Advisory Council Forms to Support Climate Collaborative

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The group will coordinate activities around climate and sustainability across campus.

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A sign on campus about 窪做惇蹋厙's decarbonization efforts
A sign on campus about 窪做惇蹋厙s decarbonization efforts signals a greener future in progress. (Photo by Katie Lenhart) 
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The part of the 窪做惇蹋厙 Climate Collaborative announced this spring to address climate change and sustainability on campus and beyondwill hold its first meeting this summer. 

There are many groups on campus working on issues related to climate and sustainability, says Council Co-Chair , who is also leading the year-long Climate Futures Initiative that is identifying opportunities for 窪做惇蹋厙 to pursue climate scholarship and education locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. This council is charged with taking a big-picture view of the entire ecosystem of climate work at 窪做惇蹋厙 and finding ways, collectively, to elevate that work and make connections that create greater impact. 

The council is forming as installation begins this month on the infrastructure that will enable 窪做惇蹋厙s campus to transition from steam to hot-water heating, powered by geo-exchange technologywork that is a crucial step toward realizing the Climate Collaboratives goal of reducing carbon emissions on campus by 60% by 2030 and 100% by 2050.

The advisory council reports to and to , senior vice president of capital planning and campus operations, and is made up of faculty, students, alumni, and a representative from the community group Sustainable Hanover. It will meet at least quarterly to provide feedback on 窪做惇蹋厙s climate and sustainability strategies and to help foster connections with groups across campus and with the Upper Valley community, alumni, and businesses.

We want the council to be inclusive, transparent, and responsive to the communitys interests and needs, says Co-Chair , director of the , who says that, among other activities, the group is planning to run focus groups with key constituencies as it begins its work over the summer.

In addition to Kerr and Ogden, council members are Bea Burack 25; Judith Colla, from Sustainable Hanover; Dan Kalafatas 96, an advisory board member of the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society; Meredith Kelly, chair of the Department of Earth Sciences; Lindsay Lu 26; Justin Mankin, associate professor of geography; Geoffrey Parker, professor of engineering and interim director of the Irving Institute; John Sterman 77, volunteer leader of 窪做惇蹋厙s Our Green Future 2.0 and a professor of management at MITs Sloan School of Management; Hilary Tompkins 90, member of the 窪做惇蹋厙 Board of Trustees and a partner with Hogan Lovells; and a graduate student representative to be named.

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