Events

Upcoming

"Cities on the Climate Frontlines: Evaluating Urban Climate Change and Policy Responses" with UNC Center for Urban and Regional Studies

Chapel Hill, NC
March 20, 2024

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join he UNC Center for Urban and Regional Studies to speak at their March edition of their Spring 2024 monthly in-person lunch talks.

Cities are both contributors and potential problem solvers of the global climate crisis. They are also vulnerable to climate change impacts, including sea-level rise, extreme heat, and natural disasters. Consequently, they have risen to become prominent climate and environmental sustainability agents, with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 11 charging cities to be both sustainable and inclusive and the Paris Agreement’s recognition of their contributions. In this talk, I’ll present my lab’s work to understand to understand the dual nature of cities’’ vulnerability to climate change, such as urban heat, while also examining the diverse tactics cities are adopting to combat climate change

Details

March 20th, 2024

12:30 – 2:00 PM ET

UNC-Chapel Hill

RSVP by March 10th for catered lunch.

RSVP here.

Humanities on the Road: US-China Climate Relations: Cooperative Pathways or Competitive Crossroads?

Goldsboro, NC
March 22, 2024

 

The US and China, jointly responsible for 40% of global emissions, hold a crucial role in addressing climate change. Collaboration between these top emitters is essential to tackle the ‘super-wicked’ climate crisis. Joint efforts leading to the 2015 Paris Agreement signaled progress, but domestic politics and geopolitical tensions have complicated this relationship. Conflicts over sovereignty and technology challenge the once robust US-China climate partnership. This talk examines the evolving US-China climate dynamic, exploring obstacles, potential cooperation, and its global impact.

Details

March 22nd, 2024

5:30 PM ET

Wayne Community College

Goldsboro, NC

More information available here.

Lecture with Nathan Chan

Chapel Hill, NC
April 12, 2024

 

Dr. Nathan Chan, Associate Professor, Department of Resource Economics at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will join UNC-Chapel Hill’s Policy Research Group for a talk on “Who bears the burden of carbon taxes? Predicting households impacts in Washington State.

Details

April 12, 2024

3:00 – 4:15 PM ET

Phillips Hall 265

 E Cameron Ave, Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Past

You can find links to recordings of many of these past talks and panels.

Cracking the Code: Probing the Double-Edged Sword of AI's Environmental Promise

New Haven, CT
March 6, 2024

 

About the Seminar:
The dramatic growth in the capabilities and availability of artificial intelligence has prompted increased interest in its use in environmental research. The potential is vast with a wide range of applications. At the same
 time, AI has an environmental footprint that receives less attention. In this BIOMES session, Angel Hsu will describe emerging applications of AI, including large-language models and machine learning, for evaluating climate policy and impacts. Reid Lifset will describe the goals and projects of the Network for the Digital Economy & the Environment which is working to catalyze and disseminate research on the energy and environmental impacts of digital technology and digitalization. His talk will include discussion of a bibliometric analysis currently in progress to characterize the evolution of research on the environmental impacts of AI.

About the Series:
Over the last twelve years, the Yale School of the Environment has held a weekly seminar series, called BIOMES, which has been the School’s flagship forum for bringing cutting-edge research and impactful work to the community. BIOMES stands for ‘Bridging Issues & Optimizing Methods in Environmental Studies.”

Details

March 6, 2024

12:00 – 1:00 PM ET

Virtual Option Available

195 Prospect Street

New Haven, CT 06511

Registration and more information available here.

 

Lecture with Professor Deborah Seligsohn

Chapel Hill, NC
February 23, 2024

 

Prof. Deborah Seligsohn of Villanova University will speak from both her recent research on US-China health, climate and science diplomacy, and her long experience as a practitioner, both as the Science Counselor at the US Embassy in Beijing (2003-2007) and as a Senior Advisor to the World Resources Institute in Beijing (2007-2012). Her research is based on interviews, analysis of the documents and a survey she is currently conducting. She spent five months in the last two years in Beijing, enabling her to speak to the current state of the relationship and the continued need for scientific and health cooperation.

This event is free and open to the public.

UNC students: RSVP on HeelLife for CLE.

The Carolina Asia Center is proud to co-sponsor this event with the Data-Driven Lab, the Department of Public Policy, and the UNC Diplomacy Initiative.

Details

February 23, 2024

2:00 – 3:30 PM ET

Toy Lounge, Dey Hall (4th floor)

200 South Rd

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

More information is available here.

"Towards Climate Justice: Measuring Inequalities in Urban Heat Exposure" with UNC Environment, Ecology and Energy Program (E3P)

Chapel Hill, NC
February 22, 2024

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join UNC’s Environment, Ecology and Energy program as a speaker at their monthly seminar.

Justice has increasingly been discussed as a central tenet of environmental and climate policy, particularly for urban areas where more than 70 percent of the US population resides. Advancing environmental and climate justice entails acknowledging that not all communities within cities are exposed to the same levels of environmental burdens. In this talk, I’ll discuss some of my research measuring disproportionate exposure to the urban heat island impact for both US cities and globally, utilizing remote sensing and machine learning modelling techniques to evaluate the past, present and future. I’ll also discuss our plans for a recent NASA project to further climate justice on disproportionate heat disparities for vulnerability communities here in the Triangle and our plans to bridge high-resolution heat stress data to inform community and government responses at the local scale.

There will be a social hour prior to the event where students can meet Dr. Hsu and ask questions.

Details

February 22, 2024

4:00 PM ET

Mitchel Hall

104 South Rd,

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

‘Humanities in Action’ series by Carolina Humanities at Flyleaf Books

Chapel Hill, NC
February 14, 2024

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak at Flyleaf Books on “US-China Climate Relations: Cooperative Pathways or Competitive Crossroads?as part of Carolina Humanities’ “Humanities in Action” lecture series.

The lecture series, “Humanities in Action,” focuses on contemporary issues. In the spring, attention to global issues—a look at topics from various countries around the world.

 

Details

4:30 – 6:00 PM ET

February 14, 2024

752 M.L.K. Jr Blvd

Chapel Hill, NC 27514

Find registration & more information  here.

 

Climate-diligent cities: Aligning mitigation ambitions with the Paris Agreement

Barcelona
December 15, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu was invited to be the keynote speaker at an international seminar on “Climate-diligent cities: Aligning mitigation ambitions with the Paris Agreement” hosted by the Barcelona Center for International Affairs with the support of Barcelona City Council.

The closed-door event will gather key representatives from city networks, city governments, academia, specialist partners, and a selected expert audience to discuss the concept of climate-diligent cities. Building on the overall higher ambition of city governments in comparison with their national counterparts in terms of GHG emission reduction goals, the concept of climate-diligent cities argues that cities’ mitigation efforts could leapfrog by adopting the very formal rules underpinning (countries’) international climate regime. More concretely, the debate will explore ideas to develop assessment instruments for city governments, following the example of tools to monitor mitigation strategies and determine their fair share developed for nation-states, such as the Climate Action Tracker.

Dr. Hsu will join the in-peson event virtually.

Details

December 15, 2023

8 AM ET

Barcelona, Spain

More information forthcoming.

COP28 Side Event: Ratcheting integrity of net zero commitments to unlock ambition loops and regain climate momentum

Dubai
December 8, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu is joining a panel on “Ratcheting integrity of net zero commitments to unlock ambition loops and regain climate momentum” at a COP28 mitigation and response measures side event.

National net zero targets and climate litigation have strengthened markedly in recent years, and UNFCCC’s new Recognition and Accountability Framework & implementation plan should drive further transparency. This event will discuss critical opportunities to unlock ambition loops and regain momentum.

Speakers:

Richard Black, Sr Assoc, ECIU

Dr Angel Hsu, Assistant Professor, UNC

Dr Takeshi Kuramochi, Researcher, NewClimate Institute

Alina Averchenkova, Grantham Research Institute, LSE

Todd Edwards, Tracking & Recognition, UNFCCC

Sharon Ikeazor, Minister of State Environment, Nigeria

Details

December 8, 2023

16:45 -18:15 GST (GMT+4)

Al Wasl Avenue

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

SE Room 3 (125 pax)

More information on COP28 side events available here.

COP28 Event: The data cities need: accelerating sustainability solutions with advanced data and AI

Dubai
December 6, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu is joining an unofficial side event hosted by the Global Covenant of Mayors and UNFCCC at COP28.

This session will showcase some of the latest tools and initiatives that aim to minimize the transition from climate and sustainability ambition to challenge-solving action across cities, networks, and businesses – highlighting the cross-sector opportunity for progress. 

An interactive workshop invites participants to engage in the data needs that are crucial for cities and local governments around the world – leveraging insights from GCoM’s Innovate4Cities initiative and the Global Innovation Hub’s Systemic Innovation Workshops.

Dr. Hsu will join Martin Wainstein, Executive Director of Open Earth Foundation, and Pooja Mahapatra, Global Lead of Fugro, for a discussion about “Data-driven innovations to boost city climate action.”

The session has three main goals:

  • Gather key influential actors and organisations to support cities in their climate action journey through the development and distribution of modern data and digital solutions.
  • Bring awareness of new satellite and AI solutions that are applicable to cities and regions to empower their decarbonisation and adaptation journey. 
  • Connect with finance actors on how cities, through data and policy, can play a key role in scaling the deployment of climate action in the urban context.

 

Details

December 6, 2023

12:00 – 12:30 PM GST (GMT +4)

Blue Zone

=

COP28: Pillars of the Green Transition with Newsweek

 
Dubai
December 5, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join a panel at COP28 hosted by Newsweek to share her expertise on the necessity for more transparency and accountability of non-state actors’ climate and net-zero commitments.

 

Details

December 5th, 2023

3:00 – 5:00 PM GST (GMT +4)

Impact Hub (DP World) Level 2 Prince Rupert Dubai

Register here

 

 

COP28: Net Zero Tracker Press Conference

Dubai
December 4, 2023

 

DDL’s Net Zero Tracker is hosting a press conference at COP28. In June 2023, the Net Zero Tracker revealed that fossil fuel companies’ net zero targets are “largely meaningless”, as they do not contain specific plans for phasing out fossil fuels, despite clear UN guidelines that credible net zero targets must include them. 

Their latest analysis extends our earlier investigation of fossil fuel phase-out plans, or lack thereof, across net zero targets set by applicable national and subnational governments, and large public companies on the Forbes Global 2000 list. 

At this event, panelists will discuss: 

  • Which nations, cities, states & regions, and companies with net zero targets are factoring in the phasing out of fossil fuels this century? Which fuels are they covering and by when?
  • Which nations have not pledged to phase out fossil fuel production, running counter to their stated net zero goals?
  • How do we drive societies towards a world where fossil fuels are phased out — in line with the IPCC and IEA pathways?

Panelists:

  • John Lang, Project Lead, Net Zero Tracker (Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit)
  • Natasha Lutz, Co-Data Lead, Net Zero Tracker (University of Oxford)
  • Tzeporah Berman, Chair, Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative
  • Dr. Steve Smith, Executive Director of Oxford Net Zero and CO2RE 

 

Details

10 – 10:30 GST

December 4th

Press Conference Room 2

Zone B6 – Building 77, Blue Zone

COP28, ExpoCity Dubai.

More information here.

COP28 Event: Greening Education through Clean Energy Innovation to Implement Climate Justice

Dubai
December 4, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu is joining a side event on “Greening Education through Clean Energy Innovation to Implement Climate Justice” at COP28 in Dubai.

Climate change is deeply intertwined with social injustices, working as an inequality multiplier to further oppress racialized communities, indigenous people, children and young people, women and girls in all their diversity, and other stakeholders in climate-vulnerable communities, including affecting their lack of access to education. Therefore, if we are to achieve climate justice, we must make these vulnerable stakeholders in all their intersectional diversity a part of the solution, with the first step towards socio-economic equity being climate-resilience education. Innovation in clean energy technology that drives the greening of education can substantively uplift those in climate-vulnerable communities suffering from loss and damage out of poverty, while ensuring their access to green education, stopping land degradation, creating decent green jobs and achieving a just transition to clean, renewable energy, leaving no one behind. Utilizing clean energy innovation to green education ensures not only the greening of schools, curricula and education systems’ capacities, but also safeguards the greening of the communities, since knowledge gives them the power to take actions to green their communities.

This side event will discuss how we can facilitate the greening of clean energy innovation to address the extensive negative impacts of loss and damage through climate justice, the role that our most vulnerable stakeholders are playing globally to ensure the greening of education at all levels of learning, from elementary school to higher education, as well as share case studies of positive actions undertaken by underserved communities in all their diversity across the world to implement clean energy innovations that are creating positive impacts in greening education, thereby achieving climate justice.

Dr. Hsu was generously invited by the Green Hope Foundation.

Details

December 4, 2023

9:00 – 10:45 AM GST (GMT +4)

Global Alliance for a Sustainable Planet Pavilion

(TA 2-130) in the Blue Zone

Al Wasl Avenue

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

More information on COP28 side events available here.

NUS Department of Architecture Graduate Research Symposium

Singapore
November 21-22, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will be a keynote speaker at a Symposium hosted by the Department of Architecture at the National University of Singapore.

In her keynote address, she will discuss the role that cities and the built environment play in contributing to, adapting, and mitigating, climate change.

More details forthcoming.

Details

November 22, 2023

9:15 AM SGT

Toward Asian Blue Skies: Cleaning the skies and reducing CO2 in East and South Asia

Johor, Malaysia
November 15, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu MC’ed and moderated the Q&A session of a panel on “Cleaning the skies and reducing CO2 in East and South Asia” at an Asia Pacific Climate Week Affiliated Event.

Reducing air pollution reduces carbon emissions, and significantly boosts health and economic productivity. A recent World Bank report, Striving for Clean Air: Air Pollution and Public Health in South Asia, documents how pollution abatement in key economic sectors to meet the WHO interim goal I of 35 µg/m3 of average annual ambient PM2.5 concentrations can reduce CO2 by 25%, and Short-Lived Climate Pollutants, such as Black Carbon by 4/5ths and Methane by 1/4th. Moreover, the report has shown that meeting the WHO interim goal I, will avoid 750,000 premature mortalities each year, and contribute significantly to lifting the dampeners on human cognition unleashing productivity.

In another recent World Bank report, called Nature’s Frontiers, the progress that many countries have made in improving air quality was highlighted. The report shows that despite popular perception, South Asian (and other) countries have made significant inroads on abating air pollution emissions. However, the region’s airsheds continue to be the world’s most polluted, and far more action is needed. In East Asia, important progress has been made in some countries, yet given the persistence of the issue, there is renewed regional attention towards moving the needle.

The World Bank has been working on environmental health and pollution management issues for decades. From 2008 to 2023, the WB has financed projects worth more than USD 21 bn. Our new mission statement “reducing poverty on a livable planet” is also reflected in our recent actions. The current and upcoming fiscal years show pollution financing increases of about 40% compared to recent years. The WB is well positioned to support integrated multi-sectoral and multi-jurisdictional approaches to air pollution reduction.

At this event, experts set the stage for an exchange by countries on what has and has not worked, locally and globally, in terms of air quality management and reducing emissions. A high-level panel highlighted national opportunities for addressing air pollution, and the important synergies between air pollution action and climate action. The event aimed to identifying new collaboration opportunities across Asia.

Details

November 15th

10 – 11:30 AM

Johor, Malaysia

Persada Johor International Convention Centre

Room: Press Conference Room (Anjung Stulang) 202

 

APPAM Conference 2023

Atlanta, GA
November 9-11, 2023

 

DDL Researcher Dr. Evan Johnson and Student Researcher Katherine Burley are attending the 2023 Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management (APPAM) Conference in Atlanta, Georgia. The theme of the conference is “Policy that Matters: Making Public Services Work for All,” and aims to draw a direct link between empirical research and the practical effect that research and policy have on people.

Dr. Johnson will present at a panel on “Working with(in) Government: Unpacking Commercial Motivations and Sectoral Interactions in the Innovation Ecosystem” on “Drivers of Firm-Government Engagement for Tech Ventures” on Thursday.

Burley will be presenting on “Quantifying Subnational Climate Change Mitigation Solutions – a Meta-Analysis of Impacts” at the Saturday Poster Luncheon.

See details for both events below.

Details (Evan’s Event)

November 9, 2023

Embassy B (International Tower (LL2), Hyatt Regency Atlanta)

265 Peachtree St NE

Atlanta, GA 30303

More information on the panel is available here.

Details (Katherine’s Event)

November 11th

Grand Hall West (Exhibit Level (LL2), Hyatt Regency Atlanta

265 Peachtree St NE

Atlanta, GA 30303

More information on the poster session available here.

Climate Talk: ChatNetZero (LLMs for Climate)

Virtual
November 2, 2023

 

Talk: This talk will introduce ChatNetZero.ai, a pioneering LLM app exclusively for tackling climate change and decarbonization. By addressing challenges with Generative AI, like hallucinations, they’re empowering the climate change community with cutting-edge technology. The mission: enhance transparency, confront climate change accountability challenges like net zero credibility and greenwashing, and simplify the communication of complex climate information for all.

Speakers: Angel Hsu is the Founder and Director of Data-Driven EnviroLab, an interdisciplinary research group that innovates and applies quantitative approaches to pressing environmental issues. She was a contributor to the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report and a lead author of the 2018 UN Environment Emissions Gap Report Special Chapter on Non-State Actors.

James Zhang is the co-founder and CEO of the Dutch-based climate tech start-up Arboretica. James and his team at Arboretica is a pioneer in developing AI and NLP technologies to help policymakers, NGOs, researchers and corporates to accelerate their sustainability analysis and digitize environmental research.

Details

November 2, 2023

2:30pm – 3:30pm IST

Join the presentation here.

Energy Data Analytics Symposium: Accelerating Sustainability in the AI Era

Durham, NC
October 26-27, 2023

 

The Energy Data Analytics Lab at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability and the Energy Analysis and Policy (EAP) Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison are hosting a symposium on “Accelerating Sustainability in the AI Era.”

Recognizing recent advancements in machine learning and data science, this event seeks to examine their impact on energy access, energy systems modeling, remote sensing, and ethics and social responsibility for data analytics. The goal of this Symposium is to build an understanding of how data science tools including AI can drive accessibility, affordability, and sustainability of our energy systems.

On the second day of the Symposium, DDL Director Angel Hsu will join a panel discussion on “Opportunities with Remote Sensing for Energy & Climate Data.” Other panelists for this session include:

  • Kyle Bradbury (Duke University)
  • Angel Hsu (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
  • Jeremy Freeman (WattTime / Climate TRACE)
  • Elizabeth Reilly (Johns Hopkins University

 

Details

October 26-27, 2023

Duke University Fuqua School of Business

HCA Classroom 100 Fuqua Drive

Durham, NC 27708

More information available here.

Register here.

Workshop: Adaptation, Tracking, and AI

The Netherlands
October 22-25, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join Wageningen University & Research for their workshop on AI and climate change tracking and adaptation as a presenter during the “Policy Focus” discussion.

The focus for Monday, the day of Dr. Hsu’s presentation, is on laying the groundwork and identifying key problems.

The presenters in the “Policy Focus” session include:

  • Tabea Lissner: meta-analysis of adaptation effectiveness
  • Angel Hsu: lessons from mitigation; focus on policy and urban areas
  • Matteo Grigoletto: analyzging climate change policy narratives with the character-role narrative framework

Other panels at the workshop include: LLM and generative AI;

Details

October 23, 2023

15:00 – 16:00 CET

Droevendaalsesteeg 4 

Building: ATLAS (building 104) 

Room: Atlas 1

Outer Space & Earth Interactions within Environmental Governance & Accountability Regimes

New York, NY
October 20, 2023

 

This Panel will explore two current environmental challenges involving the linkage between outer space and the Earth. First, with new commercial and governmental activities and plans involving human travel back to the Moon and to Mars, recent efforts to update the anti-contamination or planetary protection standards will be explored. These standards were first created decades ago in a scientific era of outer space activities but have undergone revisions and updating to account for the new commercial era of space exploration. The Committee on Space Research (COSPARS) and national authorities have updated their anti-contamination standards to take account of the realities of new commercial activities and ventures while still seeking to preserve celestial body environments for science research. Second, the use of space assets, specifically remote sensing satellites, is vital to combatting global climate change on Earth through enhanced data collection, accountability and transparency. Countries and companies have deforestation commitments and targets for carbon and other emissions in non-legally binding agreements but such agreements can be made effective through use of remote sensing. What are the challenges of developing and maintaining effective international governing regimes that will allow society to take full advantage of these Outer Space-Earth interactions in advancement of environmental protection while promoting economic efficiency and innovation?

The panel will take the form of a roundtable discussion.

Moderator: Matthew Schaefer, Clayton Yeutter Chair, University of Nebraska College of Law; Co-Chair, ABILA Space Law Committee

Panelists:

  • Mike Gold, Chief Growth Officer, Redwire Space
  • Angel Hsu, Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Founder & Director, Data-Driven EnviroPolicy Lab
  • Meg Vernal, Deputy General Counsel, Voyager Space

 

Details

Friday, October 20th, 2023

9:00-10:15 AM ET

Fordham University School of Law Room 2-01B

150 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023

Register for the conference here.

Program available here.

This event is sponsored by the ABILA Committee on Space Law.

Environmental and Sustainability Policy Leaders Programme for Southeast Asia

Singapore
September 28, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join as Panellist for the Temasek Foundation’s Environmental and Sustainability Policy Leaders Programme for Southeast Asia. She will join Panel 2 on the ‘Whole of Nations Approach: Role of Private Sector,’ moderated by Vinod Thomas.

Details

September 28, 2023

4 – 5:30 SGT

National University of Singapore

Li Ka Shing Seminar Room 1-2

Global Climate Ambition of Cities, Regions and Companies

Virtual
September 26, 2023

 

DDL, the Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development, and CDP will host an event to explain the findings of our 2023 Global Climate Action Report: Ambition of Cities, Regions, and Companies.

Session speakers include:

  • Kaihui Song (DDL)
  • Katherine Burley (DDL)
  • Chelsea Jones (Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development)
  • Mark Roelfsema (Copernicus Institute for Sustainable Development)
  • Andrew Clapper (CDP)

 

Details

September 28, 2023

9:00 AM ET

Watch the recording here.

Climate Outlook Survey

Singapore
September 21, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute for a survey discussion on how Southeast Asia can do its part for the climate.

The session will be moderated by Ms. Sharon Seah, a Senior Fellow and Coordinator at ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute.

Discussants include:

Ms. Jessica Cheam: Founder, Managing Director at Eco-Business 

Dr. Winston Chow: Associate Professor of Urban Climate, Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow at Singapore Management University

Dr. Angel Hsu: Assistant Professor of Public Policy, Environment, Ecology and Energy Program at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill

Dr. Thang Nam Do (virtual): Fellow, Zero-Carbon Energy for Asia-Pacific Grand Challenge Program at the Australian National University Crawford School of Public Policy

Details

September 21, 2023

10 – 12 PM SGT

 ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute 

30 Heng Mui Keng Terrace, Singapore 119614 

More information is available here.

Cities on the Climate Frontlines: Evaluating Urban Climate Change and Policy Responses

Singapore
September 18, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join the National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture to share a presentation on ‘Cities on the Climate Frontlines: Evaluating Urban Climate Change and Policy Responses.’

Cities are both contributors and potential problem solvers of the global climate crisis. They are also vulnerable to climate change impacts, including sea-level rise, extreme heat, and natural disasters. Consequently, they have risen to become prominent climate and environmental sustainability agents, with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal 11 charging cities to be both sustainable and inclusive and the Paris Agreement’s recognition of their contributions. In this talk, I’ll introduce how my research is utilizing data science to evaluate cities’ contributions to global climate mitigation efforts and urban sustainable development more broadly.

Details

September 18, 2023

11 AM SGT

National University of Singapore Room SDE3-LT421

21 Lower Kent Ridge Road

Singapore 119077

"Snapshot:Climate" Exhibition Opening

Chapel Hill, NC
September 7, 2023

 

Southern Cultures is hosting an Exhibition Opening event for their fall issue of “Snapshot:Climate.” Featuring the work of 60+ artists, scientists, photojournalists, and activists, the goal of their fall issue is to draw attention to climate impacts across the (global, Atlantic, gulf) South through snapshots. The exhibition will feature the work of 25 photographers.

Details

September 7, 2023

5 – 7 PM ET

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Center for the Study of the American South

410 E. Franklin Street

Chapel Hill, NC  27514

More information available here.

Climate Change AI Webinar: Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy

Virtual
August 31, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu was invited by Climate Change AI to lead their August webinar on “Harnessing Machine Learning for Climate Policy.”

This presentation explores applications of machine learning in the realm of climate policy, with a specific focus on evaluating the actions of subnational and non-state actors such as cities, regions, and corporations. In recent years, these actors have emerged as key players in driving climate action, and their efforts have the potential to significantly impact global emissions reduction targets. Leveraging machine learning techniques, we can effectively assess the initiatives and contributions of these entities towards climate mitigation and adaptation goals. This presentation showcases the diverse ways in which machine learning can analyze large-scale data sets, identify trends, and provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders.

Climate Change AI (CCAI) is an organization composed of volunteers from academia and industry who believe that tackling climate change requires concerted societal action, in which machine learning can play an impactful role. Since it was founded in June 2019 (and established as a US domestic non-profit on June 14, 2021), CCAI has led the creation of a global movement in climate change and machine learning, encompassing researchers, engineers, entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, companies, and NGOs.

Details

August 31st, 2023

12-1pm UTC (8-9am ET, 8-9pm SGT)

Virtual

Register and find more information here.

Asia Solar Energy for Climate Change Conference 2023

Virtual
August 22-25, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join the Asia Solar Energy for Climate Change Conference (ASECCC) as a guest speaker on a panel on “A Comparison of Asian cities’ Progress Towards Carbon Neutrality through Renewable Energy and Green Finance.”

The ASECCC strives to unite influential figures from the government, institutions, private sectors and civil sectors across the Asia Pacific region. The conference aims to foster communication regarding solar energy initiatives in climate mitigation and adaptation. It focuses on policy implementation, cross border collaboration, advanced technology, climate finance, and best practices that promote climate justice.

ASECCC 2023 will feature panel discussions, research poster presentations, and the publication of proceedings, all centered around the theme of expediting the transition to solar energy. The conference offers valuable opportunities for stakeholders, policymakers, professionals, and emerging researchers in the field to exchange their findings and establish connections with regional innovators.

Details

August 25th, 2023

14:00 – 15:30 HKT

Virtual

Register and find more information here.

Podcast recording available here.

2023 US CLIVAR Summit

Seattle, WA
July 31 – August 2, 2023

 

 DDL Research scientist Xuewei Wang will present at the US CLIVAR Summit plenary session on Climate and humans: Impacts of recent heat extremes in the Pacific Northwest. Her presentation will focus on Citizen and machine learning-aided high-resolution mapping of urban heat exposure and stress.

The 2023 US CLIVAR Summit will bring together the members of the Scientific Steering Committee and its three implementation Panels, agency managers, and invited speakers to review progress, identify opportunities, and develop strategies to advance US CLIVAR goals under the direction of the Science Plan.

Details

July 31, 2023

10:00 AM PT

Seattle, WA & Virtual

More information is available here.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine: Climate Crossroads Summit 2023

Washington DC
July 11-12 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join a panel on Emerging Challenges and Opportunities at the Climate Crossroads Summit 2023, hosted by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

Advances in science, engineering, and medicine are bringing new opportunities to address the climate challenge. Many exciting new frontiers are emerging as advances in other fields—such as plant science, artificial intelligence, and social and behavioral sciences—are increasingly being applied to develop new ways to understand and respond to the climate challenge. Panelists in this session will discuss new development at these disciplinary crossroads and bring these advances to support climate action.

Moderator: Evan Michelson, Sloan Foundation

Panelists:

  • Angel Hsu, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill & DataDriven EnviroLab
  • Michael Vandenbergh, Vanderbilt University
  • Cathie Woteki (NAM), Iowa State University

 

Details

July 12, 2023

1:00 ET

National Academy of Sciences Building

2101 Constitution Ave NW

Washington DC 20418

More information, including registration information, is available here.

City Diplomacy Masterclass: Accessing and Utilizing Knowledge and Data

Virtual
July 5th, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu has been invited to speak as a guest presenter at the City Diplomacy Masterclass, hosted by the Melbourne Centre for Cities. A major motivation for cities engaging internationally is gaining access to international expertise, knowledge, and data to inform local planning. When asked which benefits of international engagement were most impactful on policymaking in the 2022 Cities and International Engagement Survey, 71% said adapting policy, 61% benchmarking and 25% accessing data.

While there are more opportunities than ever for cities to access international knowledge and data — understanding, translating and utilising these resources for local benefit is a greater challenge. This session will focus on how cities can use international knowledge and data to inform and improve their climate action plans.

Key points:

  • Where can cities find relevant knowledge and expertise related to climate action and decarbonisation?
  • How can knowledge and data from other geographies be used for local benefit?
  • What sort of internal skills and expertise are needed to benefit from international circuits of knowledge?

 

Details

July 5th, 2023

11 PM – 12 AM ET

More information available here.

Press Conference: Net Zero Tracker – 2023 Global Stocktake report launch

Virtual
June 12, 2023

 

Mark your diaries! The 3rd #NetZeroStocktake2023 launches this Monday 12th June @ 9.30am CEST, from the #BonnClimateConference.

Our third annual Stocktake this year shows how the #UN #HLEG guidelines on credible #netzero commitments that were announced at #COP27 have landed across ALL global entities. We show if the fossil fuel sector’s climate targets reflect the #fossilfuel phase-out plans that the scientific and policy consensus demands.

Plus, we provide a window on the increasing convergence across voluntary net zero standards, guidelines and accountability frameworks – which provide the crucial guidance and good practice for policymakers to put net zero on the road to regulation.

All are welcome to the press conference 09:30am CEST on Monday, plus the report, graphics and press release will be available here from  June 12th.

Details

June 12, 2023

9:30AM CEST

UNFCCC Climate Conference in Bonn, Germany

UNFCCC webcast recording available here.

The Economist Sustainability Week: Harnessing data and technology to optimize ESG reporting

Virtual
May 29-31, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will be joining the Economist’s 3rd annual Sustainability Week US.

Economist Impact’s 3rd annual Sustainability Week US is an event that makes a difference through its focus on immediate action by governments and organizations, with the goal to help create a better, much more sustainable, adaptable and resilient world tomorrow.

Sustainability Week US brings together the public and private sectors in a hybrid format and showcases the most practical initiatives to turn sustainable plans into actions. It analyses the success of not only best practices but also investigates the answers to difficult questions, such as making sustainability a priority across the whole organization and its supply chain.

Dr. Hsu will discuss the Net Zero Tracker, a collaboration between four organizations incluidng DDL. The aim of the Net Zero Tracker is to collect data on who has pledged net-zero targets and factors that indicate the integrity of those targets to separate quality pledges from greenwashing

 

Details

May 30, 2023

2:40-3:10 PM ET

Zoom

Duke Masters in Interdisciplinary Data Science Commencement Ceremony

Durham, NC
May 14, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu spoke at the graduation celebration for Duke’s 2023 graduates in the Masters in Interdisciplinary Data Science Program.

Details

May 14th

Duke University

Durham, NC

Watch a recording of the commencement ceremony here.

DDL Open House

Chapel Hill, NC
April 28, 2023

 

DDL is hosting an open house to celebrate moving into our new office space on Franklin St.

Local climate researchers, professors, and community members are welcome to join to check out our new space, enjoy some refreshments, and chat about our data-driven climate policy research!

We hope to see you there!

 

Details

April 28th

4:00 – 6:00 PM ET

134 E. Franklin St

Chapel Hill, NC

RSVP here.

Monthly Seminar Series: How Social Media Influences National Park Vistitaion with Casey Wichman

Chapel Hill, NC
April 28, 2023

 

Casey Wichman, PhD will join DDL to present his research on the relationship between social media and national park visits.

Dr. Wichman is an Assistant Professor of Economics at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

National park visitation increased dramatically throughout the 2010s, providing much needed revenue for the National Park Service (NPS) and exposing new people to the outdoors, potentially leading to an increased ethic of environmental preservation. At the same time, increases in visitation generate externalities by straining park resources, contributing to environmental degradation, and overcrowding.

In his research, Wichman estimates the relationship between visitation at NPS sites and social media exposure, measured from a novel dataset based on parks’ Twitter and Instagram accounts as well as user-generated content. Parks with the largest social media exposure see visitation increase by 11-28% relative to parks in the lower half of this distribution, which see no change in visitation. These increases in visitation translate to an additional $658–$942million in revenue from entrance fees for parks with greater media exposure.

Details

10:30 AM

Wilson Hall, Room 107

110 South Road

Chapel Hill, NC

World Economic Forum: Global Future Council on the Future of Clean Air

Dubai
April 24-26, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join the Global Future Council meeting on the Future of Clean Air, hosted by the World Economic Forum.

The World Economic Forum Global Future Council meetings bring together experts from business, government, and research to discuss challenges and solutions to the most pressing challenges of our time.

Details

April 24th – 26th

Madinat Jumeirah Conference & Events Centre

Dubai, UAE

More information about the Global Future Council on the Future of Clean Air is available here.

University of Virginia: William and Carol Stevenson Conference

Charlottesville, VA
April 21, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join Panel 3 on Climate, tech infrastructure, and political influence. As the race to net zero intensifies, there are opportunities for both U.S.-China collaboration and U.S.-China competition. This panel will focus on the impact that new climate technologies will have on this relationship and other global political systems.

Angel will be joined by Joanna Lewis, Provost’s Distinguished Associate Professor of Energy and Environment and Director of the Science, Technology and International Affairs Program in the School of Foreign Service at George Washington University, and Scott Moore, Director of China Programs and Strategic Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania. The panel will be moderated by Michael Lenox, Taylor Murphy Professor at the University of Virginia’s Darden School of Business.

Details

9 AM – 12:30 PM ET

April 21, 2023

The Miller Center, 2201 Old Ivy Rd

Charlottesville, VA

Virtual Option Available

More information about the conference is available here.

Smart Cities World: Climate Action Summit

Virtual
April 18-20, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join a panel with the central question, “what commitments and assistance are cities looking for from central government?” for Smart Cities World’s Climate Action Summit.

During this panel, city representatives and NGOs combine to discuss the existing financial and political support available to cities as they combat climate change and establish a wishlist of what is still needed from central governments to better join up climate action.

Other panelists include:
Aissata Camara: Deputy Commissioner for Policy & Strategic Initiatives / Chief of Staff, New York City
James Nowlan: Executive Director, Environment and Energy Division, City of Toronto
Christina Connelly: COO, City of New Bedford

Details

April 18th – 20th

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

Virtual

More information about the Smart Cities World Climate Action Summit is available here.

COP27 Diplomacy Week Panel

UNC Chapel Hill
April 18, 2023

 

DDL Student Research Assistant Christian Chung will join as a guest on a panel on Environmental Diplomacy: Student Experiences from COP27. The panel will feature four Tar Heels who participated in the COP27 in November 2022.

Felix Dodds, adjunct professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, will moderate the panel. Lunch will be served!

This panel is part of Carolina Diplomacy Week, an annual week of events hosted by the Diplomacy Initiative of the Office of the Vice Provost for Global Affairs (OVPGA).

Details

12:30 PM

UNC Chapel Hill

FedEx Global Education Center Room 4003, zoom option available

Sustainable Carolina Research Symposium

UNC Chapel Hill
April 17, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will present a 10-minute presentation on DDL’s work at Sustainable Carolina’s Earth Week Research Symposium.

Sustainable Carolina plans to bring together researchers in various fields, including STEM, law, policy, business, and more to draw connections between research done at UNC and the university’s sustainability.

Details

April 17, 2023

2 – 4 PM ET

Wilson Library

More information about Sustainable Carolina is available here.

A recording of the event is available here.

UNC Geography Colloquium Spring 2023

UNC Chapel Hill
April 14, 2023

 

DDL Director Dr. Angel Hsu will join as a guest speaker at UNC Geography’s Spring 2023 Colloquium on April 14th. The topic of her presentation is “Cities on the Climate Frontlines: Evaluating Urban Climate Change and Policy Responses.”

 

Details

3:30-5:00 ET

220 Carolina Hall

UNC Chapel Hill

More information available here.

Wake Forest University: Catalyzing Virtuous Cycles of Climate Action

Wake Forest University
April 13, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will be speaking at Wake Forest University, where she earned her Bachelors degrees, on “Catalyzing virtuous climate action: an empiricial model of polycentric governance.”

 

Details

4:30- 6 PM ET

ZSR Auditorium

More information available here.

UNC Science Expo

UNC Chapel Hill
April 1, 2023

 

Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, in partnership with the students and faculty at UNC, celebrate science with our community.

This annual celebration of science features more than 100 hands-on activities and science demonstrations led by STEM students, researchers, and practitioners from UNC-Chapel Hill. The UNC Science Expo is your chance to get up close and personal with cutting edge science hands-on activities, demonstrations, games, and performances.

The UNC Science Expo is a signature event of the North Carolina Science Festival.

 

Details

11 AM – 4 PM ET

Morehead Planetarium

More information available here.

Duke-UNC China Leadership Summit

Durham and Chapel Hill, NC
March 24-26, 2023

 

In recent years, the trend of deglobalization has built up barriers between countries and among people. We witness a withdrawal from global interdependence in different ways: regional wars, border conflicts, increased tariffs, export restrictions, capital controls, anti-immigration, cultural protectionism, etc. The COVID-19 pandemic has only further exacerbated the trend of deglobalization. China and the U.S., two mutually globalizing influences, are shifting their strategies in this new world. Their interaction will not only influence the life of Chinese and American people but also the trajectory of international politics. In a less flat world, we look into the future with the hope of predicting crises, mitigating uncertainties, and redefining existing commonalities.

How do we define U.S.-China relations for the next decade? Will the two countries strengthen their economic interdependence? Will China reopen its borders? And what impacts will it bring to the world? How can a systematic study of history contribute to our predictions of future trends? How are individuals and the civil society shaping the U.S.-China relations? Dr. Angel Hsu will join as a guest speaker to explore these questions at the summit: Unwrapping Uncertainties: U.S.-China Relations in A Less Flat World.

 

Details

March 24-26, 2023

Durham and Chapel Hill, NC

Location varies by day.

Learn more here.

Brown China Summit

Brown University
March 19, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu joined Brown’s 2023 China Summit for a panel discussion on “Accelerating the Adoption of Renewable Energy, Globally and in China: Challenges and Opportunities.”

Brown brings leaders and scholars across different fields to engage in open discourse on International Politics, Finance, Sustainability, and other issues between the US and China, at their annual China Summit.

This summit creates constructive dialogues that engages and challenges young scholars at Brown and beyond.

 

Details

10:15 – 11:30 EST

Zoom

More information available here.

Urban Model Making: Knowledge, Technology and Society

Yale NUS, Singapore
March 2-3, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join as a guest speaker for Urban Model Making: Knowledge, Technology and Society, a workshop organized by the Asia Research Institute, National University of Singapore (NUS).

Dr. Hsu will give a presentation on “Modeling Inequalities in Urban Environmental Challenges” on the “Urban Models as Large-Scale Socio-Technical Systems” panel. 

The objectives of this workshop are to:
1. understand and reflect on the practices of building scientific models of the built environment that manage, plan for
and simulate the future of cities in Asia;
2. compare different uses of models of environments (e.g. buildings, urban space, climate, economy, health) across
different Asian cites and interAsia;
3. understand the positionalities of multiple stakeholders in Singapore across academia, government agencies, and
industries;
4. begin to develop an Asian and global network of urban modelling scholars.

 

Details

10:30 AM SGT

AS8 Level 4, Seminar Room 0404

More information available here.

Climate Cafe with Terrascope: Angel Hsu, self-proclaimed data geek influencing global climate policy

Singapore
March 2, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join Terrascope for a talk about how she uses data to influence global climate policy.

Terrascope is an enterprise grade, end to end, smart carbon measurement and management SaaS platform. By combining data science, machine learning and sustainability expertise, Terrascope provides the data, analytics and digital tools to help large companies to decarbonise their business operations and supply chains.

 

Details

4:30 – 5:30 PM

Terrascope office, Afro Asia (Level 8), 63 Robinson Road, Singapore

Understanding China’s Role in Climate Change – and Climate Solutions

Virtual
February 24, 2023

 

The 2nd annual Scholar of Global Distinction student and educator program will explore how the world’s most populous country, the People’s Republic of China, approaches questions of climate change. The program will feature UNC Professor Angel Hsu as the keynote speaker. Professor Hsu leads an interdisciplinary research group that innovates and applies quantitative approaches to pressing environmental issues. Scholar of Global Distinction students will have an opportunity to earn 4 hours towards the 8-hour international activity requirement of the Scholar of Global Distinction program. The program is open to Scholar of Global Distinction students and educators.

 

Details

Zoom

11:00 am – 12:00 pm ET

Webinar is free, but registration is required.

Learn more and register here.

Seminar with Paul O'Keefe: Why Telling Students to Follow Their Passion is Bad Advice

UNC Chapel Hill
February 21, 2023

 

Paul A. O’Keefe is a social psychologist, Associate Professor at Yale-NUS College, Associate Professor at the NUS Business School (by courtesy), and Director of the Mindsets & Motivation Lab. He studies motivation and goal pursuit, focusing on the roles of implicit self-theories (mindsets), interest, and passion.

Students are often told to find their passion, as though passions and interests are pre-formed and must simply be discovered. This idea, however, has hidden repercussions. The current research examined implicit theories of interest—the idea that personal interests are inherent and relatively fixed (a fixed theory of interest) or developed (a growth theory of interest). In laboratory studies, a growth (vs. fixed) theory led those with strong interests in one area to express greater interest in a new or different area, and to maintain a new-found interest when pursuing it became difficult. Similarly, a 1-year randomized controlled field experiment showed that incoming liberal arts undergraduates who learned about a growth theory (vs. control) developed more interest in their two mandatory math/science courses—areas outside of their pre-existing interests—which predicted a higher final grade in both courses. This openness and pursuit of new interests suggests that a growth theory might predispose people to see connections among disciplines and engage in more creative and innovative problem solving. Indeed, additional lab experiments showed that a growth (vs. fixed) theory leads to a stronger tendency to effectively integrate the arts and sciences. Taken together, as compared to a growth theory, a fixed theory tends to diminish the development and diversity of one’s interests, learning in new or different domains, and the ability to innovate. As the world continues to globalize, we will need creative, interdisciplinary approaches to solve new and old problems. Cultivating a growth theory of interest among students might spark that process, setting them on a trajectory for careers that will have a positive impact on the world.

 

Details

UNC Chapel Hill

Phillips Hall, Room 328 on East Cameron Ave.

12:30 PM ET

Monthly Seminar Series: The Local Impacts of Nigeria's 2012 Flood with Mook Bangalore

UNC Chapel Hill

February 16, 2023

 

Mook Bangalore, a friend of DDL and PhD Candidate in Environment and Development at the Grantham Research Institute at London School of Economics, will be discussing his research on the local impacts of Nigeria’s 2012 flood.

 

Details

12:30 PM ET

Toy Lounge, Dey Hall

200 South Rd., Chapel Hill, NC

Recording available here.

Monthly Seminar Series: Using Data to Understand Urban Heat Disparities

UNC Chapel Hil

February 3, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu, Post-doctoral Research Associate Kaihui Song, and Research Scientist Zhi Yi Yeo will present on understanding urban heat disparities through data for our January seminar series.

 

Details

1:00 – 2:00 PM ET

UNC Chapel Hill

Toy Lounge, Dey Hall

200 South Rd., Chapel Hill, NC

Panel Presentation for the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations

Philadelphia, PA

January 26, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will join for a public panel discussion hosted by the Penn Project on the Future of US-China Relations.

The U.S.-China relationship is multifaceted, singularly important, and recently troubled. The Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations brings together leading scholars specializing in key areas to examine and make recommendations for U.S. policy toward China in key areas, including national security, economic competitiveness, technology, climate, education, and human rights. In the wake of the meeting between Biden and Xi on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Bali and on the eve of Secretary of State Blinken’s visit to China, this panel will feature several participants in the Project to discuss the current state of U.S.-China relations and possible paths for U.S. policy.

This public session is held in conjunction with the plenary meeting of the Penn Project on the Future of U.S.-China Relations, which is organized by Penn’s Center for the Study of Contemporary China and supported by Penn’s China Research and Engagement Fund and the Henry Luce Foundation.

Panelists:

Gerard DiPippo (Center for Strategic and International Studies)

Sophie Richardson (Human Rights Watch)

Angel Hsu (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill)

Joel Wuthnow (National Defense University)

Moderator:

Susan Thornton (Paul Tsai China Center, Yale Law School)

Details

12:45 – 2:00 PM ET

World Forum, Perry World House, 3803 Locust Walk

Informal lunch provided

Watch the recording here.

 

London School of Economics and Political Science Lecture: Polycentric Governance & Catalyzing Climate Action

Virtual

January 19, 2023

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will discuss “Catalyzing virtuous cycles of climate action: An empirical model of polycentric governance” at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Nations and international governing bodies are traditionally viewed as the primary actors working to mitigate global climate change. Yet subnational jurisdictions, such as states and cities, and non-state entities, such as businesses and civic organizations, have become increasingly important actors in efforts to reduce climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions and stem climate impacts. As the new paradigm and the Paris Agreement’s new “pledge, review and ratchet” system takes shape, scholars debate whether and how non-state and subnational policies and initiatives catalyze additional climate action. Many subnational efforts exceed their national regulatory counterparts, suggesting that non-state actors are able to adopt better targets than national governments. Evaluating non-state actors’ contributions to global climate mitigation and mapping this polycentric mode of governance requires an empirical foundation. In this presentation, I will discuss research efforts to quantify and assess non-state actor contributions to global climate mitigation and implications for the Paris Agreement’s polycentric governance.

 

Details

2:00 – 3:30 PM GMT

Zoom

Click here to learn more.

COP27 Debrief: Conversations with Students

UNC Chapel Hill

January 11, 2023

 

Last year, DDL Director Angel Hsu selected 14 of 45 student applicants to join her at COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, where they got to experience firsthand climate-related presentations, negotiations, and policymaking decisions.

Join us for a conversation with the students about their experiences and key takeaways from the conference.

 

Details

4:00 – 5:00 PM ET

Zoom or Student Union Room 2518B

209 South Rd

Recording will be available shortly.

AGU 2022: Using Machine Learning to Predict Urban Climate Mitigation Performance

Chicago, IL

December 14, 2022

 

Research/Data Scientist Xuewei Wang will be present a paper entitled “Using Machine Learning to Predict Urban Climate Mitigation Performance,” co-authored with Director Angel Hsu, as part of the Global Environmental Change Session at the AGU Fall Meeting.

AGU Fall Meeting is the most influential event in the world dedicated to the advancement of Earth and space sciences. Every year, AGU Fall Meeting unites the Earth and space science community to share findings, connect like-minded scientists from around the world, and advance our profession and shared passion for the impact of science.

 

Details

December 14, 2022

4:45 – 6:15 CT 

In-person, McCormick Place, S502ab

Learn more here: AGU Fall Meeting

DDL’s abstract: Using Machine Learning to Predict Urban Climate Mitigation Performance

2022 Forum on Carbon Neutrality & Sustainable Development

Virtual

November 28 – December 7-8, 2022

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu spoke about subnational climate action in China on the Urban panel of a virtual conference hosted by the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the Program on Chinese Cities at the Center for Urban and Regional studies at UNC.

The forum consists of an opening ceremony and three parallel forums, with the themes of “Carbon Neutrality and Energy Transition”, “Carbon Neutrality and the Green Economy,” and “Carbon Neutrality and Urban Development” respectively, bringing together scholars from China and the U.S. to deliver academic report and discuss relevant topics.

 

Details

December 7-8

Zoom

 

Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium Annual Conference

College Park, MD

November 28 – December 2, 2022

 

DDL Post-doctoral Research Associate Kaihui Song and Director Angel Hsu present two papers at the Integrated Assessment Modeling Consortium (IAMC) annual meeting. See the preliminary agenda.

Kaihui will present a paper along with UNC Prof. Noah Kittner, “Projecting Future Disparities in Heat Stress in the Continental US,” which utilizes climate change scenario models, an output of integrated assessment models used in the IPCC, to project future disparities in heat stress and energy burden. The paper also includes Prof. Wei Peng, Penn State, Angel Hsu (UNC), and Yu Ying (UNC).

Angel will present a paper, “Quantifying Non-state and Subnational Climate Mitigation Contributions with IAMs,” which discusses how integrated assessment models can incorporate insights from business and local government actors. The paper includes Mark Roelfsema (Utrecht University) and Takeshi Kuramochi (NewClimate Institute) as co-authors.

 

Details

8:00 AM November 28 – 5:00 PM December 2, CET

College Park Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, College Park, MD

Check the IAMC website for information on how to register.

COP27: Climate action by businesses, cities, and cooperative initiatives: faster, and stronger towards more ambitious NDCs

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 17, 2022

Research/Data Scientist Zhi Yi Yeo will be speaking on “Climate action by businesses, cities, and cooperative initiatives: faster, and stronger towards more ambitious NDCs” at a side event at COP 27 on November 17.

Since the adoption of the Paris Agreement, a myriad of actors incl. businesses, cities, and cooperative initiatives have committed to a low-carbon and resilient future, promising to narrow emissions and financing gaps; to accelerate implementation; and to spur ambition. This event takes stock of efforts by businesses, cities, and international cooperative initiatives and discusses new reports, progress and impacts, and opportunities to enhance NDCs and accelerate action across all sectors.

Other speakers include from NewClimate Institute, Radboud University, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS), and PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency,

 

Details

5:30 – 6:30 PM EET

Virtual – Zoom / EU Pavillion in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

Watch the recording here.

 

COP27: Balancing net zero integrity & momentum

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 12, 2022

The Net Zero Tracker will host an event taking stock of Non-State Actor net zero commitments (from business & investors to cities), with remarks by Jessica Omukuti & Dr Arunabha Ghosh of the High-Level Expert Group (HLEG) on Net Zero Commitments of Non-State Entities, plus Daniel Barlow, lead of the new ISO net zero guidelines.

Speakers: 

Jessica Omukuti, Oxford Net Zero. 

Dr Arunabha Ghosh, CEO, Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW)

Daniel Barlow, Head of Our 2050 World, The British Standards Institution (BSI)

Dr. Thomas Hale, Prof., the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford

Dr. Angel Hsu, Prof. and founder, Data Driven Envirolab, UCL

Richard Black, The Energy & Climate Change Intelligence Unit (ECIU)

Details

4:45 – 6:15 EET

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, Memphis (300)

Watch the recording here.

COP27: Opportunity Scope 3 – how to exchange emissions data across value chains and why

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 10, 2022

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak on the importance of tracking scope 3 emissions at a panel hosted by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Clear, comprehensive, reliable and comparable sustainability information is increasingly seen as one of the foundational building blocks for companies to be able to take targeted action to tackle their climate impacts. You cannot manage, what you cannot measure and track. 

In this session members of the Partnership for Carbon Transparency – an initiative led by WBCSD and supported by the We Mean Business Coalition which brings together different stakeholders working on this challenge to jointly put in place the methodological and technological infrastructure necessary for emissions data exchange – will share the progress made in enabling companies to truly understand their supply chain emissions. 

Panellists will discuss the prerequisites for transparency, with a particular focus on technological interoperability, and will share details of a recently completed data exchange pilot. They will also discuss the further steps needed to ensure confidentiality and integrity of data, explore the opportunities transparency presents for organizations of all sizes and demonstrate the vital role of collaboration across systems and initiatives in this space. 

If you are doubtful that the Scope 3 challenge can be resolved, this is the session for you! 

Details

10:30 EET

We Mean Business Pavillion

COP27: Global Stocktake Datathon Winners Highlight

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 10, 2022

DDL will be hosting an event at COP 27 on November 10 for World Science Day where winners of the GST Datathon will present their research and findings.

The Datathon is facilitates the understanding of data related to the technical dialogue of GST1 and could contribute to the assessment of collective progress. The datathon includes the preparation of prompts and datasets based on the different themes of GST1. The analytical work enables a visualization potential opportunities and identifies creative ways for overcoming challenges.

Two projects – one that created a database of climate action and a second that measured ocean protection – were recently crowned winners of the first Global Stocktake Climate Datathon.

Details

5:00 PM EET

COP27: Launch of the OpenClimate Network

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 10, 2022

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak at Open Earth Foundation’s launch of the OpenClimate Network – an open-sourced nested accounting platform that is designed to digitally enable the independent global stocktake.

This presentation will discuss how the OpenClimate Network is being built with open source digital technology to support nested climate accounting and integrate into key digital platforms such as the UGIH or the British Columbia government. To incorporate Non-State actor efforts under the Global Stocktake (GST), the OpenEarth Foundation and the Data Driven EnviroLab, through the Climate Action Data 2.0 community, have launched a Digitally-Enabled Independent Global Stocktake (DIGS).

To verify the nested emissions and mitigation outcomes of corporations or projects in a trusted manner, an open digital infrastructure must connect the key actors with verifier/auditors and the subnational government. In partnership with the British Columbia government, OpenEarth will showcase how Decentralized Identifiers and Verifiable Credentials play a role in the Energy & Mines Digital Trust, verified by the Open Climate Network and incorporated into jurisdictional registries. This same digital architecture and logic is being leveraged for the design and build of the UGIH Virtual Hub.

The goal of this session is to introduce new digital practices in climate accounting and digital MRV to incorporate actions of non-state actors (eg. corporations and cities) into the Paris Agreement efforts.

Speakers:

  1. Martin E. Wainstein & Louisa Durkin, OpenEarth Foundation
  2. Nathan Aman-Blake & Nancy Norris, British Columbia Government
  3. Vincent Caldeira, OS-Climate
  4. Angel Hsu, DataDriven Lab, University of North Carolina
  5. Catherine Atkin, Stanford University (moderator)

Details

11:00 AM EET

Blue Zone, COP27 – UN Global Innovation Pavillion – Zone C

Watch the recording here.

COP27 - Global Stocktake Poster Session

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt

November 9, 2022

DDL will attend an informal poster session where participants can learn more about actors and research involved in the Global Stocktake.

During the session, ask questions about their research methods, results, and applications of their findings.

Details

2:00 – 4:00 PM EET

Plenary 2 – Ramses

 

Rethinking Cities in the Face of Extreme Heat

Virtual

October 26, 2022

Protecting people from extreme heat in cities will be one of the central challenges of climate adaptation in the 21st century. At the same time, many cities have pledged to reduce their carbon footprints — even as the need for air conditioning expands — in an attempt to hit net zero by 2050.

How can cities balance the need to cool off with the urgent imperative to reduce carbon emissions? Join Annual Reviews, Knowable Magazine and Future Tense for a conversation about how we can make cities cooler — and save lives — without further heating the planet.

Attendees will learn:

  • What causes the urban heat island effect and why it disproportionately affects people living in poverty, the elderly and minority groups.
  • How green infrastructure can help to lower urban temperatures and protect biodiversity.
  • Why transparent, accurate data are crucial to reducing cities’ carbon emissions and reducing health impacts from heat waves.

Speakers:

Angel Hsu, Assistant Professor of Public Policy at UNC Chapel Hill

Katie Gallego, Mayor of Phoenix, Arizona

Moderated by Henry Grabar, Correspondent at Slate Magazine

 

Details

9:00 am PST / 12:00 pm EST

Zoom

Click here to view a recording of the event.

Click here to read a Q & A with Dr. Hsu about what cities can do to survive extreme heat.

Carolina Data Science Now

Virtual

October 27, 2022

 

Carolina Data Science Now is hosting their semi-monthly October seminar on Zoom at 12 PM on October 27th.

DDL Director Angel Hsu, along with Greg Characklis and Brian Blanton, will be presenting at the October edition of Carolina Data Science Now to discuss their work at the intersection of data analytics and the environment.

 

Details

12:00 pm EST

Zoom

Check Carolina Data Science Now for information on how to register and more upcoming events.

IMSI Detection and Attribution of Global Climate Change

 Chicago, IL

October 17-26, 2022

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak on “Detecting and attributing climate policy performance of subnational and non-state actors” from 11:00 – 11:45 AM CDT on Friday, October 21st at the IMSI Detection and Attribution of Global Climate Change event.

This event is part of IMSI’s long program on “Confronting Global Climate Change”. This program aims to foster new multidisciplinary collaborations and integrate young scientists and researchers into industry, private sector, and academic research through these workshops and embedded research projects with affiliated universities, national laboratories, and private industry.

Detection and attribution of climate change refers to the procedures used in assessing whether or not climate is changing, and if so, how to pinpoint the causes of any identified changes. Quantification of the uncertainty in attribution statements is of critical importance. Detection and attribution methods inform mankind’s current influence on climate and increase confidence in projections of future climate change, and related studies aid climate policy decisions and suggest techniques for adaptation and/or remediation where needed.

This summit is intended as a research workshop on current issues related to climate change detection and attribution, including changes in extreme events and the attribution of individual storms and other weather events and their impacts.

 
 

Details

11:00 – 11:45 AM CDT

Chicago, IL

Learn more and register here: IMSI Detection and Attribution of Climate Change

The "E" in ESG: UC Davis Law Symposium

 Virtual

October 22, 2022

DDL Research Scientist Zhi Yi Yeo will be presenting at the UC Davis Law Review Symposium on corporate net zero pledges

The “E” in ESG refers to the application of environmental criteria to corporate behavior by investors and corporate managers. These environmental criteria may encompass not only greenhouse gas emissions and climate change impacts but also pollution mitigation, waste management, water usage, and other environmental concerns. This symposium explores this hot topic with provocative panels on “ESG and the SEC: GHG Disclosures,” “Corporate Net Zero Pledges,” and “Potential Legal Barriers to ESG Action.” Top industry professionals and academics will lead these important discussions.

ESG matters not only to investors, but also to corporate managers, employees, customers, and other stakeholders. ESG increasingly informs corporate decisions, is a critical tool for achieving environmental sustainability, and is essential for lawyers to consider in advising corporate clients.

Details

11:10 am – 12:35 pm PT

UC Davis King Hall Room 1001

Livestream over Zoom

Sign up here: UC Davis Law Symposium Registration

Learn more here: UC Davis Law Symposium Information

Global Symposium

 Toronto, Canada

October 22-25, 2022

 

DDL will be presenting at the Samuel Centre for Social Connectedness 2022 Global Symposium.

In the past, the Samuel Centre’s gatherings have featured uniquely intersectional conversations and a keen focus on practical solutions, as well as a spirit of warmth, laughter, and rich connection. This year—as they imagine and chart new paths forward in the face of the ongoing pandemic and climate change— they will create the same camaraderie and ethos.

At the Global Symposium, DDL Director Angel Hsu and Research Scientist Xuewei Wang will present on the lab’s Urban Environment and Social Inclusion (UESI) Index and host a breakout session.

 

Details

Toronto, Canada

Learn more here: Global Symposium Information

Climate Data Extraction Workshop

Location TBD

October 16, 2022

 

DDL is hosting a climate mitigation data extraction workshop where students can contribute to emissions mitigation research, learn about mitigation strategies and gain valuable experience extracting data from academic studies.

Bring your computer and friends! Food will be provided.

 

Details

10:00 am – 3:00 pm EST

Location TBD

Sign up here: Sign Up DDL Climate Data Extraction

Event flyer: DDL Climate Data Extraction Flyer

 

Global Stocktake Climate Datathon

climatedatathon.org 

October 15, 2022

 

DDL is collaborating with the Open Earth Foundation on a Global Stocktake Climate Datathon to support the Global Stocktake (GST) to track collective progress towards the Paris Climate Agreement.

Participants from all over the world are invited to join and will have three weeks to complete their projects. Climate organizations and exports have created prompts in three categories: mitigation, adaptation, and implementation and support.

The goal of the Datathon is to enhance the quality of data (where needed) for the Global Stocktake, enable aggregated data insights, further understanding around collective progress, ways to bridge remaining gaps, and visualize potential opportunities.

There will be cash prizes and the best projects will be able to present their findings at COP27!

 

Details

Taking Submissions from September 21st – October 15th

Sign up and learn more: Climate Datathon Info

Event flyer: GST Climate Datathon Flyer

Monthly Lab Seminar Series: Cassandra Davis

 Dey Hall, Toy Lounge

October 13, 2022

 

 

 

Details

2:00 – 3:00 pm EST

Toy Lounge in Dey Hall

200 South Rd., Chapel Hill, NC

Event Flyer: DDL Seminar Cassandra Davis Flyer

Building the Climate Data Internet

Bogota, Colombia

October 12, 2022

 

DDL post-doctoal researcher Marco Schletz will be speaking at the Sustainable Blockchain Summit LATAM in Bogota 4:15 pm COT / 5:15pm EST on October 12th.

 

Details

4:15 pm COT / 5:15 pm EST

Check https://sbs.tech/ for more information on this event.

NASEM Report Release

 

October 4, 2022

 

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine invites you to join a public release webinar for the new report, Greenhouse Gas Emissions Information for Decision Making, on Tuesday, October 4 from 1pm to 2pm ET. Members of the committee will share key takeaways, and there will be an opportunity for audience Q&A. 

DDL Director Angel Hsu is a member of the NASEM Committee of Development of a Framework for Evaluating Global Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Decision Making, who released this report.

 

Details

Watch the recording here: NASEM Report Release

Read the full report here: NASEM Report

Climate Data Extraction Workshop

 
Genome Sciences Building, Room 1370

September 28, 2022

 

DDL is hosting a climate mitigation data extraction workshop where students can contribute to emissions mitigation research, learn about mitigation strategies and gain valuable experience extracting data from academic studies.

Bring your computer and friends! Food will be provided.

 

Details

5:00-8:00 pm EST

Genome Sciences Building, Room 1307

250 Bell Tower Dr., Chapel Hill, NC

Event flyer: DDL Climate Data Extraction Flyer

Panel: Net-Zero Carbon Cities and Electrification: The Next Global Agenda

 
Virtual, Yale’s Hixon Center Urban Conference

September 23, 2022

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak on a panel at the the 9th Annual Hixon Center Urban Conference at Yale University. The title of this year’s conference is “Cities as Solutions to Climate Change: Perspectives from IPCC Authors.”

The conference brings together researchers and practitioners focused on the potential impacts that cities have on climate change around the globe and features two Vice-Chairs and seven Authors from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change. We hope you will join us for these presentations and conversations, which will lead us from research to practice and applied solutions at the intersection of urban ecology, better cities, and climate change.

The conference will be held in a hybrid format: streamed online and with limited in-person attendance at the Yale School of the Environment. The conference is free and open to the public. It will be recorded and available for later viewing.

 

Details

9:30 am EST

Yale School of the Environment

Hixon Center for Urban Ecology

195 Prospect Street, New Haven, CT 06511

 

View the recording of the event here

Monthly Lab Seminar Series: Marco Schletz

Dey Hall, Toy Lounge

September 15, 2022

 

 

Details

1:00 – 2:00 pm EST

Toy Lounge in Dey Hall

200 South Rd., Chapel Hill, NC

Event flyer: DDL Seminar Marco Schletz Flyer

Back From The Brink: A Framework For Climate Action

 
Furman University

August 30, 2022

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak at the first session of Straight Talk 2022: A New Climate Movement, hosted by Furman University.

This speaker series will focus on exploring the roadmap to meaningful climate action, and feature speakers Former Vice President Al Gore, Bob Inglis of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative (E&EI) at George Mason University, John Lanier of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, and Stinson Woodward Ferguson, an assistant municipal judge for the City of Greenville who focuses on environmental law.

 

Details

6:30 pm EST

McAlister Auditorium

3300 Poinsett Highway

Greenville, SC 29613

 

View the recording here.

Back From The Brink: A Framework For Climate Action

 
Furman University

August 30, 2022

 

DDL Director Angel Hsu will speak at the first session of Straight Talk 2022: A New Climate Movement, hosted by Furman University.

This speaker series will focus on exploring the roadmap to meaningful climate action, and feature speakers Former Vice President Al Gore, Bob Inglis of the Energy and Enterprise Initiative (E&EI) at George Mason University, John Lanier of the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, and Stinson Woodward Ferguson, an assistant municipal judge for the City of Greenville who focuses on environmental law.

 

Details

6:30 pm EST

McAlister Auditorium

3300 Poinsett Highway

Greenville, SC 29613

 

View the recording here.

Monthly Lab Seminar Series: Kaihui Song

 
Abernethy Hall, Room 102

August 18, 2022

 

DDL will kick off the fall semester with the first installment of the lab’s monthly seminar series on topics related to environmental
research, data analytics and
professional development. Our first speaker is DDL’s newest Post-doctoral Research Associate, Kaihui Song, PhD.

Kaihui will discuss her research on demand-driven climate mitigation in the U.S., and the challenges and opportunities to reduce carbon footprints
from households and state-level actors.

 

Details

1:00 – 2:00 pm EST

Abernethy Hall Room 102

131 Columbia St., Chapel Hill, NC

Event flyer: DDL Seminar Kaihui Song flyer

RTP180: Sustainability

 

 

July 21, 2022

 
Virtual or In-Person at Frontier RTP

 

Angel Hsu, Keith Weitz, James Davis, Jordan White, Matthew Pait

 

Join DDL Director Angel Hsu for a discussion on sustainability. Speakers from the founding Universities, Park companies and the North Carolina community at-large, are getting together for an insightful exchange of views.

 

Details

5:00-7:15 pm EST

Watch the recording here

 

Cities on the Sustainability Frontlines: Measuring Social Inclusion and Environmental Performance

 

July 14, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu, Kim Samuel, Xuewei Wang, Laura Ballesteros, Nicole Goddard

 

Join DDL Director Angel Hsu for the latest data and updates to the Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index. As the first of its kind, the UESI Index leverages high-resolution, large-scale data to reveal how cities perform at the intersection of environment and social equity.

As DDL releases the 2022 updates for over 300 cities, this briefing will be held as a roundtable discussion with government policy experts, bringing in applicable reflections and suggestions for a new era of sustainability.

 

Details

10:00-11:30 am EST

Register here

 

The State of Open Data: Climate Action

 

 

June 23, 2022

 
Zoom

 

Angel Hsu, Johannes Friedrich, Aniket Ghai

 

Come and join us to discuss perspectives on the use and impact of open data on Climate Action around the world.

 

Details

3:00-4:30 pm GMT

Register here

 

Media launch: the Global Net Zero Stocktake

 

 

June 13, 2022

 
Bonn, Germany and Zoom

 

Angel Hsu, Takeshi Kuamochi, Thomas Hale, Richard Black

 

This briefing will introduce a new Global Stocktake of net zero commitments; assessing the status and trends of net zero target-setting across countries, sub-national governments, and corporates – released for the first time since the original ‘Taking Stock’ report in 2021.

 

Details

9:15-9:45 am GMT

Access the webcast here

 

Unpacking the New UN Panel Report on Climate Solutions

 

April 25, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu

In early April, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its third and final report assessing the state of knowledge on solutions for mitigating climate change. The punchline of the report was stark: unless deep and immediate cuts are made, limiting warming to 1.5 degrees C is out of reach. But the report also recommended a pragmatic view forward: many solutions exist across multiple sectors; many of them are compatible with achieving the sustainable development goals; and growing numbers of laws and policies across the world are seeking to implement these solutions. What does this glass half full picture imply for Singapore and the countries in South-East Asia? Join a distinguished panel including authors of the report and leading policy-makers.

Details

Monday, April 15

05:15 PM – 06:30 PM EST

Register here

 

HeatHack 2022

 

April 23, 2022

Zoom

DDL

This hybrid in-person/remote one-day hackathon will bring together coders, programmers, data visualization whizzes, and environmental enthusiasts to help us discover actionable insights, develop engaging data visuals, and create action plans to address the growing and intensifying challenge of climate change and urban heat in the Triangle. Teams will have the opportunity throughout the day to ask for feedback as they develop their ideas and final products, and at the end, a panel of judges composed of community stakeholders will provide feedback and award prizes for the winning entries. Several webinars will be hosted ahead of the event that brings climate and data scientists to provide free community data science training.

Details

Watch the recording of the final presentations here

Visit the HeatHack website to learn more

 

Panel: What Does the Green Smart City of the Future Look Like?

 

March 10, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu

With cities being the largest emitters of GHG emissions globally, city leaders are now faced with the challenge of transforming how cities function. In order to decarbonise cities across the world, cars, public transportation and heating need to be electrified putting more pressure on electricity grids and supply. How can leaders finance the transformation of cities? What is the right balance between centralised and decentralized grids? What are the innovations in construction and building development that can help cities to net-zero? Join DDL Director Angel Hsu at this panel, part of FT Climate Capital Live

Details

Watch the recording here

 

Chapel Hill Heat Watch 2021 Debrief Webinar

 

March 3, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu, Xuewei Wang

Join DDL as we discuss results from our 2021 Chapel Hill Heat Watch campaign, as well as how you can get involved with future campaigns.

Details

6:30-7:30pm EST

Join the Zoom meeting here

 

Fix Live: What's Next

 

Jan. 19, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu

With catastrophic heat waves and hurricanes, rapidly rebounding emissions, and a sobering IPCC report, 2021 was an “oh shit” year for climate awareness, but doom and gloom is never the full story. More awareness of this existential threat and the repercussions sure to come means that more people than ever are engaging with environmental and social justice issues. To make sense of what this all means for the year ahead, Fix Co-Director Jessica Stahl is sitting down with climate and justice leaders to talk about the changes they see coming in tech, infrastructure, food, energy, and culture in 2022.

Details

5:00-6:00pm EST

Register here

 

Reflections from COP 26

 

Jan. 14, 2022

Zoom

Angel Hsu

Join the UNC Science Policy Advocacy Group for a discussion with the UNC COP26 Delegation on reflections from COP26, moderated by our director and delegation lead Angel Hsu.

Details

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EST

Register here

 

The Science of Net Zero at Environmental Research 2021

 

Nov. 18, 2021

Zoom

Angel Hsu

Environmental Research 2021 is a free-to-attend virtual conference for the international community that brings together leading environmental scientists and influencers to share knowledge and address important global challenges relating to the environment and sustainability. This panel will feature international experts on the science of net zero.

Details

17:00 to 18:30 GMT time

Register to attend here

 

Chapel Hill Urban Heat Island Research Presentation

 

Nov. 18, 2021

Zoom

Xuewei Wang

Join DDL’s Xuewei Wang as she presents her and Angel Hsu’s field research on the urban heat island effect in Chapel Hill to the Southeast Regional Climate Center

Details

1:00-2:00pm EST

Join the Zoom meeting here

Password: konrad

 

Takeaways from COP 26: What does US-China geopolitical competition mean for global climate action?

 

Nov. 17, 2021

Zoom

Angel Hsu

This event will reflect on COP26, specifically in regards to US-China geopolitical competition.

Details

9:00-10:15 am EST

Join here

 

Climate accounting guide: How to spot false climate action claims?

 

Nov. 9, 2021

Watch the recording here

Glasgow, UK and Zoom

Angel Hsu

This event will provide an accounting guide by focusing on the physical flows of carbon emissions into the atmosphere.

Details

16:00-17:30 GMT

Blue Zone at COP26, Hall 4, the Scottish Events Campus, Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW, UK

 

COP26: The Future of Climate Action Accounting

 

Nov. 5, 2021

Glasgow, UK 

Data-Driven EnviroLab and Camda Climate Action Data 2.0

Join data, tech and policy experts of the Camda Climate Action Data 2.0 community to discuss the use of emerging digital technologies for next-generation climate accounting.

Details

Friday, November 5, from 5-8pm
Climate Action Lab – Strathclyde Student Union
51 Richmond Street, Glasgow, UK

RSVP: https://tinyurl.com/climateactioncop26
Agenda: https://tinyurl.com/climateagendacop26

Facing Code Red: Climate Change in Southeast Asia

 

Oct 19, 2021

Watch the recording here

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Viewed alongside other world regions, Southeast Asia is uniquely vulnerable to major damage by global warming. With this background in mind, Angel Hsu and Melissa Low, two scholars with deep regional and policy knowledge will consider questions like: Can currently worsening trends be reversed? Who will represent the interests of the unborn generations who will suffer the long-term consequences of present-day indifference and delay? Will effective policy require authoritarian politics? And how, if at all, will global versions of these questions be addressed and answered in November in Glasgow at COP26?

Details

8:00-9:30 pm

Register and learn more here

Climate Action Credibility in the Climate Decade

 

Sept 22, 2021

Watch the recording here

Data-Driven EnviroLab

Join us Wednesday, Sept. 22 for “Climate Action Credibility in the Climate Decade”, a Climate Week NYC event, to hear from experts about the critical importance of tracking climate action data. The event is hosted by Climate Group in partnership with Climate Works Foundation and the data and analytical network Camda, a network of data experts from nearly 100 organizations (including Data-Driven EnviroLab) dedicated to tracking climate action. Camda’s new Climate Data 2.0 initiative, which explores how cutting-edge data methodologies can be used to develop climate action progress and accountability, will be part of the discussion.

Details

10:30 am ET – 12:30 pm ET.

Register and learn more here: https://tinyurl.com/camda-nyc

Climate Action in China and Implications for Southeast Asia

 

August 6, 2021

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

International climate ambition is on the rise. To date, over a hundred countries have joined the Climate Ambition Alliance to work towards achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In September 2020, President Xi Jinping made waves when he announced that China’s new target of reaching carbon neutrality by 2060; and in March 2021, China’s 14th Five Year Plan set out concrete steps toward that goal, aiming for an 18% reduction in carbon emissions intensity, a 13.5% reduction in energy intensity and a 20% share of non-fossil fuels in the energy mix by 2025. China’s decarbonisation pathways promise an acceleration in both policy and technological innovation. As a major power and the world’s second largest economy, China has the potential to exercise influence over global climate action through its domestic and international policy. This webinar provides a platform for leading commentators on China’s climate policy to analyse these key developments and implications for Southeast Asia.

Details

9:00-10:15 am SGT

Event description

HeatWatch Mini-Webinar Series

 

June 24, 2021

Watch the recording here

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu, Xuewei Wang, Joyce Mei

Speakers

The NC Museum of Life and Science held a series of mini-webinars as part of their HeatWatch series. The Data-Driven EnviroLab gave an introduction to the Urban Heat Island and discussed the ways in which different populations all over the world are disproportionately exposed to urban heat. Xuewei and Joyce introduced a new smartphone/Apple Watch app that DDL has customized, called Cozie, to help collect data to better understand thermal comfort.

Details

6:00 pm EDT

Driving Global Emissions Reductions with Data Policy Innovation

 

April 22, 2021

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Hosted by the Climate Data Policy Initiative of the Stanford CodeX Center for Legal Informatics, this panel explores current efforts to build the carbon data ecosystem – including the development of the legal, technical and policy frameworks – needed to radically accelerate public and private GHG emissions reductions.

Details

View recording

U.S.-China Climate Cooperation: The Path Forward

 

April 22, 2021

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

The United States and China jointly account for 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, so avoiding the worst consequences of climate change will require collective action by the two countries. In the first program in a series on climate change and the environment, and coinciding with President Biden’s Leaders Summit on Climate, Professors Angel Hsu, Jonas Nahm, and Alex Wang will discuss the critical importance of U.S.-China climate cooperation at all levels of society, and offer practical proposals for policy action.

On April 22, 2021, the National Committee held a virtual program with Angel Hsu, Jonas Nahm, and Alex Wang to discuss the future of U.S.-China climate cooperation in a conversation moderated by China energy expert Joanna Lewis.

Details

4:00-5:15 pm EDT

Event description

View recording

USC US-China Institute: Is China Going Green?

 

April 22, 2021

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

China is the leading emitter of greenhouse gasses, but has also become a major investor in green technologies. It is among the biggest producers of renewable energy. The country has sought to address not just air pollution and climate change, but also water and soil pollution. Gathering and utilizing data is a big part of China’s environmental protection efforts. We are delighted to welcome two prominent observers of these efforts to discuss the use of data in making and implementing Chinese environmental laws and policies as well as what data trends actually show about the impact of these efforts.

Details

3:00-4:00 pm EDT

Event description

View recording

UC Berkeley California-China Institute:China's Carbon Neutrality Plans: Game Changer for Climate Change?

 

April 15, 2021

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

On September 22, 2020, China’s President Xi Jinping surprised the world by announcing a goal to achieve “carbon neutrality before 2060,” and peak carbon emissions “before 2030” at the United Nations General Assembly. Meanwhile, with U.S. President Joe Biden’s aims to achieve net neutrality by mid-century in the United States, this marks a unique opportunity to explore enhanced dialogue between the U.S. and China on their respective mid-century climate goals. Still, geopolitical tensions between the two nations remain fraught, and each faces significant obstacles toward rapidly decarbonizing their economies.

To further explore what barriers and opportunities exist for China’s carbon neutrality goals, this panel heard from the authors of China’s Carbon Neutral Opportunity, with commentary from U.S. and Chinese issue-experts.

Details

8:00-9:00 pm EDT

Event description

View recording

AI for the Planet Digital Conference

 

March 16th, 2021

Virtual

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Professor Hsu will speak on a Sustainable Mobility panel session of the “Tuesdays Together for the Planet” dialogue series – created by UNESCO, in collaboration with UNEP, StartUp Inside, and Microsoft.This dialogue series is dedicated to highlighting AI applications in domains related to sustainable development and the preservation of our planet.

Details

2:15 – 3:00PM EST, March 16th

Link to event:

https://aifortheplanet.org/en/session/28d7315a-9382-eb11-b566-000d3a20ecf5

NUS LKYSPP Water Policy Institute

 

November 17, 2020

Singapore (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Professor Hsu will elaborate on the Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index (UESI) that creates a spatial framework to measure the progress of cities towards Sustainable Development Goal 11 (SDG-11). She will also present a new method for assessing environmental equity that identifies how evenly or unevenly cities are distributing environmental benefits and burdens across neighbourhoods.

Details

11:00 AM SGT

 

CHINA Town Hall: Health & Climate

 

November 18, 2020

Zoom Webinar (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Angel will join Margaret Hamburg (National Academy of Medicine) and Ryan Hass (Brookings Institution) to discuss the roles of the US and China in addressing the transnational issues of combating climate change and communicable disease.

Details

7:00 am SGT

View recording

CEREAL (Conversation on the Environment, Responsible Energy, And Life)

 

November 3, 2020

Princeton, NJ (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Angel will be joining as a guest speaker on CEREAL, a weekly talk on a variety of environmental topics hosted by the Princeton Environmental Institute

Details

9:00 pm SGT

More details coming

TED Climate Countdown

 

October 10, 2020 (Virtual Launch)

Virtual

Angel Hsu

Speakers

To make progress on climate action we need to collaborate on a global scale – and your community has an important role to play. On 10.10.2020, Countdown will launch globally with a virtual event, and we invite you to join us. Watch online at home with your family and friends.

Details

countdown.ted.com

Yale-NUS United Nations Society Panel Discussion

 

Thursday, October 8

Singapore

Angel Hsu 

Speakers

Panel discussion on the intensification of climate change due to the COVID-19 pandemic with Prof. Winston Chow, Singapore Management University and Melissa Low, Energy Studies Institute.

Details

4:00-5:30 pm SGT
Yale-NUS College (in person and virtual)

Virtual Forum on Earth System Governance

 

Sept. 17, 2020

Virtual

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Semi-Plenary Session V : The transformative potential of transparency in climate governance. This semi-plenary brings together leading scholars and practitioners interested in the impact of transparency in tackling climate change. Calls for ever greater transparency are now a dominant feature of global climate governance. Under what conditions does (what kind of) transparency lead to more accountable, trustworthy and ambitious collective climate action, as is widely assumed? When is transparency transformative of multilevel climate governance? This semi-plenary takes on this complex and urgent question.

Details

Programme and registration link

Urban Thinkers Campus: Citizen Action Lab

 

Sept. 11, 2020

Virtual

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Citizen Action Lab for Safe and Inclusive and Inclusive Cities. The Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) is an initiative of the World Urban Campaign driven by UN-Habitat. The UTC is conceived as an open space for critical exchange between urban researchers, professionals, and decision-makers who believe that urbanization is an opportunity and can lead to positive urban transformations. It is also intended as a platform to build consensus between partners engaged in addressing urbanization challenges and proposing solutions to urban futures.

Details

Register here.

7:30 PM SGT

Asia-Pacific Centre for Environmental Law - COVID-19 and Climate Change in Asia: Opportunity or Red Herring?

 

July 1, 2020

Singapore (Virtual)

Angel Hsu

Speakers

Virtual Roundtables on Asian Law : COVID-19 and Climate Change in Asia: Opportunity or Red Herring? (in partnership with CALS). Speakers: Dr Joseph Chun, NUS Law, Assoc Prof Jolene Lin,  Dr Linda Yanti Sulistiawati, NUS Law, APCEL, Ipshita Chaturvedi, C&C Advisors, Angel Hsu, Yale-NUS College.

Details

Register interest: https://bit.ly/2MnnDBj

World Urban Forum 2020

 

February 8-13, 2020

Abu Dhabi, UAE

Amy Weinfurter

Speaker

Amy will be representing our team in presenting updates to the Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index (UESI) as part of the World Urban Forum’s Urban Library Series.

Details

13:00-13:45 Sunday, February 9 in the Urban Library.

Registration is free but required.

Moet-Hennessey Vinexpo 2020

 

February 10, 2020

Paris, France

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Angel will present on the panel, “Climate Change: What do we have to do to adapt?”

  • Pauline Lhote, Winemaking Director, Chandon California
  • Kees Van Leeuwen, Professor of Viticulture, Bordeaux University, France
  • Angel Hsu, Professor of Environmental Studies, Yale-National University of Singapore

Details

More details on the program are here. Registration for the Vinexpo is required.

WEF Annual Meeting 2020

 

January 21-24, 2020

Davos, Switzerland

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr Hsu will be speaking at various events at the WEF Annual Meeting in Davos.

Details

Registration required. For a full list of Data-Driven Lab events, see this page.

COP25

 

December 4-7, 2019

Madrid, Spain

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Angel will be at the 2019 UN Climate Change Conference for a new round of meetings on climate action. She will also be unveiling digital solutions for climate data tracking from the recent Open Climate Collabathon.

Details

Registration required.

2019 Roundtable on Future District Energy Systems: Decarbonising the City and the Energy Sector

 

December 3, 2019

Singapore

Angel Hsu

Speaker

The Roundtable aims to uncover urban planning challenges to transform today’s cities into carbon-free cities. Dr Hsu will present on these challenges as well as join a roundtable discussion with Arno Schlüter and Danny Kennedy.

Details

Registration required.

Prosperity & Inclusion City Seal and Awards (PICSA)

 

November 21, 2019

Bilbao, Spain

Willie Khoo

Participant

Willie will attend the inaugural PICSA ceremony and roundtable, where city leaders and urban policymakers will come together and share best practices for scaling and replicating inclusive cities.

Details

Invitation only.

Subnational transatlantic partnerships ahead of COP25

 

November 21, 2019

Washington, DC 

Angel Hsu

Presenter (remote)

Prof. Angel Hsu will make a remote presentation on Assessing and Tracking Non-state and Subnational Climate Action at this roundtable, which will discuss the EU’s role as a global climate leader, the state of EU engagement on climate action among U.S. States and cities,  the state of transatlantic subnational partnerships (including at EU-to subnational and national-to-subnational levels, and the role of subnational stakeholders in the COP process.

Details

November 21, 10am-2pm EST              George Washington University            Invitation only

 

Open Climate Collabathon

 

November 16 & 23, 2019

Singapore

Contribute to the development of an open source and collectively owned global climate accounting system, platform, and portal. Hosted by Data-Driven Lab and Yale OpenLab, the collabathon will launch at Yale University and continue for two weeks in decentralized efforts around the world until December 6th at the UNFCCC COP25 summit.

Details

November 16, 10am-6pm                Classroom 16, Yale-NUS College            Open to all.

November 23, 11:30am-4pm                Classroom 16, Yale-NUS College            Open to all.

Food provided.

 

JRC Week on Composite Indicators and Scoreboards

 

November 7-8, 2019

Ispra, Italy

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr. Hsu will present on the Urban Environment and Social Inclusion index alongside other scorecard and composite indicator projects from the World Economic Forum and MIT.

Details

Registration required.

UN Science-Policy-Business Forum on the Environment: Second Meeting of the Governing Consortium

 

 

November 4-5, 2019

Canberra, Australia

Nihit Goyal

Speaker

On 4th November, Nihit will join the panel of the session titled “Science-based Decision Making – Key Issues for the Consideration of the Governing Consortium” to speak about the Emissions Gap Report and the role of non-state actors.

Details

Invitation only.

 

Annual Meeting of the Global Future Councils: Agenda for the Global Future Council on Global Public Goods in the 4IR

 

 

November 3-4, 2019

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Angel Hsu

Co-Chair 

As co-chair, Dr Hsu will lead various council working sessions and help set the goals and objectives of the Annual Meeting, with a focus on finding solutions to protect global public goods and usher the world into a radically equitable Fourth Industrial Revolution.

Details

Invitation only.

 

 

 

 

Blockchain & Digital Technologies for Global Climate Action Tracking and Accounting

 

 

September 24, 2019

New York City, NY 

Angel Hsu & Amy Weinfurter

Speaker

Data-Driven Lab, in partnership with Yale openLab, will host roundtable to discuss the practical opportunities to use emerging digital technologies for the streamlining and incentivization of data collection, monitoring, verification, and analysis.

Details

Invitation only.

 

The Climate Group: Action and Reward

 

 

September 24, 2019

New York City, NY

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr. Hsu will participate in a panel discussion on how states, regions, cities, and businesses can accrue important investment and innovation benefits from implementing ambitious climate action. 

Details

Invitation only.

 

Sustainable Development Impact Summit: The Big Picture on Urban Fragility

 

 

September 24, 2019

New York City, NY 

Angel Hsu

 

Speaker

Dr Hsu will share insights from Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index (UESI), addressing the themes of urbanization and growing fragility within cities.

Details

Invitation only.

 

Sustainable Development Impact Summit: Leveraging the Fourth Industrial Revolution for the 2030 Agenda

 

September 23, 2019

New York City, NY 

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr. Hsu will lead a breakout discussion, focusing on the opportunities and challenges for collaboration in the “tech for good” space.

Details

Invitation only.

 

KDD 2019: Fragile Earth: Theory Guided Data Science to Enhance Scientific Discovery (FEED 2019)

 

August 5, 2019

Anchorage, AK

Angel Hsu

Keynote Speaker

Dr. Hsu will provide the keynote at the Fragile Earth workshop, which will be held on Monday, August 5, 2019, in Anchorage, Alaska, US, as part of the 25th ACM SIGKDD International Conference on Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining (KDD 2019).

Details

Registration required.

World Economic Forum - Annual Meeting of New Champions

 

July 1-3, 2019

Dalian, China

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr. Hsu will be presenting on ‘Cities and Environmental Inequality’ in the Global Situation Space as well as speaking on panels at the conference.

Details

Invitation only.

 

ICLEI Resilient Cities Forum

 

June 26, 2019

Bonn, Germany

Diego Manya and Ryan Thomas

Speakers

Diego and Ryan will present an update of the Urban Environment and Social Inclusion Index – the first spatially explicit index of how cities around the world perform on environmental and social inclusion goals.

Details

Registration required.

Women's Forum: Call to the G-20

 

June 26, 2019

Kyoto, Japan

Angel Hsu

Speaker

Dr. Hsu will speak at the Youth and Leadership Forum on climate change leadership.

Details

Invitation only.

 

css.php