NCAR --> SERE --> CCB --> Conference

International Undergraduate Conference
on Climate, Water, Weather and Society
(Important notice: meeting postponed from Summer 2008 to Summer 2009 because of conflict with preparations for 2008 Beijing Olympics and activities in China)

Informal Planning Meeting (IPM) in Summer 2008
to plan major international conference to be held summer 2009

July 2008

China Association for Science & Technology (CAST)
CNC/IHDP (Chinese National Committee for the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change)

Organizers:
US National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
East China Normal University (ECNU)

Undergraduates in universities and colleges today will be involved in climate-sensitive decision-making within a few years of graduation

Given the sharp increase in the level of concern about climate change (i.e., global warming) and its impacts on society and ecosystems, as witnessed by the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC and Al Gore, it is urgent that the upcoming (near-term) generation of decision makers in industry, government, education, and civil society be fully prepared to address climate-sensitive human activities and ecological processes.

We recognize that undergraduates will benefit from meeting with their peers from other countries to share their experiences, expertise, interests, and views from different environmental perspectives and socio-economic conditions.

The IPM will meet to design a prototype conference that provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to gain first-hand experience on how to deal with global change issues on an international level. To this end, the conference will provide participants with simulated sessions on negotiating a climate change treaty. The conference will be held in China in 2009.

 

• Goals

To empower undergraduate students, our next generation of decision makers, by sharing with them the knowledge from a wide range of disciplines and climate-sensitive activities about climate, water, weather and societal interactions.  

To provide an opportunity for undergraduates to start early in their careers to develop an international, multidisciplinary network of peers around the globe.

To underscore the importance of multidisciplinary approaches to climate, water, and weather-related problem resolution.

To enhance transboundary understanding and coalition building in science, technology and civil society, because many climate, water and weather-related problems do not respect political boundaries.

To foster multidisciplinary, multinational networking for climate, water, and weather-sensitive issues.