We are excited to announce the next installment of Climate LIVE K12, an online video series featuring experts from the Columbia Climate School discussing issues in climate and sustainability. The series will feature interdisciplinary research in 30-minute live sessions. These sessions are geared to grade school and university students, but all are welcome to join. At the end of each session, participants will have the opportunity to ask the experts about their work.
The eight monthly talks will span a diversity of topics, including coral-reef conservation; data-mapping in support of sustainability; debunking renewable-energy misinformation; and a special session on youth leaders working in climate and sustainability.
All sessions will take place on the second Wednesday of each month, from November to next June, between 4:00-4:30pm ET. The sessions are free but pre-registration is required for each event. RSVP links, along with the schedule from November to June, are below. We will send a Zoom webinar link to all registered participants prior to the start of the programming. All sessions will be recorded and hosted on the Climate School’s YouTube page.
Fall 2023-Spring 2024 Sessions
Young People’s Role in Climate Activism
Wednesday, November 8th, 2023: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenters: High School Climate Activists and Alumni of Columbia Climate School’s Pre-College Programs Kush Gulati, Clementine Causse, Winston Kim, and Ava Luke
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Educators, Public
Youth action in the climate movement is essential as their voices hold particular power. Young people have emerged as major players in climate planning and decision-making due to their creativity, optimism, and fresh solution-based ideas. In this session, we will be hearing from youth activists who are leaders on the ground in their communities, providing different climate solutions to create a more climate just and sustainable future.
Building Towards Climate Justice and Resilience in Colombia
Wednesday, December 13th, 2023: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenter:
Johanna Lovecchio, Director of Program Design for Climate Action at the Columbia Climate School, Adjunct Associate Professor of Climate
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Undergraduate Students, Educators, Public
Colombia is poised to be a major voice on the global stage that can help redefine the priorities and approaches to the global climate crisis and notions of adaptation and resilience. This session will explore the relationships between urban planning, design, policy, and climate resilience in Colombia and the ideas and practices that could advance climate justice. Johanna Lovecchio, Climate School adjunct faculty and director of program design for climate action, leads the Climate School’s Imagining Climate Justice and Resilience collaboration with the Urban Design Program at Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation. She will share examples and ideas from Columbia’s partnership with local stakeholders.
Knowing Your Geography: Data Mapping for Sustainable Development
Wednesday, January 10th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenters:
Haein Shin, Education Technical Adviser, Center for Sustainable Development
Radhika Iyengar, Education Sector Director, Center for Sustainable Development
Target Audience: Grades 6-12, Educators, Public
Learn to use technology, data, and creative storytelling to develop your climate action plans! In this session, you will hear from eco-ambassadors who are on a journey to leverage data to drive climate solutions that are in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Coral Reef Conservation: Challenges and Solutions
Wednesday, February 14th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenters:
Kush Gulati, Climate Activist and Alumnus of Columbia Climate School in the Green Mountains
Gabrielle D’Alonzo, Coral Reef Ecosystems Staff Biologist, Mote Marine Lab
Target Audience: Grades 6-12, Educators, Public
While coral reefs only cover about 1% of the ocean floor, they support an estimated 25% of all known marine species. Coral reefs are critical for a healthy and functioning ocean that provides us with an endless number of resources. In this session, we will explore the challenges coral reefs face with climate change disrupting ocean ecosystems, and the research being conducted to better understand and provide solutions to restore coral reefs and enhance their resilience. Kush Gulati, a high school participant in the Columbia Climate School’s pre-college programs, will talk about his unique journey that inspired him to protect the underwater world.
The Role of Carbon Removal and Storage Solutions in a Just Energy Transition
Wednesday, March 13th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenter:
Sanjeev Menon, Master of Science Candidate in Carbon Management, Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Undergraduate Students, Educators, Public
Carbon removal has been highlighted in IPCC reports as a critical pathway to decarbonizing hard-to-abate sectors and in limiting global temperature increases to 1.5 degrees C by 2050. In this session, you will learn about various carbon removal solutions and policy perspectives. We will also discuss what it will take to scale up this nascent industry in ensuring a just energy transition.
An Introduction to Green Spaces: Building Your Own
Wednesday, April 10th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenter:
Rashawn Merchant, Alumnus of Climate School’s MA in Climate and Society, Teacher’s College PhD Candidate
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Undergraduate Students, Educators, Public
There is an important connection between green spaces and environmental justice. Join this session to learn about the many benefits of green spaces and how you can build your own with houseplants!
Disaster and Climate Change in Small Island Developing States: A Look at the Caribbean
Wednesday, May 8th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenter:
Thalia Balkaran, Postdoctoral Research Scientist, National Center for Disaster Preparedness
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Undergraduate Students, Educators, Public
Disasters and climate have impacts across the globe, but the type and severity of climatic disasters vary geographically. This session will examine the impact of disasters and climate change on small islands, placing a special emphasis on extreme events in the Caribbean region.
Myths and Misinformation about Renewable Energy
Wednesday, June 12th, 2024: 4:00 – 4:30pm ET
Presenters:
Matthew Eisenson, Senior Fellow, Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative, Sabin Center for Climate Change Law
Target Audience: Grades 9-12, Undergraduate Students, Educators, Public
Alarming data has begun to emerge that misinformation is eroding support for renewable energy development in parts of the country. This session describes where misinformation comes from and analyzes some of the common misconceptions about wind and solar energy.
