National Climate Seminar Continues at Bard College Wednesday, April 7, with The Yes Men

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—With legislation pending in the U.S. Senate and in the wake of the United Nations’ conference in Copenhagen, 2010 is a critical year in the effort to address climate change. To explore the issues, politics, and science driving important decisions focusing on climate change, the Bard Center for Environmental Policy (Bard CEP) is leading the National Climate Seminar, a national phone conversation featuring top climate scientists, political leaders, and policy analysts. On Wednesday, April 7, The Yes Men, will discuss "Pranksterism for a Dead Serious Message." Previous presenters this spring included National Wildlife Federation President Larry Schweiger and William Schlesinger, president of the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. The National Climate Seminar is sponsored by Bard CEP and made possible by a grant from the Clif Bar Family Foundation.

The National Climate Seminar (NCS) is available live to educators, students, and the public by telephone. The half-hour seminars are held Wednesday afternoons via conference call at

3 p.m. EST. Questions for the presenters can be emailed to climate@bard.edu prior to the seminar, and all conversations will be available following the seminar on the CEP website and in podcast. To dial in to the NCS, call 1-712-432-3100, conference code 253385. For more information, visit www.bard.edu/cep/ncs, or contact Bard CEP at 845-758-7073 or cep@bard.edu.


In addition to The Yes Men, speakers remaining on the spring 2010 NCS schedule include  Elysa Hammond, Clif Bar, discussing "Transforming Corporations around Climate" on May 5 and journalist Ross Gelbspan discussing "Democracy and Climate Solutions" on May 19.

The Bard Center for Environmental Policy was created to promote education, research, and public service on critical issues pertaining to the natural and built environments. Its primary goal is to improve environmental policies by facilitating the use of the best available scientific knowledge in the policy-making process at the local, regional, national, and international levels. Bard CEP’s premise is that to address environmental problems and pursue sustainable use of natural resources, scientists, economists, lawyers, ethicists, and policy makers must understand one another’s perspectives and values, and communicate effectively with the general public.

Directed by Eban S. Goodstein, Bard CEP is an innovative graduate program leading to either the master of science degree in environmental policy or a professional certificate in environmental policy. The emphasis on science-based policy enables students to progress from knowledge of the issues to the formulation of feasible, effective policy responses. The program’s unique combination of interdisciplinary modular study, a full-time internship, and intense thesis research allows students to delve deeply into individual areas of interest.

One cohort of approximately 20 students matriculates each year, which leads to a close rapport between students and faculty members. The intensive, campus-based, first-year curriculum requires students to synthesize information from a range of disciplines and sources. The value of this approach has been recognized through established partnerships with Pace Law School, the Bard College Master of Arts in Teaching Program, and Peace Corps.

For more information about the Bard Center for Environmental Policy, please call 845-758-7073, e-mail cep@bard.edu, or visit www.bard.edu/cep.

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(1/19/10)

This event was last updated on 03-26-2010

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