http://www.prweb.com/releases/2013/4/prweb10655484.htm

 

Christiana Figueres, the top United Nations leader on climate change, will speak at the University of Massachusetts Boston on April 24 to discuss how the international community can act decisively to blunt the impacts of global climate change.

 

Fighting the devastating consequences of a warming planet requires collaboration among many groups, each with its own priorities. Figueres will outline a plan for managing these divisions in her talk, "From Climate Conflict to Climate Action: Capturing the Greatest Opportunities of Our Generation."

Her talk is part of the annual Slomoff Lecture Series in Conflict Resolution. The event is free and open to the public. It will take place in the UMass Boston Campus Center Ballroom on April 24 from 2-3:30 p.m.

Since 2010, Figueres has served as the executive secretary of the of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is responsible for facilitating intergovernmental negotiations to create a plan to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere and prevent human degradation of the climate system.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for our students," said Ira A. Jackson, dean of UMass Boston's McCormack Graduate School, which is hosting the talk. "Figueres' experience in global environmental policy will provide our students with a glimpse into real-world policy applications on the world stage."

Figueres has a long history of building climate coalitions across national and ideological boundaries. In 1995, she represented her native Costa Rica and governments from Latin America and the Caribbean in global talks. The same year, she founded the Centre for Sustainable Development of the Americas, a nonprofit think tank for climate change policy and capacity-building.

Previously, Figueres collaborated with UMass Boston professor Maria Ivanova, co-director of the Center for Governance and Sustainability, on the 2002 book chapter "Climate Change: National Interests or a Global Response."

About the Slomoff Lecture
The Sylvia and Benjamin Slomoff Lecture in Conflict Resolution is hosted each year by the Department of Conflict Resolution, Human Security and Global Governance. In previous years, the Slomoff Lecture has hosted Ambassador Dennis Ross and U.S. Senator George Mitchell. Funding for the lecture is generously provided by 99-year-old alumnus Benjamin Slomoff.

About UMass Boston
With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston's only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston's nine colleges and graduate schools serve nearly 16,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit http://www.umb.edu.