The overwhelming scientific evidence suggests the need for a dramatic reversal and decline in greenhouse gas emissions if we are to avoid serious social, environmental and economic disruption from global warming. The scale of changes that are needed to avoid serious climate change disruptions are sufficiently large to require much greater collaborations and synergies among the many different social networks and institutions. Among those institutions are the growing momentum of grass roots organizations and the many academic entities. This talk seeks to open an active dialogue between these two key sets of institutions.

With a focus on solution-oriented, evidence-based perspectives, the presenter will explore the main ways by which grass roots organizations such as the Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) and academic centers might positively interact to their mutual benefit, including specific opportunities for students, and also creating venues for course work, discussions, and educational advances in environmental economics, civics, climate, and health impacts, among other possible topics.  Other prospects for opening positive interactions include academic leaders helping shape the best evidence that supports positive changes in current climate and health policies and the convening of joint conferences and speaker event as forums to engage and inform a lay/community audience.