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Dickinson to Durban » Conservation

What to expect in Durban (if anything):

Claire Tighe ’13 The climate change negotiations happening just a few days from now will be covering quite a few topics. According to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (which hosts the Conference of the Parties, or “COP”), the conference in Durban (COP17), “will bring together representatives of the world’s governments, international organizations and civil society […] to advance, in a balanced fashion, the implementation of the Convention and the Kyoto Protocol, as well as the Bali Action Plan, agreed at COP 13 in 2007, and the Cancun Agreements, reached at COP 16 last December.” The issues to be discussed at COP17 seem almost endless. Everything from mitigation of greenhouse gases, the future of the Kyoto Protocol, adaptation to climate change and how to finance it, the project of reforestation, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Conservation, Environmental Justice, Environmental Politics, Featured, Key COP17 Issues, Student Research

Top to Bottom: Inspiring Bottom-up using the Top

Top to Bottom: Inspiring Bottom-up using the Top

Sam Parker ’12 Climate change governance and mitigation thus far have taken a very “top-down” approach.  One of the best examples of this is the Conference of the Parties (COP) that occur yearly, bringing together government officials from all across the world to discuss climate change and its different aspects.  Though, these top-down approaches to global problems often overlook the need for more “bottom-up” or community based approaches to issue that the world faces.  As I … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Conservation, Consumption, Environmental Politics, Key COP17 Issues

Can I Get a Translator, Please?

Can I Get a Translator, Please?

  By: Christine Burns ’14 On October 20th and 21st, the Mosaic students traveled to Washington D.C. to listen to an eclectic group of well-renowned individuals in the global climate change arena. Two individuals that provided some very interesting insight were Dr. Shalini Vajjhala and Dr. Joel Scheraga from the EPA.  Dr. Scheraga has served the EPA in many positions, his current one being the Senior Advisor for Climate Adaptation in the Office of International Affairs.  Dr. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Climate Change, Conservation, Environmental Politics, Featured, Key COP17 Issues, Mosaic Action

Am I making a difference?

As I sit at my desk, staring into the eyes of the Lorax (yes, I brought “the Lorax” with me to colege), I can’t help but feel a certain amount of resentment towards the article “Individualization: plant a tree, buy a bike, save the world?” by Michael Maniates. This resentment does not stem from a difference of opinion, rather in the fact that Maniates has sadly convinced me of how futile my daily efforts in support of the environmental movement are. Since reading the article a few days ago, I have frowned at each can I put into my recycling bin, and sighed every time I go to grab my purse made from recycled plastic bottles. I shake my head as I unplug the coffee pot and toaster, roll my eyes at … Read entire article »

Filed under: Conservation