Presented by Natalie Mahowald (Earth & Atmospheric Sciences)

The recent report from the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) shows that human activities have already caused 1.0C global warming, but that past emissions alone do not cause a warming of 1.5C. This report addresses the emission reductions required to keep warming below 1.5C, what the climate impacts would be of achieving 1.5 vs. 2C and what these imply for adaptation requirements. An important part of the report is evaluating the synergies and tradeoffs between clim ate mitigation, adaptation, eradication of poverty and sustainable development. Ambitious and unprecedented changes in behavior and transitions across many sectors, including energy and agriculture, are required, in addition to the research, development a nd deployment of carbon dioxide removal technologies.

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The 2019 Cornell University Climate Change Seminar meets Monday afternoons through May 6. This university-wide seminar provides important views on the critical issue of climate change, drawing from many perspectives and disciplines. Experts from Cornell University and other universities will present an overview of the science of climate change and climate change models, the implications for agriculture, ecosystems, and food systems, and provide important economic, ethical, and policy insights on the issue.

The seminar is free and open to the Cornell and Ithaca Community at large.

Organized and sponsored by the Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering, the Cornell Institute for Climate Smart Solutions, and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.