Melting Ice - A hot topic?

On June 5, the Norwegian Embassy in Washington, D.C. and National Geographic Society host a conference to celebrate World Environment Day. The conference will discuss political and technological solutions to global warming. Open to the public - registration required by May 30.

6/4/2007 ::

Conference Program, June 5., 2007.

Venue:

National Geographic Headquarters
Grosvenor Auditorium
17th and M Streets NW, Washington, D.C. 20036

Time: 1.00 p.m. - 6.00pm

Followed by a reception

The Conference is open to the public, but registration is required by June 1. at rsvp.emb.washington@mfa.no. Limited space available.

Program:

1.00 - 1.30 p.m.: Opening:   
Introductions:

• Terry D. Garcia, Executive Vice President, National Geographic Society
• H.E. Knut Vollebaek, Ambassador of Norway
• Video greeting from the Norwegian Minister of Environment, Helen Bjoernoey
• Video transmission from World Environment Day opening in Tromsø, Norway
• Bill Mansfield, Senior Advisor to the Executive Director, UNEP: Opening remarks and visual evidence of Global Climate and Eco System Change
• Dr. Robert Corell, Global Change Director, The H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment

1.35 - 2.30 p.m.: Reporting from the Poles

Ice Bear - NG film screening (ed. vers.) with presentations 

• Michael Rosenfeld, President of National Geographic Television: Presentation of "Planet Carnivore: Icebear". Screening of clip from National Geographic Television and Film's new production from Svalbard, Norway
• Liv Arnesen, Polar Explorer:  "Dear to Dream... Expeditions as a pedagogical method. Stories from Arctic and Antarctica"
• Will Steger, Polar Explorer: Report from his latest expedition, Global Warming 101

2.30 - 2.50 p.m.: Break

2.50 - 3.30 p.m. Panel 1. Melting Ice – A Hot Political Topic? 

Moderator: Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post Staff Writer

Key Note Remarks:    

• Dr. Sharon Hays, Associate Director for Science, Executive Office of the President
• Congressman Jay Inslee (D-1st WA), Member of Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming 
• Congressman John B. Larson (D-1st CT), Member of Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming   
• Q & A
• Dennis Dimick, Executive Editor, National Geographic Magazine: “The Big Thaw: Trends and Recent Reports of Melting Ice, as reported by National Geographic” 
• Erik Assadourian, World Watch Institute: "Moving beyond the consumer society"

4.00 - 5.15 p.m.: Panel 2. Reducing Emissions - What Are the Options?  

Moderator: David F. Hales, President of the College of the Atlantic

• Brian Mclean, Director of the Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP), EPA
• Lasse Nord, Norwegian Commission on Low Emissions: "How Norway can reduce its emissions by 50-80% by 2050"
• Silje Schei Tveitdal, Political Advisor on Energy and Environment, Norwegian Parliament: "From oil economy to renewable energies"
  
  Carbon capture and storage:
• William Christensen, Norwegian Ministry of Petroleum and Energy: "CCS- The Norwegian Perspective"
• Svend Soeyland, Bellona: "C02 sequestration – bridging technology towards a renewable future"
• Arve Thorvik, Vice President, EU Affairs, STATOIL: "Carbon Capture and Storage: Industrial solutions in the making"
• Q & A

5.15 - 6.00 p.m.: Panel 3. Technological Solutions

Sir Richard Branson, Founder and CEO, Virgin Group (video greeting)

Moderator: Dr. Joseph Romm, Center for Energy and Climate Solutions: "The Low Carbon Car of the Future"

• Alden Meyer, Director of Strategy Policy, Union of Concerned Scientists: "Technological solutions to global warming"
• Scott Sklar, President, Stella Group: "Market Trends for Renewable distributed Generation and Smart Grids"
• Brendan Owens, Director LEED Technological Development, U.S. Green Building Council: "Energy efficiency: Green buildings"
• Siir Kilkis, Honors Graduate, Science, Technology and International Affairs, Georgetown University: "Reducing CO2 Emissions with Rational Exergy Management"
• Q & A

Closing remarks by Congressman Earl Blumenauer, (D-3rd OR), Member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming

Closure 6.00 pm

Followed by reception offered by the Royal Norwegian Embassy (at National Geographic Society)

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Updated: June 3, 2007