World Environment Day 2007: Melting Ice - A Hot Topic?


World Environment Day 2007: Melting Ice - A Hot Topic

National Geographic Headquarters,Grosvenor Auditorium
17th and M Streets NW, Washington, D.C.
Time: 1.00 p.m. - 6.00pm



On June 5, 2007, the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and National Geographic Society
held a conference to celebrate World Environment Day. The conference was co-sponsored by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and discussed political and technological solutions to global warming.

Opening

  • Terry D. Garcia, Executive Vice President, National Geographic Society
  • H.E. Knut Vollebaek, Ambassador of Norway,Video greetings from speakers at remote locations incl transmission from the opening of the World Environment Day in Troms
  • Bill Mansfield, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, UNEP:Visual evidence of Global Climate and Eco System Change

Ice Bear - NG film screening (ed. vers.) with presentations

  • Liv Arnesen, Polar Explorer: Exploring the impacts on the Arctic environment
  • Will Steger, Polar Explorer: Report from his latest expedition, Global Warming 101

Panel 1. Melting Ice – A Hot Political Topic?
Moderator:Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer

  • Dennis Dimick, Executive Editor National Geographic Magazine: "The Big Thaw - Ice on the Run, Seas on the Rise"
  • Erik Assadourian, World Watch Institute: "Moving beyond the consumer society"

Panel 2. Reducing Emissions - What Are the Options?
Moderator: David F. Hales, President of the College of the Atlantic

  • Bill Wehrum, Acting Assistant Administrator for Air and Radiation, EPA
  • Lasse Nord, Norwegian Commission on Low Emissions: "How Norway can reduce its emissions by 50-80% by 2050"
  • Silje Schei Tveitdal, Political Advisor on Energy and Environment "Norwegian Parliament: From oil economy to renewable energies"

Carbon capture and storage
Introduction: William Christensen, Norwegian Ministry of Energy

  • Svend Soeyland, Bellona: "CO2 sequestration - bridging technology towards a renewable future"
  • Arve Thorvik, Vice President, EU Affairs, STATOIL: "Carbon Capture and Storage. Industrial solutions in the making"

Panel 3. Technological Solutions
Moderator: Dr. Joseph Romm, Center for Energy and Climate Solutions: The Low Carbon Car of the Future

  • Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists: "Technological solutions to global warming"
  • Scott Sklar, President, Stella Group: Market Trends for Renewable distributed Generation and Smart Grids
  • Peter Repinski, UNEP: Energy efficiency: Green buildings



Closing remarks by representative from Sierra Club, followed a reception offered by the Royal Norwegian Embassy (at National Geographic Society)



Please click here to subscribe to our e-mailing list for event notices and newsletters.