Weekly Energy Action Seminars at UVM

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Weekly Energy Action Seminars at UVM

Energy Action Seminar SolarEnergy action seminar windmills

Beginning Monday the 14th of September, and reoccurring each week thereafter, an Energy Action Seminar Series aims to explore energy transitions in Vermont, the United States and the rest of the World. Sponsored by the University of Vermont’s Clean Energy Fund, Community Development & Applied Economic program, and the Environmental Program this series will be held from 4:00-05:20 pm in Lafayette Hall Room 108* at the University of Vermont. This series featuring world-class speakers on policy options, political controversy, costs and benefits, activism, and jobs is free and open to the public.

While there is already an extensive line-up of speakers, the most high profile speaker to stand out on the list is former Vice President Al Gore. Gore will draw on his years of climate advocacy for his discourse entitled “The Climate Crisis and The Case for Hope.” When delivering this discourse, Gore aims to address three big questions on the climate crisis: Do we need to change? Can we? And will we? The resounding answer to first two questions of course is a loud YES, but third one most likely cannot be answered in certain terms, and hopefully this where Gore can leave us all with “a case for hope.” NOTE: There is a slight deviation of schedule; this seminar will be on Tuesday, October 6th at 10:15 AM in Ira Allen Chapel.

In addition to Al Gore, numerous other leaders from near and afar will attend and speak during the duration of this series. One such visitor on September 21st, Professor Miranda Schreurs of Free University of Berlin and Director of their Environmental Policy Cente,r stands to bring a plethora of insight from her experience in Germany’s renewable energy revolution. In her time with the Environmental Policy Research Center, Professor Schreurs was on the frontlines of the interdisciplinary collaboration of university researchers necessary for Germany to meet it’s ambitious goal of running almost their entire economy on renewable energy by the year 2050. Germany’s goal is very similar to Vermont’s 2050 goal, and the potential for collaboration and to learn from one another through this event are boundless.

Another great guest speaker will come from Washington, all the way across the US,. Yoram Bauman, more commonly known “Stand-Up Economist,” uses a unique combination of witty comedic talent along with his PhD in Environmental Economics to help an audience explore climate change in an economic context. Yoram’s seminar exploring carbon taxing on October 10th will fall just a couple of days after he serves as the keynote speaker and sits on a carbon pricing panel at the 15th Annual Renewable Energy Conference & Expo in Burlignton, VT. His fresh and recent insight into Vermont’s existing carbon pricing discussion mixed with his existing expertise, and sense of humor will make this event worth not missing.

Additionally, many Vermont energy leaders will be speaking at theses weekly seminars including Representative Tony Klein Chair of  House Energy and Natural Resources, Asa Hopkins Director of Planning for the Department of Public Service, Gabrielle Stebbins Director of Renewable Energy Vermont, and Mary Powell of Green Mountain Power. Each of these speakers, as well as the entities they represent, have proven themselves leaders in the Vermont energy landscape through their involvement in recent energy legislation, advocacy, and innovation.

 

9/14 Energy Transitions Jennie Stephens, Blittersdorf Professor of Sustainability Science & Policy, University of Vermont
9/21 Going Green: The German Energy Transition Miranda Schreurs, Professor, Free University of Berlin Director, Environmental Policy Center
9/28 The Vermont Energy Transition Tony Klein, Chair: House Energy and Natural Resources, Asa Hopkins, Director of Planning, Department of Public Service. Gabrielle Stebbins, Director, Renewable Energy Vermont
10/5 Student Alumni: Making a Difference in the World Panel: Recent UVM grads in energy-related fields
10/6* The Climate Crisis and The Case for Hope  Al Gore, former Vice-President, United States
10/12 Carbon Taxes: Why We Need Them Yoram Bauman,  The world’s only “stand-up” Economist 
10/19 Challenging the Car: Creating places where biking is safe & easy  Steve Clark, League of American Bicyclists, Community Organizer
10/26 Vermont’s Energy Company of the Future:  A Customer Driven Energy Transformation  Mary Powell, President & CEO, Green Mountain Power
11/2 “The War on Coal:”  Big Fossils’ Response to Divestment  Jen Schneider, Political Science Dept. Boise State University
11/9 The Transportation Transition: Complete Streets   Roger Millar, Director, SmartGrowth America
11/16 Energy Transitions in the Developing world: South Africa Settlements   Steve McCauley, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
11/30 Design Matters: Building Green Rolf Keilman, Partner, Truex-Cullins, Vermont

 

* Al Gore presentation is in the Ira Allen Chapel, special time, 10:15 a.m. Oct. 6

For more information contact

Fred Hall                     fhall@uvm.edu

Roison Low                 rlow@uvm.edu

Richard Watts            rwatts@uvm.edu