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Difficult Dialogues Symposium
on Climate Change

The issue of climate change or global warming interweaves with all aspects of life on earth. Faced with this emerging planetary challenge, we are called urgently to become knowledgeable of its nature, uncertainties and stakes.

In the dialogue symposium this spring, we consider climate change so that we may, as a community, deepen our factual knowledge of the issue, explore its multi-faceted sources and impacts, look into the risks and responsibilities ahead, and see from a range of perspectives (political, economic, scientific, aesthetic, ethical, literary, musical, spiritual) as we seek solutions. Attending the climate challenge will require collective insight, flexibility, intelligence, will, creativity, and skill; the process of dialogue aids in developing these, laying the foundation for collective action.

Click on an event below to learn more about an upcoming event,
or to explore rescources related to events that have already occured this semester.

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Some Like it Hot . . . but Lots More Don't:
The Changing Climate of US Politics

On Tuesday, January 22nd, Tilton Hall was filled to capacity for the Climate Change symposium's keynote talk by David Orr – Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics, and Chair of the Environmental Studies Program at Oberlin College. His talk was part of the President's Lecture Series at Clark and was cosponsored by the Higgins School of Humanities.

Orr addressed the politics of climate change – in the context of his extensive work on sustainability – and spoke particularly of his involvement in the Presidential Climate Action Project, which has been developed to address "one of the most important challenges facing the 44th President – arguably the most important challenge – the three interrelated problems of climate change, energy stability and national security."

VIDEO of David Orr's talk at Clark University

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Focus the Nation – 2 day event

On January 30th & 31st, Clark University participated in a nationwide event focused on Climate Change, Focus the Nation – a national teach-in on global warming solutions for America that opened dialogue at over a thousand colleges, universities, high schools, middle schools, places of worship, civic organizations and businesses, to directly engage millions of students and citizens with the nation’s decision-makers.

The 2% Solution – live interactive webcast
Originally aired on Janury 30th, the webcast was a kick-off event for colleges and universities participating in Focus the Nation. The webcast features Stanford University climate scientist Stephen Schneider, sustainability expert Hunter Lovins, green jobs pioneer Van Jones, actor Edward Norton and youth climate leaders discussing global warming solutions.

VIDEO of the 2% Solution

Focus the Nation Teach-in

IDCE faculty Jennie Stephens presents during a teach-in session; audience members particpate in a discusssion with one of the faculty panels; faculty panel with professors Ron Eastman (Geography), Jennie Stephens (IDCE), Heidi Larson (IDCE) and Bill Turner (Geography)

On Thursday January 31, Clark University joined over 1,200 other colleges, universities, and schools around the country in a national “teach-in” event on climate change. In a series of sessions throughout the day, twenty-eight Clark faculty members, representing 15 different academic departments, presented and shared insights related to the climate change challenge based on their scholarly perspectives. During each session, faculty presented very briefly (10 minutes or less) and the remaining 30-40 minutes in each session was an open forum for dialogue and interaction among the presenters and the audience.

During the course of the day, over 500 Clark students, faculty, staff and community members participated in the teach-in – a testament to the interest in the topic of climate change, on our campus and beyond.

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An Inconvenient Truth

An Inconvenient Truth brings home Al Gore's persuasive argument that we can no longer afford to view global warming as a political issue – rather, it is the biggest moral challenge facing our global civilization. Since the film's release in 2006, it has grown in notoriety to be called by some the 'Silent Spring' of our times, and has undoubtedly brought Global Warming and Climate Change to the forefront of global issues.

We presented the film on three consecutive nights as part of the Climate Change symposium, to provide us with a baseline understanding of the science behind this issue. Two of the screenings were followed by Conversation Cafes, and one by a panel discussion with Clark faculty – Karen Frey, Colin Polsky and Bill Turner – who helped clarify information presented in the film and offered updated analysis of the science behind the issue. The event included an open conversation with the audience.

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The 11th Hour   film screening & Conversation Cafe

'The 11th Hour' is the last moment when change is possible. The film explores how we’ve arrived at this moment – how we live, how we impact the earth’s ecosystems, and what we can do to change our course. Featuring ongoing dialogues of experts from all over the world, including former Soviet Prime Minister Mikhail Gorbachev, renowned scientist Stephen Hawking, former head of the CIA R. James Woolsey and sustainable design experts William McDonough and Bruce Mau in addition to over 50 leading scientists, thinkers and leaders. The 11th Hour is produced and narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio. After the screening on February 21st, the film was followed by a Conversation Cafe.

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Climate Care: Spirit, Prayer and Song

What makes global warming a moral and spiritual issue? Upon what spiritual resources do we draw for courage, inspiration, and hope as we tackle perhaps the most daunting challenge that human beings have ever faced? On February 26th, we were joined by climate activists, Rev. Fred Small, Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, and Zo Tobi '07 for an evening of conversation, song, and prayerto discuss the spirituality of protecting Creation.

Rev. Fred Small is minister of First Church Unitarian, Littleton, MA, and co-chair of Religious Witness for the Earth, a national interfaith network dedicated to public witness on critical environmental issues. The Rev. Margaret Bullitt-Jonas, Ph.D. is Priest Associate of Grace (Episcopal) Church, Amherst, MA. She has been active in the environmental movement for 20 years and with Religious Witness for the Earth since 2001. Her website is holyhunger.com. Zo Tobi is currently serving the Youth Clean Energy Movement as the Northeast Organizer for the Sierra Student Coalition. Visit his blog at Climate Summer.org

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The Day of Listening

The Day of Listening highlights listening as an essential element of effective dialogue. During this semester's Day of Listening event on March 12th, we had the chance to listen together about our individual relationships to the issue of Climate Change. Each one-hour session was hosted by trained faculty, staff and students. The entire Clark community was invited to attend.

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The Day After Tomorrow  
film screening & panel discussion

From the director of Independence Day comes a roller coaster ride that boasts pulse-pounding action and special effects. When global warming triggers the onset of a new Ice Age, tornadoes flatten Los Angeles, a tidal wave engulfs New York City and the entire Northern Hemisphere begins to freeze solid. Now, climatologist Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid), his son Sam (Jake Gyllenhaal) and a small band of survivors must ride out the growing superstorm and stay alive in the face of an enemy more powerful and relentless than any they've ever encountered: Mother Nature!

After the screening on March 13th, a panel of Clark faculty including Scott Hendricks (Philiosophy), Betsy Huang (English) and Stephanie Larrieux (Screen Studies), examined the film as a work of science fiction, and discussed how it represents the issue of Climate Change within the popular media culture.

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In Search of the Good Life
panel & dialogue

What constitutes "the good life" in relationship to global warming – personally, for our families, for Clark, for Worcester, for the U.S., for the world? What does it mean in times of deep CO2 reductions? Can we talk about a “good life” in relationship to everyone on the globe, rich and poor? Can we reconcile poverty alleviation (here and in developing countries) with CO2 reduction goals? On March 18th, Halina Brown (IDCE), Philip Vergragt (Marsh Institute) and others joined those gathered in Dana Commons in a conversation based on these questions.

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Global Warming and American Politics
panel discussion

The United States is the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases. If global warming is to be slowed and ultimately halted, the U.S. needs to be a major part of a global move toward more sustainable practices. However, for this to happen will require serious actions by the federal government, which so far has resisted calls for change from scientists, citizen organizations, and other nations. On March 20th, a panel of elected officials including – Congressman James McGovern; Congressman Barney Frank; Kevin Knobloch, President of the Union of Concerned Scientists; and Professor Brian Cook, Government – explored the relationship between domestic politics in the U.S. and the prospects for policy change. What are the factors that have prevented an effective groundswell of political support for action on global warming? How can our domestic political dialogue be altered to make policy change possible? The panel was be moderated by Jim Gomes, Director of the Mosakowski Institute.

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Yakoana
film screening & conversation

Yakoana is the authorized documentary of the First World Conference of Indigenous Peoples, held in the jungles of Brazil the week prior to the United Nations Earth Summit in 1992. Numerous tribal leaders from around the world share their understanding of sustainability based on their earth-based spirituality. Following the film, which was screened on March 27th, Rachael Shea (Goddard Library) and Octavia Taylor (Marsh Insitute) led a fire-side conversation about the film and the issues it raises.

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The Climate Movement: Diverse Actions, Unified Goals dinner & dialogue

Why did 3,000 students lobby their representatives for clean energy on
capital hill this past November? Why did over 20 people choose to get
arrested in Florida for chaining themselves to coal-fired power plants in
early February, while other people are choosing to leave their urban
lifestyles to build sustainable agriculture-based communities in rural areas? Why are others advocating localized urban farming? Why are some people changing their lightbulbs, while others are going vegetarian?

The movement to address global climate change encompasses a wide range of differing opinions, goals, ideas, and proposed solutions. Some of these solutions emphasize working from within the current political, economic, social and cultural systems. Others argue for the construction of an entirely new kind of society, while still others propose that these two "extremes" are not mutually exclusive and a middle ground needs to be found if the climate movement is to succeed. What will be most effective and successful? Which kinds of action will you put your energy towards? It's our world, let's use dialogue to figure out how we want to transform it. What do you think?

On April 3rd, the Clark Sustainability Initiative hosted this dialogue – with Clark professors from various disciplines, local community activists, students, and others – to think critically about these questions and possible solutions to global climate change. Over 50 people attended.

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California Takes on the Challenge of Climate Change
Meeting the State's Energy Needs in a Carbon-Constrained World

On April 8th, Jackalyne Pfannenstiel visited Clark to discuss the issues she faces as Chair of the California Energy Commission. She is a member of the Clark Board of Trustees, and a Clark alumna (Economics ’69). Geller Lecture.

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Confronting Climate Change on Campus
Striving for Climate Neutrality at Clark

What steps Clark can take to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to move toward climate neutrality and to enhance our campus community’s engagement on the increasingly urgent sustainability challenges facing society? Panel participants in the April 9th discussion included: Jennie Stephens (convener and moderator), Assistant Professor of Environmental Science and Policy (ES&P), Department of International Development, Community and Environment (IDCE), Clark University; David Angel, Provost, Clark University; Jim Collins, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Clark University; Dave Schmidt, Campus Sustainability Coordinator, Clark University; Kate DelVecchio, BA/MA student in Environmental Science and Policy, IDCE, Clark University; Mattew Most, ’92, Director, Environmental Policy. Edison Mission Marketing & Trading; Tom Wall, Associate Director of Physical Plant, Clark University; Jackalyne Pfannenstiel '69, Member of the Clark University Board of Trustees, Chairman of the California Energy Commission.

Students respectfully raised difficult questions regarding the University sustainability commitments to the panelists, and a serious engagement on all sides took place.

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Art From a Changing Arctic
film screening & conversation cafe

Art from a Changing Arctic was shot between 2003 and 2005 by filmmaker David Hinton, as he traveled 2,500 nautical miles on three expeditions aboard the schooner Nooderlicht, filming artists, scientists and educators exploring the pristine environment of the High Arctic as part of the Cape Farwell project. He documents the artists' responses to the harsh environment, and to the impacts of climate change. Some were inspired to make instant artworks, carving optical ice lenses and cameras, making glacial projections, creating habitable snow-rooms, sketching, drawing and writing, whilst others quietly absorbed their surroundings, producing work on their return home. Following the film on April 17th, members of the Clark faculty including Karen Frey (Geography) and Elli Crocker (Studio Art) joined audience members for a Conversation Cafe.

Cape Farewell brings artists, scientists and educators together to collectively address and raise awareness about climate change. Created by David Buckland, Cape Farewell has led five expeditions into the wild, beautiful and icy High Arctic, a place for artistic inspiration and scientific enquiry. Follow this link to learn more about the organization, the film, and the art.

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Contact Information

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Diana Chapman Walsh