Environmental Justice
Climate Change Student Conference
March 26 - 28 2004
Program
Just Climate?
Pursuing Environmental Justice in the Face of Global Climate Change
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
March 26- 28, 2004
The goal of the conference is to further the dialogue among activists, policy-makers, and academics from diverse communities about how global climate change will affect disadvantaged areas and peoples around the world. We aim to identify barriers to and catalysts of climate justice as well as to envision and promote intersectoral and multidisciplinary experiences that exemplify efforts to achieve climate justice. This conference builds on recent efforts from both within the activist and scientific communities, such as the Principles of Climate Justice developed by a coalition of civil society groups, and academic conferences on vulnerability and adaptation. We seek to bridge the gap between these communities, in an effort to promote participatory research, academic activism, and responsive policies. Therefore, the conference will include a mixture of invited speakers and panelists, submitted papers and presentations, and interdisciplinary workshops and discussions.
AGENDA
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Thursday, March 25
8:30 pm – 10 pm Welcome Reception, Dana Building Commons
School of Natural Resources and Environment, 430 E. University
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Friday, March 26: CLIMATE INJUSTICES
*The Friday morning session will be with the School of Public Health
1020 Thomas Francis Building (SPH II)*
8.30 Welcome to the School of Public Health
- James H. Vincent, Chair of the Department of Environmental Health Sciences
- Noreen M. Clark, Dean, School of Public Health
8:40 Health Implications of Climate Change
- Charles Gelman
Reflections on Isadore Bernstein
- Charles R. Eisendrath, University of Michigan
Moderator’s Introductory Remarks
8:55 - Robert T. Watson, PhD, Chief Scientist, World Bank
The science and politics of climate change
- Jonathan Patz, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Hotspots in climate change and health: vulnerable places and people
10:35 Break
10:55 Health Implications of Climate Change
- Duane J. Gubler, ScD. Director of the Asia-Pacific Institute of Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases,
The role of global climate change in the 20th century resurgence/ emergence of vector-borne diseases: prospects for the future
- Edward A. Parson, School of Law School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
Climate change and health: best guess outcomes, implications and management options
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12:30 *Transfer to Dana building for beginning of Just Climate conference
School of Natural Resources and Environment, 430 E. University*
12:45 Opening Lunch and Welcome Statements
- Rosina Bierbaum, Dean, SNRE
- Bunyan Bryant, UM Environmental Justice Initiative
- EJCC Student Group Representative
Keynote Speakers: How Climate Change and Environmental Justice are integrated in the global and domestic agendas
- Michael Gelobter, Executive Director, Redefining Progress
2:45 Coffee Break
3:00 Panel Discussion: Identification of Climate Injustices and Barriers to Climate Justice
How have the different disciplines and sectors addressed and impacted climate justice? How have they avoided it?
- Tom Athanasiou, Ecoequity
- Rafe Pomerance, Climate Policy Center
- Al Soloman, Environmental Protection Agency
- Timmons Roberts, College of William and Mary
- Elizabeth Anderson, UM Philosophy Department
Facilitator: Mahesh Rangarajan, Visiting Professor, Cornell University
Co-Facilitator: Hannah Arkin, Student Conference Organizer
4:30 Coffee Break
4:45 Presentations and Case Studies: Climate Injustices and Obstacles to Climate Justice
- Leslie Fields, Friends of the Earth
Climate change and W. African oil and gas development
- Jill Johnston, Southwest Worker's Union
The Oil Industry in the Gulf of Mexico: A History of Environmental Injustices
- Richard Filcak, Central European University Budapest
Climate Change and Poverty. The Case of Disadvantaged Roma Communities in Central and Eastern Europe
- Carol Koblinski, Nelson House Justice Seekers and Erin Stojan, Just Energy Alliance
Hydro Development Foes Join Forces
Facilitator: Bob Gough, Intertribal Council on Utility Policy
Co-Facilitator: Terry Yasuko Ogawa, Student Conference Organizer
6:15 Plenary Discussion: Moving Beyond a Definition of Climate Justice
Opportunities to propose participant led workshop topics
7:00 Break for dinner
8:30 Environmental Justice Poetry Evening
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Saturday, March 27: CATALYSTS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
9:00 Panel Discussion: What is being done to achieve climate justice?
Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network
Nia Robinson, EJ Climate Corps
Anjse Miller, Redefining Progress
Facilitator: Grace Lee Boggs, Boggs Community Leadership
Co-Facilitator: Diana Seales, Student Conference Organizer
10:30 Coffee Break
11:00 Presentations and Case Studies: Policy Analysis and Framing of Climate Justice
- Jacob Park, Green Mountain College
Beyond Fairness: Towards a New Strategy of Climate Equity, Justice, and Governance
- Bradley Parks, University of London
Who Ratifies Environmental Treaties and Why? A World – System Analysis of Participation in 22 Treaties and 192 Nations
- Robert Neff, Penn State University
Greenhouse Gasses, Transportation and Urban Development: Linkages Between Climate Justice and Social Justice in the Locality of Philadelphia
- Pam Graybeal, University of California at Berkeley
Framing and Identity in the Gwich’in Campaign Against Oil Development in the Artic National Wildlife Refuge
Facilitator: Bunyan Bryant, University of Michigan, SNRE
Co-Facilitator: Guntra Aistars, Student Conference Organizer
12:30 Lunch
1:30 Presentations and Case Studies: Moving Towards Solutions
- Julie Sze, University of California at San Diego
Power to the People! Conceptualizing the Local-Global impact of environmental justice energy activism
- Lwandle Mqadi, The Southsouthnorth Project, South Africa
The Kuyasa Case Study: Climate Mitigation through the Kyoto Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) in low-cost housing in South Africa
- Netra B. Chhetri, The Pennsylvania State University
Understanding the Impacts of Climate Change: a Retrospective Analysis of Climate Technology Interaction in Rice Based Farming Systems of Nepal
- Diane Pruneau, Université de Moncton, Canada
The Process of Change Experienced by Adults and Students When Trying Behaviors Respectful of Climate
Facilitator: Ansje Miller, Redefining Progress
Co-Facilitator: Terry Yasuko Ogawa, Student Conference Organizer
3:00 Coffee Break
3:15 Participant-led workshops (Some people may also wish to attend the "Dance for Mother Earth" Pow-Wow in the Chrysler arena
4:45 Participant-led workshops
6:15 Break for Dinner
8:00 Free Evening (transportation to Pow-Wow for interested participants)
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Sunday, March 28: MERGING AGENDAS
9:00 Panel Discussion: How Do We Integrate Academia and Activism? Moving Towards Participatory Research and Academic Activism
Activists:
- Beverly Wright, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Xavier University
- Grace Lee Boggs, Boggs Community Leadership Center
- Bob Gough, Intertribal Council On Utility Policy
Academics:
- Bunyan Bryant, University of Michigan, SNRE
- Maria Carmen Lemos, University of Michigan, SNRE
Facilitator: Michael Dorsey, University of Michigan
Co-Facilitator: Emily Maxwell, Student Conference Organizer
10:30 Coffee Break
10:45 Participant led workshops
12:15 Workshop Presentations and Discussion: Where do we go from here?
1:15 Closing Remarks
Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network
2:00 Departures; “Dance for Mother Earth” POW-WOW continuing in Chrysler Arena
DAY 1: CLIMATE INJUSTICES, WINNERS AND LOSERS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The fisrt day of the conference will be devoted to defining the issue of climate justice and identifying the main barriers to climate justice. It will explore how policies and practices at various levels, from the global to the local, disproportionately influence vulnerability of certain communities and distribute the adverse effects of climate change.
DAY 2: STRATEGIES AND CATALYSTS FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE
The second day will feature case studies and panels from areas where action towards climate justice has been initiated. These will include both scientific assessments of resilience and adaptation and accounts from active communities engaged in efforts to promote mitigation of the causes of climate change and redress injustices. These case studies should serve as an encouragement and catalyst for other groups around the world to initiate similar projects.
- Successful experiences and lessons learned from adaptation, mitigation and climate justice initiatives
- Bringing together local knowledge and scientific knowledge
- Strategies for incorporating "climate justice" into environmental justice and climate change discourses
DAY 3: MERGING AGENDAS
The last day will consist of panels and discussions about what information and tools that could be provided by the academic community are needed by communities to help them in addressing climate injustices, and how communities can actively contribute to and participate in climate change research activities, so that their perspectives and needs are adequately addressed. Our hope is to initiate lasting partnerships and projects among environmental justice activists and academics involved in climate change research.
- Moving beyond a definition of climate justice
- Integrating academic research, activism, and policy
- Initiating compendium of participatory research needs and potential projects