Past Events
2007 | 2008
May 6, 2008 "Biofuels Production and the Environment"
FEATURING:
Dr. Michael Wang; Manager of the Systems Assessment Section, Center for Transportation Research at Argonne National Laboratory.
Dr. Stephen Polasky ; Fesler-Lampert Professor of Ecological and Environmental Economics, Department of Applied Economics UMNTC.
MODERATOR:
Richard Hemmingsen; Director of the Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment.
Oil is the dominant feedstock used to produce transportation fuel. But rapidly rising prices, reliance on imports from politically unstable regions, greenhouse gas emissions and local air pollution have spurred the search for alternatives to oil. While renewable biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel offer potential benefits to the environment, recent studies have called those benefits into question. Stephen Polasky and Michael Wang will examine the current debates over life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions, water use, local air quality and other important environmental impacts of producing and consuming biofuels and fossil fuels for transportation.
Watch the May Roundtable
Download Stephen Polasky's presentation (pdf)
Download Michael Wang's presentation (pdf)
April 24, 2008 "Challenges of Climate & Land Use and Land Cover Change Modeling at a Regional Scale"
FEATURING:
Dr. William Gutowski; Professor, Department of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences; Iowa State University
Dr. Peter Snyder; Assistant Professor, Department of Soil, Water and Climate
Dr. Tracy Twine; Assistant Professor, Department of Soil, Water and Climate MODERATOR:
Dr. Richard Skaggs; Institute on the Environment Founding Fellow; Professor Emeritus, Department of Geography; Co-Director, Master of Geographic Information Science Program
Much of the interest in and concern about climate change derives from the results of Global Climate Models (GCMs). But the impacts of climate change differ from region to region, sometimes leading to discussions of “winners” and “losers.” These differences are not always specified by the GCMs. Furthermore, greenhouse gas emissions are just one of the drivers of climate change. Land use and land cover change (LULCC) also drives the climate regime, especially at regional and local levels. This Environment Roundtable focuses on a topic of particular interest to regional policymakers and
planners: The integration of climate modeling and LULCC modeling at spatial and temporal scales.
Watch the April Roundtable
March 13, 2008 "Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change"
FEATURING:
Dr. Stephen Pacala; Frederick D. Petrie Professor, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology; Director, Princeton Environmental Institute
Dr. Anne Kapuscinski; Professor, Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology; Director, Institute for Social, Economic and Ecological Sustainability
MODERATOR:
Dr. Deborah Swackhamer; Interim Director, Institute on the Environment
How should society adapt to the levels of climate change that are now unavoidable? Human-induced climate change in recent decades is already affecting many physical and biological processes on every continent. Even if we stopped emitting greenhouse gases today, scientists predict major effects on nature and society due to past emissions. Some ecosystems and communities will experience greater harm than others, raising equity and ethical issues. What adaptation strategies are needed to reduce negative impacts to our natural resources, infrastructures and overall quality of life? Don’t miss the next Environment Roundtable, when Princeton ecologist Stephen Pacala and Institute on the Environment founding fellow Anne Kapuscinski introduce the science and policy of climate change adaptation and explore ideas for interdisciplinary research.
This Environment Roundtable was presented in partnership with the Consortium on Law and Values in Health, Environment & the Life Sciences
Watch the March Roundtable
February 8, 2008 "Savannas Forever: the Intersection of Lion Conservation and Public Health in Tanzania
FEATURING:
Dr. Craig Packer; Distinguished McKnight Professor, Ecology, Evolution & Behavior
Dr. Paul Glewwe; Department of Applied Economics
MODERATOR:
Deborah Swackhamer, Interim Director of the Institute on the Environment
What do Serengeti lions have to do with public health and poverty in rural Tanzania? Come find out during our next Environment Roundtable, when Craig Packer and Brian Atwood explore the scientific and social challenges of conserving natural resources while improving public health and reducing poverty in rural East Africa. Co-founder of Savannas Forever, Packer is a world-renowned authority on lion behavior and ecology. Atwood has spent most of his career life in foreign policy, and served as administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development during the Clinton years. The two experts will discuss how poverty, malnutrition and disease have led to the unsustainable consumption of Tanzania's natural resources, putting pressure on the country's keystone predator: the lion. They'll also look at how sustainable management of these resources can provide a solid foundation for the nation's economic development.
Watch the February Roundtable
Listen to the podcast (mp3)
December 3, 2007 "Animal Agriculture in a Changing Environment"
FEATURING:
Dr. John Deen and
Dr. Jeff Bender, College of Veterinary Medicine
Facilitated by: Dr. Pat Redig, College of Veterinary Medicine
The agricultural challenges of the 21st century include tension between intensive versus extensive farming,
the high demand for food and fuel, and scarce water resources for a growing population. Add to that the consumption
of limited natural resources and the need to manage infectious diseases exchanged between domestic animals, wildlife
and humans—all in the midst of a changing environment. Together, these factors have a dramatic impact on wildlife,
animal agriculture systems and human health. This Environment Roundtable focuses on the complexities of animal
agriculture in terms of managing emerging and infectious diseases.
Watch the December Roundtable
November 12, 2007 "Biofuels and Environmental Quality"
Featuring:
Mark David,
University of Illinois
Gyles Randall, Southern Research and Outreach Center
Nick Jordan; Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics
What are the expected impacts of non-cellulosic and cellulosic ethanol production on environmental quality?
Within the next decade, President Bush aims to replace 20 percent of our nation’s annual gas consumption (35 billion
gallons) with renewable fuels such as ethanol. To date, there’s no simple or perfect solution. Non-cellulosic ethanol
production requires a huge amount of corn—1.8 billion bushels in 2006 alone. And scientists are still researching ways
to make cellulosic ethanol production both effcient and economical. The Environment Roundtable experts share their
perspectives on this complex and timely topic.
Watch the Roundtable Discussion
October 1, 2007 "Saving the Planet...One Campus at a Time"
Featuring:
Jacqueline Johnson, Chancellor of University of Minnesota Morris
Thomas Fisher, Dean of the College of Design
Did you know that the University of Minnesota Morris gets more than 50% of its campus electricity from wind
power? Did you know that the Twin Cities campus recycles nearly 60% of its waste? “Campus Sustainability” is a
hot topic among universities and colleges across the country, and higher education institutions are wrestling with
how to demonstrate leadership in practice as well as in principle. Come hear two experts discuss the role academia
should play and what challenges exist, and share your ideas for how to ‘green’ our own campus.
Watch the Roundtable discussion:
Realtm Format
Windows Format
AVI Format
