Global Links

Related Blog Posts - Government & Legislation

Apr 3 2013

AASHE @ Clinton Global Initiative University

Submitted by Niles Barnes on April 3, 2013 - 12:31pm

President Clinton launched the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGI U) in 2007 to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world. Each year, CGI U hosts a meeting where students, youth organizations, topic experts, and celebrities come together to discuss and develop innovative solutions to pressing global challenges.

Nov 30 2012

Doha 2012: UN Climate Change Conference (COP18)

Submitted by Niles Barnes on November 30, 2012 - 4:18pm

Many thousands have have traveled to the Qatari capital of Doha for the 18th Conference of the Parties (COP 18) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Jun 21 2012

Rio+20 Outcomes Document-What will it say?

Submitted by Paul Rowland on June 21, 2012 - 2:49pm

As the heads of state have been meeting in Rio the past two days there appears to be little effort or desire to take on changing the text of the draft outcomes document that was provided by the Brazilian hosts at the beginning of the official conference.

Jun 20 2012

Rio+20 Has Officially Begun

Submitted by Paul Rowland on June 20, 2012 - 11:41am

Earlier this morning the official opening of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) occurred amid dreams, hopes and disappointment. The watering down of the language to achieve greater levels of agreement has resulted in a many NGOs rejecting the document and declaring the conference a failure.

Jun 18 2012

Rio Update – Monday June 18, 2012

Submitted by Paul Rowland on June 18, 2012 - 10:21am

The international sustainability scene is getting increasingly complex.

Dec 12 2011

Campus Highlights from COP-17

Submitted by Ashwini Srinivasa... on December 12, 2011 - 3:05pm

Delegates and representatives have flown home allowing the dust to settle around the COP-17 talks in Durban, but the substance and outcomes of the two week long talks remain a bit hazy.

Nov 28 2011

Kicking off COP-17 in Durban, South Africa

Submitted by Ashwini Srinivasa... on November 28, 2011 - 9:52pm

It’s that time of year again -- the time for delegates from all over the world to talk climate change and what we can do about it as a global citizenry. COP-17, the 17th annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)’s Conference of Parties (COP), kicked off yesterday in Durban, South Africa’s third largest city.

Sep 20 2011

Why Rio+20 Matters to You

Submitted by Paul Rowland on September 20, 2011 - 1:00pm

I just finished a conference call where more than a dozen NGO leaders were holding a discussion with representatives from the US Departments of State, Education, and Labor. The meeting was entitled, “Rio+20 Social Pillar Stakeholder Consultations.” (You may have noticed in the recent AASHE Announcements that we have established a website for collecting input from the higher education sustainability community for the Compilation Document for the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development known as Rio+20.) Toward the end of the call one of the participants asked whether RIO+20 would make any difference. I believe the answer is “YES” to much of world and “POSSIBLY” to those areas where Agenda 21 (the outcomes document of the original Rio conference 20 years ago) was ignored.

Feb 9 2011

How to Support Federal Funding for Higher Ed Sustainability Programs

Submitted by Niles Barnes on February 9, 2011 - 4:09pm

The below article was reposted from the Advancing Education for Sustainability blog published by Second Nature. The article is written by Jim Elder, the Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy.

Oct 12 2010

Update on Federal Legislation Affecting Campus Sustainability

Submitted by Niles Barnes on October 12, 2010 - 12:10pm

The pre-keynote remarks included an update by Jim Elder, Director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy. on federal legislation. The good news is that money is starting to become available for higher education and sustainability concerns, thanks to the good work of Jim and others.

Jim gave an overview of FY10 results which included:
1) The University Sustainability Program (Department of Education) was funded as an “invitational priority” of the $28m FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) Comprehensive Program. At least one project has received funding so far – “Mobilizing STEM Education for a Sustainable Future,” but there may be others. Note: STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
2) $10m is available from NSF (National Science Foundation) for Climate Change Education
3) $10m is available from NASA (National Atmospheric Sciences Administration) for Global Climate Change Education.