On February 4-5, 2007, a number of organizations cooperated to produce an action-oriented climate change conference on the GW Foggy Bottom Campus. The event, entitled “Implementing Solutions to Climate Crises” advanced practical climate-related solutions that can be implemented by businesses, governments, NGOs, communities, consumers and citizens.
Among the co-sponsors of the event were GW’s Environmental & Social Sustainability Initiative, GW Institute for Corporate Responsibility, and the GW Center for International Business Education and Research School of Business. Other co-sponsors were the Bureau of National Affairs, Climate Institute, David Gardiner and Associates, the Stella Group, Ltd., Simply Sustain, D.C. Sustainable Business Network, and the Aspen Institute.
Keynote speakers at the event were Chad Holliday, Chairman and CEO of DuPont and Lester Brown, Founder, Earth Policy Institute and Worldwatch Institute.
Other speakers were:
• Amy Townsend, President, Sustainable Development International
Corporation
• Roger Ballentine, President of Green Strategies Inc.
• David Gardiner, Principal, President, David Gardiner & Associates
• Jeff Erikson, US Director, SustainAbility
• Christopher Flavin, President, WorldWatch
• Neville Williams, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Standard Solar Inc.
• Scott Sklar, President, Stella Group, Ltd.
• John Topping, President, Climate Institute
• Robin Chase, Founder/CEO; GoLoco, Founder Zipcar
Biographical information on all of the speakers can be seen at: http://www.climateactionconference.org/speakersandsponsors.html
The speakers indicated that climate crises and their projected impacts present political, organizational, and personal imperatives at every level of human existence. The ecological and human health mayhem that can result from human-induced climate change warrants proactive, significant, and immediate responses. This strategic implementation needs to involve multiple human sectors and systems, if these massive and urgent challenges are to be effectively engaged and resolved. The goal of the conference was to promote effective change toward significantly reducing harmful human-induced climate impacts. It included a blend of informative sessions that were focused on fostering on-going, climate-related collaboration among attendees. The sessions were conducted in the spectacular City View Room of the Elliott School of International Affairs and the Marvin Center Continental Ballroom.