ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—In the wake of the worst environmental disaster in United States history, the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Bard Center for Environmental Policy is leading a national effort to explore the issues, politics, and science driving important decisions focusing on climate change. Regularly convening national experts, the Center this fall continues the National Climate Seminar, a national phone conversation featuring top climate scientists, political leaders, and policy analysts. Presenters this fall include leading climate scientist Michael Mann, director of Penn State’s Earth System Science Center, author and sociologist Juliet Schor, and Time magazine’s energy and climate writer Bryan Walsh. 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 12 p.m. EST. Questions for the presenters can be e-mailed to climate@bard.edu prior to the seminar; 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.

Fall 2010 Schedule:

Sept. 8 – Bill McKibben, 350.org

Sept. 22 – David Orr, environmental studies, Oberlin College

Oct. 6 – Liz Butler, executive director, 1Sky

Oct. 20 – Bill Snape, senior council, Center for Biological Diverstiy

Nov. 3 – Michael Mann, director, Earth System Science Center, Pennsylvania State University

Nov. 17 – Bryan Walsh, Time magazine

Dec. 1 – Juliet Schor, sociology, Boston College

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.

Bard CEP’s cohort-based program and intensive, campus-based, first-year curriculum requires students to synthesize information from a range of disciplines and sources. The emphasis on science-based policy enables students to progress from knowledge of the issues to the formulation of feasible, effective policy responses. Distinctive program features include a modular approach to course work; close student-faculty interaction; professional internships; practical training in geographic information systems (GIS), statistics, and communication strategies; and research opportunities created to fit student interests.

Directed by Eban S. Goodstein, Bard CEP offers graduate degree programs for the next generation of environmental leaders. Earning either an M.S. in environmental policy or an M.S. in climate science and policy, Bard CEP graduates enter the workforce with the skills and knowledge necessary to pursue high-level careers in research and policy. The value of Bard CEP’s approach as been recognized through established partnerships with Pace Law School, the Bard College Master of Arts in Teaching Program, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, 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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(9/08/10)