School Notes: School of the Environment
March/April 2020

Environmental Justice Conference brings emerging scholars to F&ES

The Global Environmental Justice Conference, hosted by F&ES in November, brought emerging scholars from around the world and across disciplines to discuss how scholarship, social justice, and environmental management can be effectively integrated. The inaugural event featured panel discussions on a range of topics, including extractive industries and human rights, environmental governance, climate change adaptation, and engaging with multiple knowledge systems. Each discussion addressed the human elements associated with these environmental challenges—including the fact that marginalized groups are often left out of the decision-making processes. The event attracted participants from five countries and 14 US states, and included scholars from 36 academic institutions. The day-long conference was funded by the Graciela Chichilnisky Environmental Fund, which honored the memory of Natasha Chichilnisky-Heal, a PhD candidate in political science at Yale who focused her research on environmental justice issues before her death in 2014. 

F&ES students participate in COP25 climate talks in Madrid

More than 40 members of the Yale community, including 38 students from F&ES, traveled to Madrid, Spain, in December for COP25, the annual “conference of the parties” hosted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. Several of the students served on the delegations for their home countries, including Mexico, Rwanda, Turkey, Morocco, Tonga, and Peru. Others worked for nongovernmental organizations, including the Climate Action Network (Latin America and Southeast Asia), Rock Environment and Energy Institute (China), the Energy & Resources Institute (India), and the India-based Development Alternatives. During the conference, students took over the school’s Instagram account, providing an inside look at the deliberations and discussions taking place at the global talks. The conference was shifted from Chile to Spain after Chile withdrew, citing social unrest.