Think Globally. Engage Locally.

Creating Local Impact

The Engage Locally Series encompassed six national and community-focused panels exploring how each of us can create positive local change to benefit our communities.

Day 1: Impacts

Panel 1: Our Communities and Climate Change

Friday, December 2, 2022

Climate change is a global challenge, but its impact is felt locally. Colorado has become all too familiar with the effects of a warmer climate—from fast-moving wildfires to poor air quality and flood risks. Faculty members and «Ƶ experts discussed how climate change is impacting our communities and how we can reduce our emissions, improve resilience and make equity a priority in local climate action.

Moderator: Jonathan Koehn

Panelists: 

  • Crystal Launder, housing senior project manager (air quality, storm damage strategies in manufactured housing)
  • Brett KenCairn,
  • Paul Chinowsky, professor emeritus, civil systems, Mortenson Center in Global Engineering, undergraduate education
  • Jennifer Balch, associate professor of geography, director, Earth Lab, CIRES fellow
  • Hannah Brenkert-Smith, fellow and research associate professor, Institute of Behavioral Science

Panel 2: The Role of Leading Research Universities in Advancing Climate Solutions

Friday, December 2, 2022

Leaders from the Association of American Universities (AAU) and University Climate Change Coalition (UC3) discussed the research, innovation, education and public engagement efforts needed to accelerate climate solutions that respond to the needs of individuals and communities, and show respect for human rights.

Association of American Universities • University Climate Change Coalition

Moderator:

Panelists: 

  • , University of Arizona president
  • , University of Minnesota president
  • , The Ohio State University president (participating remotely)
  • Philip P. DiStefano, University of Colorado chancellor

Day 2: Obligations

Panel 3: Business Commitments to a Sustainable Future

Saturday, December 3, 2022

The sustainability officer plays an increasingly important role as businesses seek to address the societal impacts of their operations in a changing global climate. A panel of industry leaders discussed the actions their organizations are taking, the challenges to progress they face and the further commitments they must make to support a more sustainable future for all.

CU Leeds School of Business Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility (CESR)

Moderator: Kathryn Wendell, director, Center for Ethics and Social Responsibility

Panelists: 

  • Jeannie Renne-Malone, VP of global sustainability,
  • Ashley Ruiz, director of corporate social impact, McKinstry
  • Josh Sawislak, managing director, global advisor on sustainability and climate adaptation, Deloitte
  • Mark Kroese, GM for sustainability solutions, Microsoft

Panel 4: Achieving Effective Climate Policy: How Do We Bridge the Political Divide?

Saturday, December 3, 2022

Learning and engaging in conversation about climate change is important, but now we must create solutions for our future. Select members of Congress and leading climate policy advocates discussed how to achieve the climate policy that will bring real change to our communities.

Moderator: Caitlyn Kim, , D.C.-based public affairs reporter

Panelists: 

  • , D-Colorado
  • Chris Barnard, national policy director,
  • Jameka Hodnett, Green for All campaign director,

Day 3: Solutions

Panel 5: Bipartisan Youth Climate Advocacy

Sunday, December 4, 2022

Interested in building bridges across the aisle to address climate change? This event featured panelists from politically diverse and bipartisan-oriented youth climate advocacy groups in a conversation with a CU student audience.

Moderator: Matthew Burgess, assistant professor of environmental studies and director,

Panelists: 

  • Chris Barnard, national policy director,
  • Jameka Hodnett, Green for All campaign director,
  • Sarah Jensen, MENV student and co-founder of «Ƶ chapter
  • Emily Nocito, environmental studies PhD student and founder of 10 by 2020

Students laying down to form in a circle

Panel 6: Enacting Climate Solutions: Student Workshop

Sunday, December 4, 2022

This interactive and creative workshop for climate action included fun activities to gain a feeling of belonging as part of a generation of change makers. Attendees explored how to carry forth the wisdom from our ancestors to avoid the “unsustainable or scorched path” and chart our own course toward a “green path” for an equitable, survivable and thrive-able future. Together, weaving the social fabric and becoming the ancestors we want to be.