The active wildfires in the West are visible evidence of climate change. Hazy orange skies and suffocating smoke show us that this is no longer a slow-moving disaster. It is transforming the landscape and making parts of the world unlivable for species, including our own. We examine a few ways that we can help solve—or at least mitigate—the climate crisis. There is information, hope, and much more in today’s email.

Across the country, parks, forests, and areas protected by the Wilderness Act are natural allies in the effort to address climate change. They provide a critical habitat for imperiled wildlife, create space for communities to flourish nearby, and—thanks to their scale and distribution—offer potential for absorbing carbon emissions. But public lands aren’t managed in a way that prioritizes the climate crisis. In a new report, the Institute’s Energy & Environment program and The Wilderness Society reimagine a system for public lands that compels policymakers to take urgent and innovative action.
 

As the only Black woman in her environmental studies major in college, Leah Thomas wasn’t going to be quiet about the climate injustices disproportionately affecting the planet’s most vulnerable communities. She spoke with Aspen Challenge alumna Yalem Enqubahry and Aspen Young Leaders Fellow AbdulBasit Ajeigbe about her work to dismantle systemic environmental oppression.
 

From buses to buildings, schools are among the largest consumers of energy in the public sector. Despite their impact on climate change, K-12 education has largely been left out of the climate conversation. Leaders of the Energy & Environment program say that the more 50 million children in public schools represent both a need and an opportunity to address this multi-generational crisis.
 

The Aspen Institute remembers Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as a towering icon and a fierce champion of justice and of civil and human rights. Her 27-year tenure on the Supreme Court shaped American history and made the world a better and more equitable place. A frequent guest at Institute events, she was a heartfelt friend and inspiration to many of us. She will be profoundly missed.

 

Our benefits system is broken. Benefits21 launched this week to create a modernized system that ensures security for all workers. The work is a project of the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership, a collaboration between the Institute and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth.
 

Can artificial intelligence help create a more equitable world? The NextGen Network, led by the Institute’s International Partners and Microsoft, brings together young leaders globally to develop an understanding of how emerging technologies will affect our lives.
 

Art has a measurable effect on your brain and, in turn, your body. Opera soprano Renée Fleming discussed this connection with the Institute’s experts at the Health, Medicine and Society Program, as part of a partnership with the Johns Hopkins International Arts+Mind Lab Center for Applied Neuroaesthetics.
 

Upcoming Events

Supporting Grassroots Power: A Call to Action 📣

Forum for Community Solutions

Tuesday, September 29, 2020, 12:00 pm ET

The Future of HBCUs in the COVID-19 Era 🎓

Aspen Partnership for an Inclusive Economy, College Excellence Program, Weave: The Social Fabric Project

Tuesday, September 29, 2020 & Thursday, October 1, 2020, 11:00 am ET

Book Talk with Roger Martin: When More Is Not Better 📚

Business and Society

Tuesday, September 29, 2020, 2:00 pm ET

Mapping On and Offline Risks 💻

Aspen Tech Policy Hub

Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 9:00 am ET

Community and Solidarity on the Frontlines: A Case Study of Seattle, WA 😷

Inclusive America Project

Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 2:00 pm ET

More Than Ready: A Conversation with Author Cecilia Muñoz 🎤

Forum on Women and Girls, Women of Color Affinity Group

Wednesday, September 30, 2020, 3:00 pm ET

The Aspen Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the greatest challenges of our time.

Your support makes this work possible.

 

Join the Society of Fellows to be part of a national community that deeply engages with the ideas and issues that drive the work of the Aspen Institute. Add your voice to the conversation today. 

 
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