment in research and infrastructure, and the regulations required to obtain market approval in the UK.

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The Wildfire Crisis Is Escalating — But There’s a Better Way Forward
The course runs on Thursdays, May 1, 8, 15 & 22 
12pm and 7pm option
Online
RSVP at https://bio4climate.org/course-offerings/wildfires-fact-and-fiction/

We’re thrilled to announce two powerhouse guest speakers joining our upcoming course on Wildfires: Fact & Fiction, starting May 1.

Why This Course Matters
We’re all at growing risk of wildfires—not just the high-risk zones. And while rising temperatures play a role, it’s what’s happening on the ground that’s especially fueling today’s escalating wildfire crisis.

The federal government has recently rolled back protections on more than half of our national forests, opening the door to widespread logging. These industrial operations replace biodiverse forests with flammable tree plantations, often sprayed with glyphosate, which kills soil microbes and dries out the land.

The result? Drier forests, more intense fires, and greater threats to people, homes, wildlife and the ecosystems that sustain us.

It’s time to take a closer look at how forests are managed in your region and how you can help shift common practices toward real, science-backed solutions.

Hint:  Wet wood doesn’t burn.

Join us as we clear the smoke, expose the root causes of wildfire risk, and equip you with the know-how to take action at home, in your community, and beyond.

What You'll Learn
In this powerful 4-week course, you’ll discover:
Why aggressive forest thinning and prescribed burns often backfire
How rehydrating land can dramatically reduce fire risk
The science behind beavers as wildfire heroes
Proven “home hardening” techniques that save lives
How to decode wildfire policy and advocate for real solutions
Real case studies of fire-resilient communities and ecosystems

Reserve your seat now!

Meet Your Instructor
Hart Hagan is an environmental reporter, organic land care expert, and passionate educator with deep expertise in ecosystem restoration and the water cycle’s critical role in climate and fire. He has produced close to 400 radio interviews and is the founder of Water & Climate, a Facebook group with over 4,600 members. Hart's focus is to empower you with knowledge so you can take effective action at home and in your community.

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Ensuring the Energy Transition: The Critical Role of Insurance Companies in Scaling New Technologies
Thursday, May 1
3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Harvard. Pierce Hall, Room 301, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://chinaproject.harvard.edu/event/ensuring-energy-transition

The transition to a low-carbon economy relies on the large-scale deployment of new energy technologies, yet financial and operational risks often hinder progress. Insurance companies are crucial in overcoming these challenges by providing risk mitigation solutions that enhance investor confidence and project viability. This panel will explore how insurers can support the deployment of innovative technologies at scale, the challenges of underwriting new projects, and opportunities for collaboration to accelerate the shift to sustainable energy systems.

SPEAKER(S) Elizabeth Geary, President, Insurance Solutions & Interim CUO, North America Specialty
Liz joined Liberty Mutual in August 2022 as President of Insurance Solutions. In this role, she is responsible for building teams specializing in addressing customers’ emerging risks in a rapidly changing environment. Liz works closely with global brokers and underwriting leaders to understand and stay ahead of global risk trends, while looking for opportunities to build and scale new capabilities to deliver solutions to customers in a timely, consistent manner. To date, Liz and team have built out strategies for cyber, energy transition and alternative risk solutions.

In April 2025, Liz was appointed as Interim Chief Underwriting Officer of North America Specialty (CUO of NAS). In this critically important role, Liz lends her expertise in underwriting acumen, emerging risks and client-centric philosophy to work as an integral partner providing solutions across the wholesale and retail specialty channels.

Before joining Liberty Mutual, Liz served in a dual role as President, Global Portfolio Management, and Chief Underwriting Officer, North America at TransRe, balancing both transactional and portfolio experience for this large, global reinsurer. Prior to this, she was the company’s Global Head of Cyber.

Liz is a graduate of Fordham University, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Finance from the Gabelli School of Business.

Lesley Harding, Global Head of Strategic Partnerships, Energy Transition, Liberty Mutual Insurance
Lesley Harding is responsible for the firm’s global energy portfolio which includes onshore, offshore, power and renewable sectors, including global risk consultancy. She is tasked with leading the growth and performance of the business and assist clients in managing the transition to cleaner technologies.

Amin Khairallah, Senior Vice President, Risk Engineering Manager – US, LATAM & Caribbean
Amin Khairallah is a professional Chartered Chemical Engineer and Fellow of the Institute of Chemical Engineers. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual as a Senior Risk Engineer in Dubai in 2009, he spent nearly seven years at ExxonMobil in the UK, where he held various roles in Refining and Petrochemicals.

Amin has collaborated extensively with numerous onshore oil, gas, chemical, and petrochemical facilities across Europe, the US, LATAM, and the MENA region for over 20 years. His work includes engaging with many National Oil Companies and industry majors, focusing on advancing the understanding, development, and implementation of Process Safety and Risk Management principles. Amin is passionate about empowering organizations at all levels—from field operators to CEOs—to effectively identify and manage their process safety risks.

In his current role, Amin leads Liberty Mutual’s highly experienced and diverse team of Risk Engineers for the US, LATAM and Caribbean, supporting both their underwriters and their insureds in the onshore energy space. A growing part of this includes understanding and assessing the potential exposures related to the energy transition.

Moderator:
Nicola De Blasio, Research Associate, Harvard-China Project
Dr. Nicola De Blasio is a globally recognized energy scholar and innovator whose work has shaped the intersection of energy technology, policy, and sustainability for over 25 years. His career spans leadership roles in industry, academia, and strategic consultancy, with a focus on advancing the global energy transition through innovation, strategic alliances, and actionable evidence-based solutions. Renowned for integrating interdisciplinary expertise with practical applications, Nicola has made significant contributions to developing and deploying pathways toward a low-carbon economy and sustainable energy systems.

CONTACT INFO Kellie Nault, knault@fas.harvard.edu

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Jeff Chu, author of Good Soil, in conversation with Kristin T. Lee
Thursday, May 1
7pm
Porter Square Books, 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02140
RSVP at https://www.portersquarebooks.com/rsvp-attend-our-event-jeff-chu

Our Cambridge store offers validated parking in the lot on Roseland St. behind Lesley's University Hall. See parking details below.
RSVP below to let us know you're coming and to receive event updates!* *Please note that you will not receive a confirmation email. However, we will send a reminder email one day before the event. Please check your spam folder if you do not see the pre-event email reminder. Better yet, add events@portersquarebooks.com to your safe sender list to avoid PSB event emails going to spam!

ABOUT GOOD SOIL
A profound meditation on nature, heritage, and belonging, from an accomplished journalist who left New York City for life on a working farm.
In his late thirties, Jeff Chu left his job as a magazine writer and found himself at Princeton Theological Seminary’s “Farminary”—a twenty-one-acre working farm where students learn to cultivate the earth while examining life’s biggest questions. Now, he unpacks what he learned about creating “good soil,” both literally and figuratively, drawing lessons from the rhythms of growth, decay, and regeneration that define life on the land.

In gorgeous, transporting reflections, Chu introduces us to the cast of characters, human and not, who became his teachers. While observing the egrets that visit the pond, the worms that turn waste into fertile soil, and the Chinese long beans that get passed over in the farm’s CSA, Chu considers our desire to belong, the story behind the food on our plate, and the significance of his own roots. What is the earth trying to tell us, if we’ll only stop and listen?

Good Soil helps readers connect to the land and to one another at a time when we seem drawn most to the phones in our hands. For nature lovers, foodies, and anyone who has daydreamed about a more fulfilling life, this book is a tribute to friendship, to the sacredness of our bond with the natural world, and to how love can grow from the unlikeliest of places.

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MIT Sustainability Summit 2025: Adapting for tomorrow
Friday, May 2 
8:30am - 5:30pm EDT
MIT Samberg Conference Center, 50 Memorial Drive Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mit-sustainability-summit-2025-adapting-for-tomorrow-tickets-1226552233749
Cost:  $65.87 - $157.63

The 17th annual MIT Sustainability Summit 2025 is one of the largest student-run conferences in the world, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers, academics, and students to tackle the most pressing challenges in sustainability.

This year, as climate change accelerates, we shift our focus to adaptation and climate resilience—how businesses, governments, and communities can prepare for and thrive in an uncertain future. From infrastructure to policy, finance to technology, we’ll explore the strategies and innovations that will shape a more resilient world.

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NSF CBIKS Indigenous Sciences Speaker Series: Dr. Kiana Frank "Microbes to Meaʻai (food): Lessons from proven models of sustainability in ancient Hawaii" 
Friday, May 2
4pm to 5pm
Online
RSVP at https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJclfuiqqj8tHdUw7uePgy3NXMTAMmLfIPVF#/registration

Please join MIT Anthropology Professor Sonya Atalay (CBIKS founder & director) for the first Indigenous Sciences Speaker Series speaker of 2025.

The U.S. National Science Foundation Center for Braiding Indigenous Knowledges and Science (NSF CBIKS) invites you to the fourth speaker in the Indigenous Sciences Speaker Series: Dr. Kiana Frank. Kiana Frank - born and raised in Kailua Oʻahu – studies how microorganisms shape ʻāina (land) for productivity and health by weaving contemporary western techniques with Native Hawaiian Science. Her work evaluates overall ecosystem health and informs current monitoring, restoration, cultivation, and management of Hawaiian resources to sustainably support the people of Hawaii. She has strong relationships working within communities using scientific hands-on experiences in the ʻāina, our natural laboratories, to inspire the younger Hawaiian generations to cultivate a connection to science through their culture. She is currently employed as an Associate Professor in the Pacific Biosciences Research Center at the University of Hawaii, Mānoa, and also sits on the boards of Native Hawaiian non-profit organizations Kauluakalana, INPEACE, and Purple Maiʻa. Join us in welcoming Dr. Frank to our community and enjoy an engaging presentation and Q&A.

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Miyawaki Forest Planting
Saturday, May 3
8:00 am - 12:00 noon
Peabody Elementary School, 70 Rindge Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcksYfzP1JVssowXCdBGDUSGq3DWqJdSEDI-GiZYJseqTFHg/viewform<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfcksYfzP1JVssowXCdBGDUSGq3DWqJdSEDI-GiZYJseqTFHg/viewform?blm_aid=25138>

Get outside, discover the power of miniforests to restore biodiversity and sequester carbon, get your hands in the soil, meet like-minded people, and have fun while making a real impact — starting right here in our community!

Bio4Climate is partnering once again with the City of Cambridge to plant a Miyawaki miniforest, and we'd love for you to join us! This is a wonderful opportunity to nurture the web of life, support biodiversity, and create a vibrant green space for humans and non-humans alike.

No experience needed — we'll show you how!
Choose a 2-hour shift or stay for the whole morning
Wear sturdy shoes and bring water and snacks to stay energized

Don't miss your chance to leave a living legacy — one tree, one forest at a time!
Sign up today and help grow a greener, cooler future!

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The Spring 2025 Mid-Cambridge PLANT SWAP
Saturday, May 3 
NOON to 2 pm
Rain date—in case of DOWNPOUR—is Sunday May 4, 12-2
Fayette Park (near the corner of Broadway and Fayette Street), Cambridge, MA

Bring anything you’d like to share. No need for elegant packaging, but please do write down the names of plants.  We usually have perennials, seedlings, seeds, indoor plants, books, pots, tools, and lots of "whatever."  Feel free to just come, chat with neighbors, talk gardening.

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

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Biodiversity Day at Danehy Park
Saturday, May 3
3:00 - 5:00 pm
99 Sherman Street Entrance, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXVw9ITdk5mCvO_xFXkYwmx8KHE4BuInWUD4o26ftStLB9VQ/viewform<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeXVw9ITdk5mCvO_xFXkYwmx8KHE4BuInWUD4o26ftStLB9VQ/viewform?blm_aid=25138>

Meet us at Danehy Park to:
Enjoy live music
Take a bird-watching tour
Tour the Miyawaki forest
Join a native plant walk
Play nature-inspired games

You'll also learn about our exciting new Native Plant Pollinator Garden project! Bring your friends, family, and curiosity — we’d love to see you there! Enter Danehy Park at the 99 Sherman Street entrance and walk past the Miyawaki forest to find the welcome table along the path.
This fun-filled afternoon will showcase the power of biodiversity to restore nature’s living systems — and inspire you to be part of the change!
Come celebrate, connect, and discover how small actions grow into a thriving, cooler planet!

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Amazonia Community Building: Co-Designing Research for Impact
Monday, May 5
10:30am to 12pm
MIT, Building 6, 104, 182 Memorial Drive, Rear, Cambridge, MA 02139
And online
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1X5-hIG8yBLkpB2698EUBLD5bTuKbz35EjoffGpvw2Os/viewform?edit_requested=true

The Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest, is a vital resource for planetary biodiversity, climate stability, and the livelihoods of millions. Understanding and addressing its complex challenges—from environmental conservation to sustainable urban development—requires collaborative, interdisciplinary approaches. This event brings together researchers from MIT, Brazilian universities, research institutes, NGOs, and other organizations to present their ongoing co-designed research on the Amazon. Please join us for a compelling discussion of integrating local knowledge, scientific innovations, and policy insights for sustainable solutions for this vulnerable ecosystem.

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Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality
Monday, May 5
11:30 a.m. ET
Northeastern University, 177 Huntington Avenue, Boston
And online
RSVP at https://northeastern.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_MOjWS8fFRQicq4oJen2CAw#/registration

In Invisible Rulers: The People Who Turn Lies Into Reality, Renée DiResta shifts our understanding of propaganda and influence in the digital age by focusing on the bottom-up dynamics of influencers and online crowds in shaping public opinion. She explores creator and platform incentives, as well as the struggles of institutions to understand and adapt to a networked communication ecosystem. This is not an abstract issue: DiResta covers her own personal experience with splintering realities and conspiracy theories, describing how online influencers turned her into a main character of an alternate reality that did not stay online, but was leveraged by a political machine playing power games. In this talk, DiResta will describe her work observing viral rumors during the 2020 election to explain how “invisible rulers” thrive today, and call attention to what this means for our collective understanding of truth, reality, and consensus.

Renée DiResta is an Associate Research Professor at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown. Previously, she was the technical research manager at Stanford Internet Observatory, a cross-disciplinary program of research, teaching and policy engagement for the study of adversarial abuse in current information technologies. DiResta studies the many ways that people attempt to manipulate, harass, or target others online. Sometimes that’s via influence operations, sometimes it’s spam and scams, manipulation that harms children, or novel ways of abusing generative AI technology. The internet is an ecosystem, and these things are interconnected: new technologies transform old problems.

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My Home, Our Planet: Venezuelan Migrant Children in Brazil and the Role of Education of Climate Change
Monday, May 5
12 – 1 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-gabrielle-oliveira-fellow-presentation-virtual

SPEAKER(S) Gabrielle Oliveira, 2024–2025 Maury Green Fellow
Trained in anthropology and education, Gabrielle Oliveira works at the intersections of migration, education, family, and childhood studies. At Radcliffe, she will write her third book, which will focus on how migrant children conceptualize climate change, land loss, and mobility in schools in Venezuela and Brazil.

CONTACT INFO events@radcliffe.harvard.edu

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Human Compatible AI for Science and Government
Monday, May 5
2:00 PM  in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://necsi-edu.zoom.us/meeting/register/PZjRgWGlTuqLsyUzP0hwAw#/registration

NECSI presents Alex 'Sandy' Pentland as part of the Conversations About Complexity series. Join us for this free discussion. 

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Managing Skyrocketing US Electricity Demand: A State and Local Perspective
Tuesday, May 6
2:00 - 3:00pm EDT  
Online
RSVP at https://www.wri.org/events/2025/5/managing-skyrocketing-us-electricity-demand-state-and-local-perspective

Electricity demand in the United States has grown almost continuously since the introduction of electric lighting as it became increasingly integral to society and the economy, with load growth stagnating from around 2005 through the 2010s.

That era of stability is now over. In 2024, the national five-year forecast for electricity load was 5 times higher than 2022 predictions. Peak electricity demand is expected to increase by 128 gigawatts (GW) by 2029 — roughly 13 times the amount of electricity New York City consumed at its peak demand in 2023.

This webinar will provide an overview of electricity load growth in the U.S. and its drivers and expected impacts. It will focus on how load growth particularly affects states and localities, and it will explore levers available to state and local policymakers to mitigate any negative consequences and capture any opportunities. The webinar will feature a panel of speakers, including representatives of state and local governments currently working on electricity demand issues affecting their jurisdiction. This panel will provide both a broad take on load growth and a more granular perspective on what’s happening on the ground and how policymakers are actively working to respond. 

Speakers:
Delegate Richard C. (Rip) Sullivan, Virginia House of Delegates, 6th District
Jared Patton, Project Manager, Sustainable Infrastructure, City of Chicago, Department of Environment
Ann Collier, Senior Manager, Emerging Technology, Smart Electric Power Alliance
Ian Goldsmith, Clean Energy Specialist, Polsky Energy Center, World Resources Institute 
Michelle Levinson, Senior Manager, eMobility Finance & Policy, World Resources Institute (Moderator)
Additional speakers coming soon

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Beyond Climate Silence: Transforming Eco-Anxiety Workshop
Tuesday, May 6
2 - 3pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/beyond-climate-silence-transforming-eco-anxiety-workshop-tickets-1332606886069

This workshop is about transforming eco-anxiety by examining how you think, feel, and act with regard to our rapidly changing climate.

The last two hottest historic years on Earth have negatively affected the majority of 16-to-25 year olds, with 81% of them worried about climate change.* Two huge hurricanes in two weeks (one 600 miles wide) emerged from the Caribbean last September and a month later twenty inches of rain fell on a Spanish city in just eight hours. 2025 began with $250 billion of fire damage to Los Angeles. The hot-ocean cycle has just ended and the planet will probably cool off for a few years, but by 2030 it is likely that the floods (along with droughts and wildfires) will be back and be worse. 

How can people (especially youth with the future before them) be happy and enjoy their mid-21st-century lives? 
"Eco-anxiety" is a mental distress and is not classified as a "diagnosis" but can have severe effects on your well-being, especially if you witness or learn about extreme climatic events. There is a way to step out of your negativity and see a positive way to enjoy your life experiences. It has to do with the lifestyle you choose and the way you think, feel, and act each day. 

This workshop will examine simple ideas about your internal locus of control and how you relate to those around you. It will offer you mental tools to help you shift your thinking to accept and positively deal with the coming environmental changes and challenges. These ideas are very practical and have more to do with "expectation" than with "hope". 
Join us for an engaging learning experience. 

*https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(24)00229-8/fulltext

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Carbon: The Book of Life
Tuesday, May 6
5:00 pm
Online
RSVP at https://wgbh.zoom.us/webinar/register/9517448230119/WN_XZccPp2eTYycl2AwO2WT7w#/registration

Carbon is an intriguing element; the only one that animates the entire living world.  Manifesting in coal and diamonds, it displays a host of different properties because of its ability to bond easily. One vital example is carbon-dioxide, which allows plants to photosynthesize and thus enables us to breathe. Though carbon comprises a tiny fraction of Earth’s composition, our planet is lifeless without it. According to Diana Beresford-Kroeger the secret to our survival lies in earth’s boreal forests (see Forum) 
https://cambridgeforum.org/wp-admin/post.php?post=11964&action=edit for they are the lungs of the planet. “Forest are cathedrals that present humanity with numerous divine gifts including the source of the planet’s potential salvation.  The forest is far more than a source of timber.  It is our collective medicine cabinet. It is the regulatory system for our climate and our oceans.  It is the health and well-being of our children and grandchildren. It is the mantle of our planet and our sacred home.”

But carbon gets a bad rap these days, according to author and environmentalist Paul Hawken, who urges us to widen our perception and response to the climate crisis.  Too often carbon is maligned as the “driver” of climate change and blamed for the possible demise of civilization.  However, this narrative is erroneous and misleading. As a veteran environmentalist and author, Hawken looks at the flow of life through the lens of carbon. Embracing a panoramic view of carbon’s omnipresence, he explores how this ubiquitous and essential element extends into every aperture of existence and shapes the entire fabric of life. Hawken charts a course across our planetary history, guiding us into the realms of plants, animals, insects, fungi, food, and farms to offer a new narrative for embracing carbon’s life-giving power and its possibilities for the future of human endeavor.

Hawken’s latest book, Carbon: The Book of Life illuminates the subtle connections between carbon and our collective human experience and suggests we see nature, carbon, and ourselves as exquisitely intertwined -inseparably connected.
Speakers

Paul Hawken
is a bestselling author and leading voice calling for the regeneration of nature and humanity. He has authored nine books, including The Ecology of Commerce, Blessed Unrest, and Regeneration.  He is the founder of projects Drawdown and Regeneration, who consults with NGOs, governments, and corporations worldwide. He and his wife live in Northern California with coyotes, foxes, bobcats, ravens, flocks of  red-tailed hawks, and pileated woodpeckers.

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Communicating Climate Tipping Points: Unpacking Uncertainty, Avoiding Alarmism, Inspiring Action
Tuesday, May 6 
6:00–7:30 PM (Panel Discussion) 
7:30–8:00 PM (Optional) 
NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) at Armstrong Hall, 545 W. 112th Street, New York, NY 10027 Room/Area: 2nd Floor, Codan Conference Area, Room 230 
And online
RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfmR6GuPV3AItkfUFjtVyxBpxGWnhwWkVFGcos9OCLsQEJ7Pw/viewform

This event will bring together voices from climate science and journalism to explore how tipping points are framed—and how to communicate deep uncertainty in ways that empower rather than discourage action.

About: Climate tipping points -sudden and potentially irreversible shifts in Earth systems- have captured media attention as a defining metaphor of the climate crisis. However, growing concerns from the climate science community suggest that this framing may obscure the urgency of present-day climate impacts and sidetrack policy and decision making. There is also the inherent challenge of effectively communicating the evolving scientific understanding of the likelihood, drivers and consequences of such high-impact, uncertain climate events without exaggeration and sensationalism. As climate extremes increasingly affect communities, there is a risk that focusing on a distant, looming catastrophe distracts from the immediate need to build climate resilience, adapt, and mitigate emissions now. This panel brings together experts from media and climate science to explore these tensions and their implications for climate communication and action.

Opening remarks from: Gavin Schmidt, Director NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies 

Panelists:
Raymond Zhong, Climate Reporter, The New York Times 
Robert Kopp, Professor and Co-Director, University Office of Climate Action, Rutgers University
Marina Hirota, Associate Professor, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Brazil

The format will include brief opening statements from each speaker, followed by a dynamic, audience-driven Q&A. We welcome attendees from across the Columbia community and the broader New York area. We hope you’ll join us for what promises to be a thought-provoking and timely conversation!

Editorial Comment: This may be one of the last events at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies as it seems their lease is being cancelled:
https://spacenews.com/nasa-cancels-lease-for-earth-science-office-in-new-york/

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Electric Vehicle Charging At Home
Tuesday, May 6
7:00 PM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CngZwHXkSOuBUCv2jffB8Q#/registration

Interested in learning more about charging your electric vehicle (EV) at home? On May 6, we'll have a webinar all about charging at home. We'll discuss: - The different types of chargers and how they can be installed, whether in single-family or multi-family settings, or indoor or outdoor - Expected installation costs and available incentives - Installation programs offered by various vehicle manufacturers - Special utility programs for EV charging We hope to see you there and are excited to answer all of your questions!

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Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge 
Tuesday, May 6
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Book Store welcomes Ian Kumekawa—historian of economic thinking and capitalism, current Anniversary Fellow at the Center for History and Economics at Harvard University, and a Lecturer at MIT—for a discussion of his new book Empty Vessel: The Story of the Global Economy in One Barge. He will be joined in conversation by Maya Jasanoff—the Coolidge Professor of History at Harvard University and award-winning author. 

About Empty Vessel
The rise of globalization and financialization as seen from a barge—one Swedish barge, to be exact, built in 1979. 

What do a barracks for British troops in the Falklands War, a floating jail off the Bronx, and temporary housing for VW factory workers in Germany have in common? The Balder Scapa: a single barge that served all three roles. Though the name would eventually change to Finnboda 12. And then to Safe Esperia. And later on, to the Bibby Resolution. And after that . . . in short, a vessel with so many names, and so many fates, that to keep it in our sights—as the protagonist of this fascinating economic parable—Ian Kumekawa has no choice but to call it, simply, the Vessel. 

Despite its sturdy steel structure, weighing 9,500 deadweight tons, the Vessel is a figure as elusive and abstract as the offshore market it comes to embody: a world of island tax havens, exploited labor forces, free banking zones, Thatcherism, Reaganomics, and mass incarceration, where even the prisoners are held offshore. Fitted with modular shipping containers, themselves the product of standardized global trade, the ship could become whatever the market demanded. Whether caught in an international dispute involving Hong Kong, Nigeria, Indonesia, and the Virgin Islands—to be settled in an English court of law—or flying yet another foreign “flag of convenience” to mask its ownership—the barge is ever a container for forces much larger than even its hulking self. 

Empty Vessel is a jaw-dropping microhistory that speaks volumes about the global economy as a whole. In following the Vessel—and its Sister Vessel, built alongside it in Stockholm—from one thankless task to the next, Kumekawa connects the dots of a neoliberal world order in the making, where regulation is for suckers and “Made in USA” feels almost quaint.

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AI for Climate Science seminar series: Why We Still Need Traditional Climate and Earth System Models – and How They Might Be Improved
Wednesday, May 7
10am - 11:30am Eat [14:00-15:30 CEST]
Wodak room at IIASA (Laxenburg, Austria)
And online
RSVP at https://iiasa.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_j8wlfq4_TlWGafyIzy6RWQ

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) methods are becoming increasingly important in both science and society. In climate science - where complex biophysical and societal processes interact across diverse temporal and spatial scales, and datasets are often large, heterogenous and incomplete - AI and ML methods offer new powerful solutions.

We are pleased to announce the second talk in the IIASA-wide AI Seminar Series, featuring Professor Steven Sherwood from the University of New South Wales, Sydney.

Professor Sherwood is a renowned climate scientist at UNSW's Climate Change Research Centre, where he leads pioneering work at the intersection of atmospheric physics, climate dynamics, and model development. His research focuses on improving our understanding of climate processes through both traditional modelling approaches and innovative techniques, including machine learning and high-resolution simulations. With a distinguished academic career spanning NASA, Yale University, and UNSW, he brings deep expertise to the challenges and opportunities in next-generation climate modelling.

For online participation, a registration is necessary.

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When and Why the United States Promotes Democracy or Dictatorship
Wednesday, May 7
12pm to 1:30pm
Online
RSVP at  https://ssp.mit.edu/events/2025/a-decent-democratic-regime-a-trujillo-regime-or-a-castro-regime-when-and-why-the-united

Professor Alexander Downes from the George Washington University will speak at the MIT Security Studies Program's Wednesday Seminar.
Professor Downes will discuss a new research project that explores why the US or other democracies promote and support democratic or authoritarian regime types.

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Rewilding your backyard: Science to boost biodiversity and climate resilience
Wednesday, May 7
5:00pm–7:00pm ET
149 Woods Hole Road, Falmouth, MA
And online
RSVP at https://join-us.woodwellclimate.org/woodwellclimateconversations/may

Join us to learn how managing your yard for wildlife can enhance habitat and biodiversity. Studies show that wildlife-friendly yards—with less lawn, diverse plantings, and reduced fertilizers—support more native plants and attract a greater variety of birds, bees, and beneficial insects. Make a positive impact in your own backyard!

This event will be offered in-person and virtually – please register in advance.

Woodwell Climate Conversations is a monthly event series designed to engage our community and foster meaningful discussion about climate change and its impacts.
This series provides a platform for both in-person and virtual discussions, workshops, and presentations.

Join us each month as we bring together experts, thought leaders, and community members to explore the latest climate science, the work being done at Woodwell Climate Research Center, and the steps we can all take toward a sustainable future.

Each event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5:00pm, events start at 6:00pm in the Harbourton Auditorium.


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Not Here, Not Now: Speculative Thought, Impossibility, and the Design Imagination
Wednesday, May 7
6:00pm - 8:00pm
MIT Museum, 314 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02142
RSVP at https://mitmuseum.mit.edu/programs/not-here-not-now-speculative-thought-impossibility-and-the-design-imagination
Cost:  $5

Join us at the MIT Museum as we welcome award-winning designers Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby to discuss their new book, Not Here, Not Now, in conversation with John Ochsendorf, Founding Director of MIT Morningside Academy of Design. The event will be moderated by MIT Museum Director Michael John Gorman.

When reality fails us, what can designers do? Question design’s relationship to reality, as Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby do, in this exhilarating, yet thoughtful, journey to the edges of science, philosophy, and literature to find new ways of thinking about the possible—and about the meaning, function, and place of design in that speculative world of “not here, not now.” A conceptual travelogue of sorts, Not Here, Not Now brings together words, images, and objects that capture, in design form, some of the ideas encountered along the way. Itself a design experiment, the richly illustrated book explores ways to bring these ideas into conversation with objects through imagined archives, libraries, glossaries, taxonomies, lists, tales, and essays.

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Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax of the Century, Its Enduring Impact, and What It Reveals About America Today
Wednesday, May 7
7:00pm
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/phil-tinline-virtual-event-tickets-1303131805309
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $39.00 (book + U.S media mail shipping included)

Harvard Book Store welcomes Phil Tinline—British freelance writer, documentarian, and author of The Death of Consensus: 100 Years of British Political Nightmares—for a discussion of his new book Ghosts of Iron Mountain: The Hoax of the Century, Its Enduring Impact, and What It Reveals About America Today. He will be joined in conversation by John Summers—writer, historian, and Editor-in-Chief of Lingua Franca Media, Inc., an independent research institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 
This event will be held on Zoom on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at 7:00pm ET. 

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Mental Health and Climate Change: When a Global Crisis and Planetary Emergency Collide
Thursday, May 8
12:15 pm - 1:30 pm
Online
RSVP at https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/events/details/mental-health-and-climate-change-when-a-global-crisis-and-planetary-emergency-collide/

The range of adverse mental health effects resulting from climate change include triggering or exacerbating anxiety, depression, grief, and suicide. Natural phenomena from heatwaves and droughts to floods and fires that are fueled by climate change cause trauma, distress, and other mental health conditions. So can chronic, slow-onset effects of global warming, such as water and food insecurity, community breakdown, and conflict. Members of marginalized groups, especially Indigenous peoples, feel these effects in unique and especially acute ways. Meanwhile, research documenting varied and far-reaching mental health harms caused by climate change continues to mount.
Climate change’s adverse mental health effects are taking a disproportionate toll on the world’s nearly 1 billion people with pre-existing mental health conditions, or psychosocial disabilities. Rising temperatures, for example, carry pronounced risks for persons with psychosocial disabilities who rely on medications that affect the body’s response to heat. Other persons with psychosocial disabilities have difficulty accessing the services they need to cope with the mental health effects of climate change. This is especially true for people with psychosocial disabilities living in low- and middle-income countries, where few people (only 1 in 27 according to one survey) can access the mental health services they need. While researchers work to develop global mental-health indicators that can be linked to weather and climate data, governmental and intergovernmental agencies are racing to address this critical and widening gap.

On May 8, from 12:15 to 1:30 p.m. U.S. Eastern, the Harvard Law School Project on Disability (HPOD), together with the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics, and the GlobalMentalHealth@Harvard Initiative, will host an online, interdisciplinary panel of experts who will explore the potentially devastating interplay between climate change and psychosocial disabilities, take stock of both the current state of research on this interplay as well as the efficacy of private and public interventions at this critical intersection, and point to the roles that key stakeholders must play to prevent the ongoing mental health crisis in many parts of the world from being supercharged by the global climate emergency.

Live CART transcription will be provided.

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We Can Save Our Earth: Environment Opportunities 2025
Thursday, May 8
7:30 - 9pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/we-can-save-our-earth-environment-opportunities-2025-tickets-1330021583359

In a time when our current administration denies climate change, many wonder how to keep up the momentum to salvage our planet. Our speakers represent a diverse range of successful public and private initiatives that can be implemented locally and statewide. Some may surprise you, and we can all do our part to ensure our children’s future.

Our speakers represent a diverse range of successful public and private initiatives that can be implemented locally and statewide.
Speakers:
Dale Bryk is Director of State & Regional Policy at the Harvard Environmental & Energy Law Program and a Senior Fellow at the Regional Plan Association.
Dan Sosland is president of Acadia Center, a position he has held since co-founding the organization in 1998.
Richard Eidlin, moderator, has over 35 years of experience in the intersection of sustainable business, public policy, and advocacy.

See http://www.nfrpp.org for additional information.

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For Our Common Home: Resounding Ecojustice, An Oratorio
Saturday, May 10
8 – 10 p.m.
Harvard, Sanders Theatre
RSVP at https://boxoffice.harvard.edu/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=harvard-radcliffe-chorus&BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::context_id=
Cost:  $25 general admission, $15 senior citizens, $5 EBT cardholders, students free. 

The Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus (HRC), one of Harvard’s Holden Choruses, performs For Our Common Home: Resounding Ecojustice on Saturday, May 10 at Sanders Theatre on the University campus. The 8:00pm program will be conducted by HRC’s music director, Edward Elwyn Jones, Gund University Organist and Choirmaster at The Memorial Church, Harvard University.  Although earlier versions of the work have been presented and recorded, HRC’s performance marks the premiere of the full score as revised by the composer in 2025.  In addition to the 120-voice mixed choir, For Our Common Home features solo vocalists and instrumentalists Farayi Makek, J’adon Brooks, Heiraza, and Abigale Reisman with jazz artists Stan Strickland, John McGee, Dave Clark and George Lernis.  

Composer/flutist Linda J. Chase teaches Ecomusicology and Music, Spirit & Transformation at Berklee College of Music, and Interdisciplinary Improvisation at New England Conservatory. Her oratorio was inspired by Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical, Laudato Si’, a call to caring for the earth and an echo of the teachings of St. Francis of Assisi. The libretto was curated and edited by the distinguished Harvard Divinity School theologian Dr. Harvey Cox, who commissioned the composition in 2020. Dr. Cox’s insights on the shaking of the spirit inspired her first oratorio, The City is Burning. Chase is the recipient of multiple awards for her work including a Japan Foundation Fellowship (2011) which coincided with the earthquake/tsunami/nuclear disaster. In response, she composed music based on poetry by Izumi Shikibu and Ono no Komachi leading to a collaboration with poet/translator Jane Hirshfield. Chase has held artist residencies at the Old Cambridge Baptist Church (2017-18) Grand Canyon National Park (2012) and the Morris Graves Foundation (2002).  Her chapter A Contemplative Pedagogy of Listening published in the Routledge Handbook of Grassroots Climate Activism (2024) addresses climate justice issues in ways that are relevant and applicable to musical artists.

Running approximately 100 minutes, the scope and scale of For Our Common Home would alone make its performance a noteworthy event for HRC. “It is a rare opportunity,” said Jones, “to present a work that is so timely, critical, and creative in its messaging. It is an honor to perform this piece and an imperative for our audiences to hear it.”  

The music itself blends classical, jazz, gospel, and klezmer idioms, with vocal styles ranging from whispered text to full-throated anthems. A preview of the work took place at NEC in 2021, followed by a recording and performance in 2022, and subsequent revisions to the entire score. Chase is now “especially thrilled to have HRC bring For Our Common Home to the general public through a complete performance at Sanders.”

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Indo-China Workshop on Environmental and Climate Law
Monday, May 12 
4:30am - May 13 · 7am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/indo-china-workshop-on-environmental-and-climate-law-tickets-1283269516669

Join us for a virtual workshop on Environmental and Climate Law in Indo-China, where experts will discuss key issues and solutions!

India and China, as two of the world’s most populous and economically influential nations, play critical roles in shaping global environmental regulation and addressing climate change challenges. Recently, both countries have established ambitious Net Zero Goals and are actively increasing their renewable energy generation capacity as a response to the global climate concerns. However, approaches adopted by India and China to addressing contemporary environmental and climate challenges involve considerations unique to their respective legal frameworks and socio-economic contexts. A comparative analysis of environmental and climate law in India and China can shed light on how these legal systems – together, encompassing one-third of the world’s population and greenhouse gas emissions – address ecological and climate-related issues.

The workshop ‘Contemporary Environmental and Climate Challenges: Indo-China Perspectives’ aims to convene leading experts in environmental and climate law from both India and China to engage in discussions surrounding legal frameworks, governance mechanisms, and commitments to sustainability within each jurisdiction. By exploring the environmental and climate law and policy of these two nations, the workshop seeks to identify challenges, strategies and insights to draw from that can influence global sustainability efforts.

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Adapt or Collapse? The Radical Overhaul Our Living World Needs
Monday, May 12 
9 - 10:30am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/adapt-or-collapse-the-radical-overhaul-our-living-world-needs-tickets-1291225061919

This event challenges old narratives and dives into bold, beyond-carbon, science-driven solutions to build climate resilience.

Climate change is Here — disrupting ecosystems, intensifying disasters, and threatening our way of life. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone won’t save us — we must adapt and act now.
Our event challenges old narratives and dives into bold, beyond-carbon, science-driven solutions to build climate resilience:

Will exotic plant species still be the devil of ecosystem fragility?
Why is soilless farming essential to secure our food supply?
How can cities be more friendly to our children during the climate crisis?

Adaptation is our lifeline. Join us to explore groundbreaking strategies and be part of the movement shaping a liveable future!

Chaired by Nitkamon Iamprasertkun (University of Sheffield)
Speakers:
Prof. Ross Cameron (University of Sheffield)
Dr. Michael Martin (University of Sheffield)
Dr. Moaed Ali Al Meselmani (The University of Sheffield)

This event is part of the Festival of Debate 2025.

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The Transmission & Interconnection Crises Blocking NY Climate Goals
Monday, May 12
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Online
RSVP at https://events.columbia.edu/cal/event/eventView.do?b=de&calPath=/public/cals/MainCal&guid=CAL-00bbdb7c-95f06a46-0195-f2d24369-00005dbaevents%40columbia.edu&recurrenceId=

New York State’s landmark climate law, the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act of 2019 (CLCPA), requires that 70% of electricity come from renewable energy sources by 2030 and 100% from zero emission sources by 2040. However, challenges with interconnection, transmission, and distribution are delaying renewable energy development and jeopardizing the achievement of the CLCPA mandates.

Come join us for a webinar exploring: (1) the transmission, interconnection and distribution challenges in New York State; (2) how these issues are slowing down renewable energy development; and (3) recommendations and potential solutions to the problem.

Moderator
Matthew B. Eisenson, Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative
Panelists
Elizabeth Grisaru, Senior Advisor for Policy, NYS Department of Public Service
Marguerite Wells, Executive Director, Alliance for Clean Energy New York
Noah Ginsburg, Executive Director, New York Solar Energy Industries Association
Randy Satterfield, Executive Director, NextGen Highways

Contact Information  Ivonne Norman
in2273@columbia.edu

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Funding the future: What’s next for local climate solutions?
Monday, May 12
1 - 2pm EDT
Online
RRSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/funding-the-future-whats-next-for-local-climate-solutions-tickets-1321631648839

What's happening to the climate solutions that were halted with the federal funding freeze? And how are communities responding?

The landmark Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and Inflation Reduction Act brought historic levels of funding for climate solutions at municipal and state levels. While local, on-the-ground projects were being built and implemented, a sudden freeze of federal grant awards, cuts of federal agency staff and calls for dramatic cuts in federal spending across agencies has injected uncertainty, put some projects in limbo, and is changing the face of how communities grapple with their preparation for climate change and extreme weather. Yet the urgency for action isn’t abating. How are communities responding? In this webinar, Alys Campaigne (SELC), Shannon Baker Branstetter (Center for American Progress), Tanksi Clairmont (Tribal Energy Alternatives), and Mayor Justin Elicker (New Haven, CT) will join Grist’s Nikhil Swaminathan to discuss the impact of the loss of federal funding in their communities, and where the paths forward for climate solutions still exist.

Presented in partnership with SELC.
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Alys Campaigne serves as the Climate Initiative Leader for the Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC), guiding the organization’s work to reduce greenhouse gas pollution and adapt to climate impacts across six Southern states. SELC is the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan environmental legal advocacy organization rooted in and focused on the South. Alys has worked in strategic advocacy for over thirty years, advising congress, major environmental and community organizations, foundations, candidates, and companies.

Shannon Baker-Branstetter is the senior director of Domestic Climate and Energy Policy at American Progress. They previously led federal and state policy and coalitions on climate, racial equity, transportation, and energy at Dream Corps Green For All. Before that, Baker-Branstetter managed the cars and energy advocacy team at Consumer Reports and worked for a plaintiff-side employment civil rights law firm as well as the U.S. Department of Labor.

Tanksi Clairmont joined GRID Alternatives in December 2018 as the Managing Director of the Tribal Solar Accelerator Fund. She conceptualized and created the tribal-focused grantmaking and leadership programs which have grown in scope and impact over the years.

Justin Elicker is the 51st elected mayor of New Haven and committed to building a city where every New Haven resident has the opportunity to thrive. First sworn into office in January 2020, Mayor Elicker led the city through the COVID-19 pandemic and has prioritized confronting many of the city’s long-term, systemic challenges, including addressing the climate crisis and building a greener, healthier and more resilient city. Prior to being elected mayor, Elicker served as the executive director of the New Haven Land Trust. He received Bachelor of Arts degree from Middlebury College in Vermont and a Master’s in Environmental Management from the Yale School of Environment and Master’s in Business Administration from the Yale School of Management.

Nikhil Swaminathan is the chief executive officer of Grist. He was appointed CEO in September 2022 after leading Grist's newsroom for more than four years and establishing Grist as a leader in solutions-based climate reporting while positioning climate as a social justice issue. Nikhil began his tenure at Grist as a senior editor, founding its Environmental Justice Desk. He became executive editor in early 2018 and transformed Grist into an authoritative digital magazine, garnering an unprecedented number of awards. Since his arrival, Grist was honored with two Edward R. Murrow Awards, its first-ever General Excellence nomination at The National Magazine Awards, and three 2021 Online Journalism Awards. Prior to joining Grist, Swaminathan held editorial positions at Scientific American, Al Jazeera America, GOOD, and Archaeology, among other publications. He was also in the inaugural class of Ida B. Wells fellows at Type Investigations (formerly The Investigative Fund at The Nation Institute). Nikhil serves on the board of the American Society of Magazine Editors and the Economic Hardship Reporting Project. He holds a bachelor's in chemical engineering from Cornell University and a master’s in journalism from Columbia University.

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Against the Headwinds: How Tax Policy Can Advance Clean Energy
Monday, May 12
2pm EDT [11:00 AM to 11:45 AM PT]
Online
RSVP at https://nrdc.tfaforms.net/69?caid=701UR00000VKdEgYAL&coid=0033600001M0Z6dAAF

The growth of clean energy and related industries are an economic powerhouse for the country. However, the federal policies that have driven this growth in the clean economy and the jobs that go with it are at great risk.

Senator Ron Wyden, Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, is a leading and strategic supporter of climate and clean energy policy. As Chairman he fought for and secured some of the most consequential pieces of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to advance energy independence, encourage the development of new clean energy technologies, tackle the climate crisis and incentivize high-tech manufacturing. Now as Ranking Member he is the chief defender of those policies.  

Join us for an important discussion with Senator Wyden about the current lay of the land on clean energy tax credits and where the opportunities lie to uplift existing success and preserve the momentum of the clean economy. This program will be interactive, and we welcome any questions you’d like to submit in advance.

Spanish translation will be available

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Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider's View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead
Monday, May 12
6:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm)
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kenneth-rogoff-at-the-cambridge-public-library-tickets-1295848300149
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $37.19 (book-included)

Harvard Book Store and the Cambridge Public Library welcome Kenneth Rogoff—Maurits C. Boas Professor at Harvard University and former chief economist at the IMF, long ranked among the top ten most cited economists—for a discussion of his new book Our Dollar, Your Problem: An Insider's View of Seven Turbulent Decades of Global Finance, and the Road Ahead. He will be joined in conversation by Gish Jen—acclaimed author of Thank You, Mr. Nixon. 

About Our Dollar, Your Problem
A leading economist explores the global rise of the U.S. dollar and shows why its future stability is far from assured. 
Our Dollar, Your Problem argues that America’s currency might not have reached today’s lofty pinnacle without a certain amount of good luck. Drawing in part on his own experiences, including with policymakers and world leaders, Kenneth Rogoff animates the remarkable postwar run of the dollar—how it beat out the Japanese yen, the Soviet ruble, and the euro—and the challenges it faces today from crypto and the Chinese yuan, the end of reliably low inflation and interest rates, political instability, and the fracturing of the dollar bloc. Americans cannot take for granted that the Pax Dollar era will last indefinitely, not only because many countries are deeply frustrated with the system, but also because overconfidence and arrogance can lead to unforced errors. Rogoff shows how America’s outsized power and exorbitant privilege can spur financial instability—not just abroad but also at home.

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ClimaTech 2025
Tuesday, May 13 - Wednesday, May14
The MGM Music Hall, 2 Lansdowne St, Boston, MA 02215
RSVP at https://www.masscec.com/event/climatech
Cost:  $0 - $199

SHAPE THE FUTURE OF CLIMATE TECHNOLOGY
Join us May 13-14 in Boston for ClimaTech 2025, where the brightest minds in business, innovation and technology converge to accelerate climate solutions. This is the must-attend event for leaders shaping the future of climate tech.

Experience the pulse of climate technology innovation. At ClimaTech, networking goes beyond the traditional—it’s a curated space for interactive talks, a B2B expo, an innovation challenge, and personalized business connections.

Be part of intimate discussions with industry giants and next-gen thinkers at exclusive venues designed to spark ideas and foster collaboration that transcends the event.

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Kelman Seminar: Ukraine: Scenarios for the Future
Tuesday, May 13
12 – 1 p.m.
Online
RSVP at https://harvard.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-5WrnhUySiK-k8kzdiOcuA

SPEAKER(S) Alexandra Vacroux, Vice President for Strategic Engagement, Kyiv School of Economics (on leave from Harvard’s Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies for 2024-2025)
Three years in, and the war in Ukraine continues. Russia is sending drones and ballistic missiles to hit both civilian and military targets across Ukraine nearly every day. Ukraine has reciprocated by striking military sites and oil refineries. On the ground, the conflict is no closer to ending than it has been in the past 1,000 days. Trump, however, would like to broker a ceasefire. Is this realistic? Does Putin want the conflict to stop? How does this war end? This talk will address these questions within the larger context of where the war is now.

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Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI
Tuesday, May 13
6:00pm (doors open at 5:30pm)
Cambridge Public Library, 449 Broadway, Cambridge, MA 02138
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/john-cassidy-at-the-cambridge-public-library-tickets-1295975851659
Cost:  $0.00 (Free RSVP Required) - $38.25 (book-included)

Harvard Book Store, the Cambridge Public Library, and the MIT Shaping the Future of Work Initiative welcome John Cassidy—staff writer at The New Yorker and author of  the books Dot.con: The Greatest Story Ever Sold and How Markets Fail, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Nonfiction—for a discussion of his new book Capitalism and Its Critics: A History: From the Industrial Revolution to AI. He will be joined in conversation by Simon Johnson—Ronald A. Kurtz Professor of Entrepreneurship at the MIT Sloan School of Management, where he is head of the Global Economics and Management group. 

About Capitalism and Its Critics
A sweeping, dramatic history of capitalism as seen through the eyes of its fiercest critics.

At a time when artificial intelligence, climate change, and inequality are raising fundamental questions about the economic system, Capitalism and Its Critics provides a kaleidoscopic history of global capitalism, from the East India Company and Industrial Revolution to the digital revolution. But here John Cassidy, a staff writer at The New Yorker and a Pulitzer Prize finalist, adopts a bold new approach: he tells the story through the eyes of the system’s critics. From the English Luddites who rebelled against early factory automation to communists in Germany and Russia in the early twentieth century, to the Latin American dependistas, the international Wages for Housework campaign of the 1970s, and the modern degrowth movement, the absorbing narrative traverses the globe. It visits with familiar names―Smith, Marx, Luxemburg, Keynes, Polanyi―but also focuses on many less familiar figures, including William Thompson, the Irish proto-socialist whose work influenced Marx; Flora Tristan, the French proponent of a universal labor union; John Hobson, the original theorist of imperialism; J. C. Kumarappa, the Indian exponent of Ghandian economics; Eric Williams, the Trinidadian author of a famous thesis on slavery and capitalism; Joan Robinson, the Cambridge economist and critic of the Cold War; and Nicholas Georgescu-Roegen, the founding father of degrowth.

Blending rich biography, panoramic history, and lively exploration of economic theories, Capitalism and Its Critics is true big history that illuminates the deep roots of many of the most urgent issues of our time.

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Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary
Tuesday, May 13
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Book Store welcomes Agustín Fuentes—science communicator and professor of anthropology at Princeton University—for a discussion of his new book Sex Is a Spectrum: The Biological Limits of the Binary. He will be joined in conversation by Sarah S. Richardson—Aramont Professor of the History of Science and Professor of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University.

About Sex is a Spectrum
Why human biology is far more expansive than the simple categories of female and male. 
Being human entails an astonishingly complex interplay of biology and culture, and while there are important differences between women and men, there is a lot more variation and overlap than we may realize. Sex Is a Spectrum offers a bold new paradigm for understanding the biology of sex, drawing on the latest science to explain why the binary view of the sexes is fundamentally flawed--and why having XX or XY chromosomes isn't as conclusive as some would have us believe.

In this lively and provocative book, leading biological anthropologist Agust n Fuentes begins by tracing the origin and evolution of sex, describing the many ways in the animal kingdom of being female, male, or both. Turning to humans, he presents compelling evidence from the fossil and archaeological record that attests to the diversity of our ancestors' sexual bonds, gender roles, and family and community structures, and shows how the same holds true in the lived experiences of people today. Fuentes tackles hot-button debates around sports and medicine, explaining why we can acknowledge that females and males are not the same while also embracing a biocultural reality where none of us fits neatly into only one of two categories.

Bringing clarity and reason to a contentious issue, Sex Is a Spectrum shares a scientist's perspective on why a binary view of sex and gender is not only misguided but harmful, and why there are multitudes of ways of being human.

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Nature Risk and Reporting: Utilizing TNFD in a Changing Disclosure Landscape
Wednesday, May 14
10:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://ceres-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_trJcustpRu2KslzbXjISkw#/registration

In today’s rapidly evolving disclosure landscape, companies need efficient tools to help them prepare for regulatory compliance now while understanding emerging risks and building resilience for the future. As nature rises on the corporate agenda, leaders within sustainability, investor relations, compliance and more can join this webinar to understand how the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework aligns with key frameworks like the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and mandatory disclosure regulations like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), while providing a path for companies to define and disclose an informed approach to nature. Experts will explore how organizations can navigate the complexities of compliance with both voluntary and mandatory nature reporting requirements, how TNFD interconnects with CSRD and ISSB, and how to utilize TNFD for nature strategy development and risk management. Participants will: - Understand the TNFD framework: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the TNFD’s role in nature-related financial disclosures and how it relates to other ESG reporting standards. - Navigate key regulations: Explore how the TNFD framework aligns with and complements the ISSB, CSRD, and other global mandatory disclosure regulations. - Enhance risk management: Learn how to leverage the TNFD framework for more robust and comprehensive risk management related to environmental and nature-related factors.

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Spending in Solidarity: Unions, Corporations, and Money in Politics
Wednesday, May 14
12 PM ET
Online
RSVP at https://www.radcliffe.harvard.edu/event/2025-laura-weinrib-fellow-presentation-virtual

Laura Weinrib, 2024–2025 Suzanne Young Murray Professor
A legal historian, Laura Weinrib studies how social movements have transformed constitutional categories to pursue political and economic change. At Radcliffe, she will be writing a book on labor unions, corporations, and money in politics in the United States.

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Using Managed Relocation to Advance Climate Adaptation: Benefits, Risks, and Barriers
Wednesday, May 14
4:00 pm
Online
RSVP at https://necasc.umass.edu/webinars/using-managed-relocation-advance-climate-adaptation-benefits-risks-and-barriers

Jenica Allen, UMass Amherst
Peter Clark, University of Vermont
Jacquelyn Gill, University of Maine
Chris Nadeau, Schoodic InstituteDescription
In this one-hour discussion, panelists from research and management backgrounds will consider key issues in the use of managed relocation as a climate adaptation strategy. Potential benefits, risks, and hurdles to implementing this technique will be discussed to provide scientific and practical information that will promote a better understanding of this management approach and reduce impediments to employing it. This interactive session will provide audience members with ample opportunities to contribute to the conversation. 

About the Panelists
Jenica Allen is a faculty member in the Department of Environmental Conservation at UMass Amherst. 
Peter Clark is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Vermont. 
Jacquelyn Gill is a Professor of Paleoecology and Plant Ecology at the University of Maine. 
Chris Nadeau is a Climate Change Adaptation Scientist at the Schoodic Institute. 

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Plastics: Exposing their Climate Impacts
Wednesday, May 14
4:00 - 5:15pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.wri.org/events/2025/5/plastics-exposing-their-climate-impacts

Plastic pollution and climate change are two major environmental issues of this century, with implications for ecosystem health, the economy and humankind. Plastics affect the climate in multiple ways, yet we have limited data and significant data gaps. Our webinar will address what we know and don’t know, and is especially timely as it takes place in the lead-up to two pivotal global events: UN World Environment Day, this year themed “Reducing Plastic Pollution,” and the next round of UN negotiations on a Global Plastics Treaty, in August 2025. These opportunities underscore the growing international momentum to address plastic pollution and its climate impacts. 

A systematic review of available knowledge, recently published in Frontiers in Environmental Science, aims to answer this important question: How do plastics impact climate through three major mechanisms–emissions of greenhouse gases across the plastics lifecycle, interference with Earth’s carbon sinks, and interference with Earth’s radiation budget?
Join The Plastics & Climate Project and WRI on May 14 for answers to this question and a discussion of the immediate action required to decarbonize the plastics lifecycle and safeguard our planet. Speakers will discuss the report which fills some of these data gaps, lays a roadmap for continued research, and recommends policies to safeguard our health and planet from the ubiquity of plastic’s climate and environmental impacts.

Speakers:
Holly Kaufman, Co-founder & Project Director, The Plastics & Climate Project
Dr. Alice (Xia) Zhu, Co-founder & Research Director, The Plastics & Climate Project
John Doherty, Science and Policy Analyst, Environmental Law Institute
Dr. Jo Banner, Co-Founder & Co-Director, The Descendants Project
Zach Byrum, Research Associate for Industrial Decarbonization, World Resources Institute
Monica Medina, Arnhold Distinguished Fellow, Conservation International
Dr. Sweta Chakraborty, CEO, We Don’t Have Time North America (Moderator)

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Thinking with Plants and Fungi Conference An Interdisciplinary Exploration into the Mind of Nature 
Thursday, May 15 - Saturday, May 17
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA 
And online
RSVP at https://cswr.hds.harvard.edu/research-programming/thinking-plants-fungi/conference-may-2025

The Center for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) at Harvard Divinity School (HDS) is excited to announce “Thinking with Plants and Fungi: An Interdisciplinary Exploration into the Mind of Nature,” a three-day conference held at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.  

This conference convenes scholars from across the sciences, humanities, and social sciences with artists, culture keepers, activists, and practitioners to explore how plants and fungi help us rethink the nature of mind and matter and humans’ relationship to the more-than-human world. How might plants and fungi invite us to reimagine cooperation, flourishing, and co-existence amidst ongoing ecological and social crises?  

The conference will consist of keynote presentations and panel discussions. Confirmed speakers include Merlin Sheldrake, Giuliana Furci, Emanuele Coccia, Banu Subramanian, Jessica J. Lee, Zoë Schlanger, Monica Gagliano, Michael Marder, and others.

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Behavioural interventions to change the world with Professor David Halpern CBE
Thursday, May 15 
1 pm - 2 pm EDT[18:00 – 19:00 BST]
Online and in person [central London]
RSVP at https://www.nesta.org.uk/event/behavioural-interventions-to-change-the-world-with-professor-david-halpern-cbe/

Share Behavioural science has come a long way - and so has BIT (Behavioural Insights Team). Over the past 15 years, BIT has developed many of the leading frameworks in the field, showcasing how behavioural science can improve outcomes for individuals, governments and businesses. But we’ve only just scratched the surface of what’s possible.
On Thursday 15 May from 18:00 BST, join David Halpern, BIT’s founder and President Emeritus, for his inaugural annual lecture, where he will discuss his new working paper exploring how behavioural and institutional insights are challenging classical economic models—and how this could reshape the future of economic policymaking.
Formerly CEO of BIT, David Halpern was Chief Analyst at the Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit and the first What Works National Advisor, leading efforts to improve evidence-based policymaking across the UK government. He has held academic positions at Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard and has written extensively on behavioural insights, including Inside the Nudge Unit. In 2023, he was awarded a CBE for public service.

This event will be chaired by Professor Diane Coyle, Bennett Professor of Public Policy and Co-Director of the Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Expect bold ideas, insightful discussion and an in-depth exploration of the future of applied behavioural science.

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US Consumers Stand by Sustainability: Webinar on the latest consumer viewpoints on sustainability 
Thursday, May 15
11:00 AM in Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Online
RSVP at https://nyu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kBSfUvnbQFKHFP-LCwdb6Q?_gl=1*1o0uc9q*_gcl_au*MTg4NDkyODYzOC4xNzQxMTk3NDQ5*_ga*MTQyNzg1MzMzMC4xNzM0MzYyNjk2*_ga_L8TBF28DDX*MTc0NDkwNTEyMC4zMy4xLjE3NDQ5MDU3MjQuMC4wLjA.#/registration

Join GlobeScan and NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business for a webinar on recently released consumer insights on sustainability. Moderated by Tensie Whelan.

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Conversation & Exhibition Preview | Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic
Thursday, May 15
6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Harvard, Geological Lecture Hall, 24 Oxford Street, Cambridge
RSVP at https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=9CL6b2hFBUGtQy461HJpVwaEfAvKIKRHjDqup5ZqIVNUQjNUU0tDMVo0VzhNOEtKRk9LTVJLMlI1Qi4u

In conversation with Madeline Murphy Turner, Emily Rauh Pulitzer Curatorial Fellow in Contemporary Drawings, Harvard Art Museums
Castaway: The Afterlife of Plastic, by the art collective TRES, is an art-research project that investigates plastic’s enduring presence in global ecosystems. Since 2016, TRES has searched for and photographed marine debris and plastic that has washed up on the Australian shores of Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. Using photography, maps, and collected artifacts, the collective documents how plastic castaways of contemporary culture become embedded in landscapes—often unnoticed yet ever-present. Castaway’s visual poetry, mimicry, and humor aim to prompt reflection on humanity’s materiality, use, and deep entanglement with plastic. At the same time, the project speculates about new forms of coexistence in which life and synthetic matter evolve together in unexpected ways. 

A reception and exhibition preview will follow in the galleries of the Peabody Museum.

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Webinar on Massachusetts' Tactical Transition Bill
Date 1: May 19th 12pm - 1pm
Date 2: May 20th 7pm - 8pm
Online
RSVP at https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/xivv7ENhTRSjalDyo7mfKQ?_x_zm_rtaid=Jwz5NFnjRkeSo-o70_zk3A.1745809599034.86d9cdcd120ae59e52f9c724d5fbdb47&_x_zm_rhtaid=977#/registration
or
https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/07oDLL3pSauynhx_etPsKQ?_x_zm_rtaid=Jwz5NFnjRkeSo-o70_zk3A.1745809599034.86d9cdcd120ae59e52f9c724d5fbdb47&_x_zm_rhtaid=977#/registration

Green Energy Consumers Alliance, HEETlabs, and Rewiring America invite you to join us for an informational ZOOM webinar on Massachusetts' Tactical Transition Bill (Senate Bill 2249/House Bill 3539). This legislation provides a framework to protect consumers from unsustainable gas infrastructure costs, avoid billions in stranded assets, and ensure livable wages for gas workers transitioning to clean energy jobs.

Webinar Sessions (Same Content, Two Options):
What You'll Learn:
The Tactical Transition Bill Overview & Affordability Connections
Bill Specifics & Legislative Mechanisms
Communication Strategies
Tools & Action Steps
This webinar will equip your organization with the knowledge and resources needed to understand and advocate for this important legislation.

Please forward this invitation to any colleagues or partner organizations who might be interested. If you have any questions before the webinar, feel free to contact me. 

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Gloria Browne-Marshall, author of A Protest History of the United States, in conversation with Tochukwu Okafor
Tuesday, May 20
7pm
PSB: Boston Edition, 50 Liberty Drive, Boston, MA 02210
And online at  https://www.crowdcast.io/c/a-protest-history-of-the-united-states
RSVP at https://www.portersquarebooks.com/rsvp-attend-our-event-gloria-browne-marshall

ABOUT A PROTEST HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES
Exploring 400 years of protest and resistance in US history—and what the unsung heroes of social movements past can teach us about navigating our chaotic world

In this timely new book in Beacon’s successful ReVisioning History series, professor Gloria Browne-Marshall delves into the history of protest movements and rebellion in the United States. Beginning with Indigenous peoples’ resistance to European colonization and continuing through to today’s climate change demonstrations, Browne-Marshall expands how to think about protest through sharing select historical moments and revealing the role of key players involved in those efforts.

Drawing upon legal documents, archival material, government documents and secondary sources, A Protest History of the United States gives voice to those who pushed back against the mistreatment of others, themselves, and in some instances planet Earth. Browne-Marshall highlights stories of individuals from all walks of life, backgrounds, and time periods who helped bring strong attention to their causes. Those examples of protest include those of Wahunsenacock, more commonly known to history as Chief Powhatan, who took on English invaders in pre-colonial America in 1607; legendary boxer Muhammad Ali's refusal to fight in Vietnam and appealed all the way to the US Supreme Court; and David Buckel, LGBTQ+ rights lawyer and environmental activist who protested against fossil fuels by committing self-immolation in 2018.

Regardless of whether these protests accomplished their end goals, Browne-Marshall reminds us that not only is dissent meaningful and impactful but is an essential tool for eliciting long lasting change.

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By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine
Tuesday, May 20
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Book Store and the Harvard Ukrainian Research Institute welcome Danielle Leavitt—former fellow at the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard—for a discussion of her debut book By the Second Spring: Seven Lives and One Year of the War in Ukraine. She will be joined in conversation by Serhii Plokhii—Mykhailo S. Hrushevs'kyi Professor of Ukrainian History, Director of the Ukrainian Research Institute at Harvard University, and award-winning author. 

About By the Second Spring
An intimate, affecting account of life during wartime, told through the lives that have been shattered.
Even as scores of Americans rally to the Ukrainian cause and adopt Volodymyr Zelensky as a hero, the lives of Ukrainians remain opaque and mostly anonymous. In By the Second Spring, the historian Danielle Leavitt goes beyond familiar portraits of wartime heroism and victimhood to reveal the human experience of the conflict. An American who grew up in Ukraine, Leavitt draws on her deep familiarity with the country and a unique trove of online diaries to track a diverse group of Ukrainians through the first year of Russia’s full-scale invasion. Among others, we meet Vitaly, whose plans to open a coffee bar in a Kyiv suburb come to naught when the Russian army marches through his town and his apartment building is split in two by a rocket; Anna, who drops out of the police academy and begins a tumultuous relationship with a soldier she meets online; and Polina, a fashion-industry insider who returns home from Los Angeles with her American husband to organize relief. To illuminate the complex resurgence of Ukraine’s national spirit, Leavitt also tells the story of Volodymyr Shovkoshitniy—a nuclear engineer at Chernobyl who went on to lead a daring campaign in the late 1980s to return the bodies of three Ukrainian writers who’d died in a Soviet gulag. Writing with closeness and compassion, Leavitt has given us an interior history of Europe’s largest land war in seventy-five years.

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Save the Ice! Climate Action Party
Tuesday, May 20
7 - 8pm EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/save-the-ice-climate-action-party-tickets-1273260579669

Part of the Action Parties collection
Icy landscapes exist at the far extremes of our planet...and they are critical to life as we know it. Register to learn more!

Most of us have little reason to think about ice, outside of whether we’d like it in our drinks or if it's covering the roads. But at the extremes of our planet, ice dominates the landscape– and the health of these icy landscapes has implications for every place in the world.

About two-thirds of Earth's fresh water is locked in the ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, while an estimated 270,000 square miles of glaciers persist at high elevations and latitudes on every continent except Australia. As climate change drives rapid ice melt, sea levels are rising, and there are other impacts too– slowing ocean currents, lost opportunities to study the earth’s natural history, and negative impacts to the plants, animals, and people who rely on these icy ecosystems.

In this Climate Action Party, you’ll learn about the critical– and often unseen– role that ice plays in our world. You’ll hear straight from acclaimed science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson; one of the world's leading ice-saving engineers, Dr. Leslie Field of the Bright Ice Initiative; and Arctic policy expert Durwood Zaelke of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development. You’ll be invited to make a difference by taking action with the free Climate Action Now app.
Help us save the ice– there’s no cooler way to spend a Tuesday night!

About Our Featured Guests
Kim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer, including the popular climate fiction novel Ministry For the Future. Many of his novels and stories have ecological, cultural, and political themes and feature scientists as heroes. Robinson has won numerous awards, including the Hugo Award for Best Novel, the Nebula Award for Best Novel and the World Fantasy Award. The Atlantic has called Robinson's work "the gold standard of realistic, and highly literary, science-fiction writing." Robinson supports the work of the Ice Preservation Institute, which explores how to reduce the rate of sea level rise through scientifically sound, socially acceptable action.
Dr. Leslie Field is the Founder and CEO of the Bright Ice Initiative. Dr. Field is an engineer-inventor whose work has been presented in venues worldwide, including the United Nations, International Maritime Organization, the World Economic Forum in Davos, and the Arctic Circle Assembly. She holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from MIT, and a master’s degree and PhD in electrical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. She has been an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University for 12 years, teaching an annual seminar class on engineering and climate change. Dr. Field’s nonprofit work is focused on enhancing the reflectivity and albedo of glacial ice to decelerate global temperature rise. In 2006, she founded Ice911 to research, test, and model localized engineering approaches to slow ice melt. In 2022, Dr. Field left Ice911, now the Arctic Ice Project, to start Bright Ice Initiative, where she continues to work on localized approaches at a scale chosen to benefit communities at the greatest climate risk. She has built key partnerships with scientists worldwide to further this critical work.
Durwood Zaelke is founder and President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development(IGSD), where he focuses on fast mitigation strategies to protect the climate, including reducing short-lived climate pollutants (HFCs, black carbon, methane, and tropospheric ozone). Mr. Zaelke has taught at various law schools, including Yale Law School, Duke Law School’s Brussels’ program, American University’s Washington College of Law, the University of Nairobi Law Faculty, and Johns Hopkins graduate environmental policy program. Zaelke also co-founded the Program on Governance for Sustainable Development at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, where he is an adjunct professor. He is the author, co-author, or editor of numerous publications including the leading law school textbook on International Environmental Law & Policy. In 2022 Zaelke was recognized by Washingtonian Magazine as one of the 16 most influential people for Climate and Environment, among Washington, DC’s 500 Most Influential People. Zaelke is a graduate of Duke Law School (1972) and UCLA (1969), and a member of the bar in California, Washington, DC, and Alaska.

About Our Action Parties
An Action Party is an online event that packs valuable information and concrete action into a 60-minute venue.
Each Action Party has an environment-related topic and features guests who are experts in that topic. We begin with a 10 minute presentation, followed by a panel discussion. Participants are invited to share questions for the panelists. Throughout the event, optional action-taking with the Climate Action Now app is available. The actions have been prepared in advance to help participants take the most impactful action in the shortest period of time. The party's moderator sets a goal for the number of actions to be taken and shows participants their progress towards that goal in real time with an online, automated goal tracker.
Action Parties are free and open to all who seek a more just and sustainable world, but we welcome donations to help us continue our mission of creating a just and liveable planet for all.

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Tipping points webinar series: AMOC shifts: scientific insights and policy implications
Wednesday, May 21
7am - 8:30am EDT [13:00-14:30 CEST]
Online
RSVP at https://amoc-shifts-scientific-insights-policy-implications.confetti.events/signup

Caroline Zimm, Senior Research Scholar (TISS, EQU)Event details

Join AIMES, the Earth Commission, Future Earth, and the WCRP’s Safe Landing Climates Lighthouse Activity for a webinar exploring the latest scientific insights on Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) tipping points and their profound policy implications. This discussion will bring together experts to examine how science and policy can work together to address these emerging risks and enhance global preparedness.

Tipping points in the climate system, such as a potential collapse of the AMOC, pose serious global risks—yet they remain largely absent from national security risk assessments. This discussion will explore why these critical thresholds are being overlooked, the consequences of inaction, and what policy options could help close this dangerous gap.

Presentations
Maya Ben-Yami (Technical University of Munich) - Impacts from AMOC tipping
Laurie Laybourn-Langton (the Strategic Climate Risks Initiative (SCRI)) - A fateful policy blind spot? Atlantic tipping and security
Q&A/ Discussion 
The session will be moderated by Annika Hoegner from IIASA and The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK).

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Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World and How We Can Take It Back
Wednesday, May 21
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Book Store welcomes Chris Berdik—local author of Mind Over Mind—for a discussion of his new book Clamor: How Noise Took Over the World and How We Can Take It Back. He will be joined in conversation by Dan Gauger—former Distinguished Engineer at Bose Corp. 

About Clamor
An eye- (and ear-) opening investigation into how our ever-noisier world affects our health, our well-being, and our planet.

Early-morning jackhammering from construction down the block. The dull roar of jets flying overhead. Your office mates’ phone conversations. We are surrounded by noise, but it is a problem many of us shrug off once the immediate annoyance passes. Yet as gifted science journalist Chris Berdik explains in Clamor, noise can have serious health effects, disrupting our sleep, ratcheting up our stress, and destroying our concentration. As he argues, it is one of the most pervasive, yet underacknowledged, pollutants in our daily lives—one that we neglect, both individually and systemically, at our peril

Drawing on extensive research and original reporting, Berdik shows how a too-limited understanding of noise, focused on loud sounds and decibel counts, has undermined a century of noise-control efforts and obscured the full toll noise exacts on us and the environment. Chronic exposure to noise that falls below decibel-based thresholds—sometimes even below our conscious awareness—is linked to spikes in the risk of heart disease and other serious health ailments that contribute to premature death. Noisy classrooms hinder developing minds and delay cognitive milestones. In forests and in the depths of the ocean, a cacophony of manmade sound disrupts the natural soundscape, threatening animals’ capacity to communicate, hunt, and flee predators.

Yet in the battle against noise, sound doesn’t have to be our enemy: Berdik introduces us to the researchers, rock stars, architects, and many others who are finding surprising ways to make our world sound not only less bad, but better. Rising above the ever-increasing racket, Clamor is an urgent—and ultimately inspiring—call to finally take noise seriously and harness sound’s great potential.

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Webinar: Nature-based solutions for climate-resilient cities: digital tools for decision-makers
Thursday, May 22
8am - 9:30am EDT [14:00 - 15:30 CET]
Online
RSVP at https://www.sei.org/events/nature-based-solutions-for-climate-resilient-cities/

As cities worldwide struggle with the growing impacts of climate change, nature-based solutions (NBS) could offer a powerful path to enhance urban resilience. During the webinar, participants can explore highly relevant digital platforms empowering cities to implement nature-based solutions to solve urban adaptation challenges on local level.

The tools that will be introduced during the event could help urban planners, policymakers and innovators design climate-resilient strategies – from global best practices to actionable methodologies with transferable insights.

During the webinar you can learn about:
Global and local insights: Learn from platforms curating global best practices tailored for municipalities (including France-based examples with universal applications).
Decision-making tools: See how digital platforms help cities prioritize, and scale NBS.
Overcoming barriers: Key challenges in NBS adoption—and how to turn them into opportunities.
Scalability: Strategies to adapt these solutions to your city’s unique context.

Who should join?
Urban planners, local government officials, environmental researchers, NGOs, and innovators seeking data-driven solutions, partnerships, or inspiration for climate adaptation.

Contact:  Andreas Hoy / andreas.hoy@sei.org

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Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class, and How to Get Them Back
Thursday, May 22
7:00pm
Harvard Book Store, 1256 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138

Harvard Book Store welcomes Joan C. Williams—award-winning scholar of social inequality, author of White Working Class, and Distinguished Professor of Law (Emerita) at University of California Law San Francisco—for a discussion of her new book Outclassed: How the Left Lost the Working Class, and How to Get Them Back. She will be joined in conversation by James T. Kloppenberg—Charles Warren Professor of American History at Harvard University. 

About Outclassed
An eye-opening, urgent call to mend the broken relationship between college and non-college grads of all races that is driving politics to the far right in the US.
Is there a single change that could simultaneously protect democracy, spur progress on climate change, enact sane gun policies, and improve our response to the next pandemic? Yes: changing the class dynamics driving American politics.

The far right manipulates class anger to undercut progressive goals and liberals often inadvertently play into their hands. In Outclassed, Joan C. Williams explains how to reverse that process by bridging the “diploma divide”, while maintaining core progressive values. She offers college-educated Americans insights into how their values reflect their lives and their lives reflect their privilege. With illuminating stories —from the Portuguese admiral who led that country’s COVID response to the lawyer who led the ACLU’s gay marriage response (and more)— Williams demonstrates how working-class values reflect working-class lives. Then she explains how the far right connects culturally with the working-class, deftly manipulating racism and masculine anxieties to deflect attention from the ways far-right policies produce the economic conditions disadvantaging the working-class. Whether you are a concerned citizen committed to saving democracy or a politician or social justice warrior in need of messaging advice, Outclassed offers concrete guidance on how liberals can forge a multi-racial cross-class coalition capable of delivering on progressive goals.

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Climate Change and Biodiversity
Friday, May 23
7 - 7:45am EDT
Online
RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/climate-change-and-biodiversity-tickets-1312763694549

Learn how shifting climates are affecting ecosystems and species, and discover the actions we can take to mitigate these impacts. Led by ECO-UNESCO’s experts, this workshop will equip you with the knowledge and tools to understand, address, and protect biodiversity in the face of climate change.

Part of the Biodiversity Week 2025 collection

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Frontiers in NeuroAI Symposium
Thursday, June 5 – Friday, June 6, 2025
Harvard, Science and Engineering Complex, 150 Western Avenue, Allston
RSVP at https://secure.touchnet.net/C20832_ustores/web/store_main.jsp?STOREID=171&SINGLESTORE=true
Cost:  $85.00 general admission, $10.00 undergraduate admission

SPEAKER(S) Mark L. Andermann, Ph.D, Professor, BIDMC & Department of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
SueYeon Chung, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Flatiron Institute / NYU
Yilun Du, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, Harvard University
Ali Farhadi, Ph.D, Ai2 & University of Washington
Surya Ganguli, Ph.D, Principal Investigator at Neural Dynamics and Computation Lab
Asma Ghandeharioun, Ph.D, Senior Research Scientist, Google DeepMind
Talia Konkle, Ph.D, Professor of Psychology, Harvard University
Konrad Körding, Ph.D, Co-founder, NeuroMatch
Mackenzie Mathis, Ph.D, Assistant Professor, EPFL
Ellie Pavlick, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Computer Science and Linguistics at Brown University
João Sacramento, Ph.D, Research Scientist, Google
Karel Svoboda, Ph.D, Director, Allen Institute for Neural Dynamics
Fernanda Viégas, Co-Director, Insight and Interaction Lab & Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University
Luke Zettlemoyer, Ph.D, University of Washington; Meta

S Registration is now open for the Frontiers in NeuroAI Symposium, hosted by the Kempner Institute at Harvard University. The event will take place on June 5–6, 2025, at Harvard University’s Science and Engineering Complex (SEC), with both onsite and virtual attendance options.

This two-day symposium will explore:
Learning processes in natural and artificial systems.
The impact of machine learning on neuroscience and intelligence.
Advances in AI reasoning and generative capabilities.
Featuring leading experts from neuroscience and AI, the event promises cutting-edge discussions and insights.

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Dance for World Community Conference
Thursday, June 5 - Sunday, June 8
Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
RSVP at https://www.danceforworldcommunity.org/conference
Cost:  $165

Concern about climate change and its disproportionate impact on under-resourced or otherwise disadvantaged communities continues to grow. After decades of persistent advocacy and activism to advance social and environmental justice, recent destabilizing orders from top US government officials are brazenly countermanding advances in climate science, public health, education, diversity, inclusion, equity and other areas. It is no wonder why, in today’s environment, independent artists and arts organizations are looking to expand their role as advocates and activists, to support creative and rational solutions to the critical global issues that ultimately affect us all.

From the muralist who mobilizes an entire community to paint uplifting images in a depressed urban space, to the composer who writes a symphony to evince the destruction that humanity is inflicting on the planet’s ecological systems, artists of all media and forms continue to respond to the urgencies of our age.

Dance for World Community, initiated in 2009 by a ballet organization in Cambridge, Massachusetts, proposes that dance is particularly well suited to effective advocacy and activism. Inherently social, dance is universally understandable, has great potential to bring diverse people together across cultural divides and can quickly build trust and community cohesion.

Powerful as it is, dance is one of the most under-resourced sectors in America and is underrepresented in many institutional settings. In spite of the steady increases in the number of training and performance centers, established schools and companies are notoriously insular and inward-looking. The sector lacks the inclusive, unified voice it needs to respond to the challenges that now all the arts and other industries are facing in 2025.

How will we as dancers — performers, instructors, choreographers, administrators, scholars, independent dance artists and aficionados — respond to the critical social and environmental crises that can no longer be ignored by any of us?
In this conference, we will examine different initiatives and models, exchange ideas and begin to build the necessary networks to strengthen our efforts to make a difference. Through this shared process, we will rouse the advocate and activist in each of us. 

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Protecting Our Communities: A Whole-Society Approach to Resilience
Friday, June 6
9:00 am - 12:00 pm
In person and online
RSVP at https://climateadaptationforum.org/event/protecting-our-communities-a-whole-society-approach-to-resilience/
Cost:  $15 - $45

When disruptions arise, it is often our neighbors, families, and local networks who step up first. In this Forum, we explore how communities can strengthen the ties that hold them together before, during, and after climate-related events. Featuring voices from across sectors who are community leaders, planners, and practitioners, this discussion will examine how local collaboration, trust, and shared responsibility can help ensure no one is left behind when it matters most. We’ll also explore how to support and sustain our informal networks, “zero responders”, who often prevent challenges from becoming full-blown crises.

Forum Speakers
Meghan Kallman, Rhode Island State Senator, District 15, Associate Professor, School for Global Inclusion & Social Development, University of Massachusetts Boston
Marcie Roth – presenting virtually, Executive Director and CEO, World Institute on Disability

This Forum will be organized in a hybrid format. Attendees have the option to attend in-person OR virtually. Please note that this Forum will NOT BE RECORDED.