UNITED NATIONS WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY – OMAHA AREA EVENTS
The Nature Conservancy and United Nations Environment Programme Present
Forum: UNite to Combat Climate Change
Wednesday, June 3
With Dr. Amy Fraenkel, United Nations Environment Programme Director for North America and The Nature Conservancy’s Dr. Joseph Fargione, Lead Scientist, Central US Region & Dr. Jonathan Hoekstra, Director of Climate Science and Adaptation
2:30 PM
Milo Bail Student Center
University of Nebraska at Omaha
FREE!
A science-based panel discussion on climate change, its potential impact on the Great Plains and pragmatic solutions
- An overview of climate change and what it means for Nebraska
- A local real-life example - how will climate change impact our grassland birds
- Renewable energy development in the Great Plains: are wind and biofuels the solution?
PANEL
Joseph Fargione, Lead Scientist, Central US Region, The Nature Conservancy - Fargione received his doctorate in Ecology from the University of Minnesota in 2004, and his B.A. in Ecology from Hampshire College. His published research has focused on the benefits of biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. Specifically, his work has addressed climate change, invasive species, ecosystem services, global agricultural land use, and nitrogen pollution, and has been published in several leading scientific journals. His recent paper in Science, "Land clearing and the biofuel carbon debt" was covered in many national media outlets, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio, NBC Nightly News, and Time magazine. His current work focuses on biofuel impacts, wind energy siting, grassland carbon offset projects, and climate change impacts and adaptation.
Jonathan Hoekstra, Director of Climate Science and Adaptation, The Nature Conservancy
Jonathan provides strategic leadership for developing practical, conservation-based strategies that help nature and people resist and recover from unavoidable climate change impacts, and works with TNC staff and partners to apply those strategies on the ground and in the water. Jonathan collaborates with scientists from TNC, universities, and other conservation organizations to support innovative conservation approaches and important policies with top-notch science. Jonathan previously led the Conservancy's emerging strategies unit, providing early science leadership for conservation strategies around ecosystem services, agriculture, energy and transportation, and directed the Conservancy's Global Habitat Assessment Team. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biological Sciences from Stanford University, and a Ph.D in Zoology from the University of Washington.
Duane Pool, Science Coordinator, Migratory Bird Program, The Nature Conservancy
Contact: Renee King
402/342-0282 X1009
