Tackling Climate Changed at #BUCPUA Keynote Lecture and Discussion
BOSTON — On Friday, April 5th, the Boston University City Planning and Urban Affairs Program hosted the #BUCPUA Keynote Lecture and Panel Discussion. The lecture, Climate Changed: Politics, Place, People, and Planning, featured Massachusetts State Representative Tommy Vitolo, Ph.D., and panelists Eugenia Gibbons and Julie Conroy, AICP, and was moderated by Bruce Gellerman.
Representative Vitolo kicked-off the lecture and discussion by addressing energies past, present, and future and how energy consumption has changed over time. Rep. Vitolo pointed out that energy consumption follows the economy, stating that in times of economic hardship (Great Depression, World War II), less energy is consumed. He also stressed the importance of finding cost effective and scalable renewable energy, and of controlling our own demands for renewable vs fossil fuel energy. He ended his lecture by defining climate change as the major problem of our time, and urged the audience that our greatest hope for change lies in public policy.
“Start locally,” urged Rep. Vitolo, “and at the bare minimum participate in democracy.” Rep. Vitolo told the audience to at the very least vote for the president, and then go further to vote locally. He stressed the importance of raising your voice, getting involved, and calling your representatives.
After the lecture, Rep. Vitolo joined Eugenia Gibbons, Policy Director at Green Energy Consumer Alliance, and Julie Conroy, AICP and Climate Team Project Manager at Kleinfelder, for a lively panel discussion moderated by WBUR Environmental reporter Bruce Gellerman. The panel discussion centered around energy efficiency, combating climate change, and the future of cities.
Rep. Vitolo addressed that current energy storage is expensive and inefficient, and that one of many results of this inefficiency is the overconsumption of fuels which leads to the rising of sea levels in coastal areas. The panelists pointed out that areas of Boston and Cape Cod will be underwater in the near future if a green solution is not found.
Rep.Vitolo and Ms. Gibbons both pointed to transportation as this solution. They discussed introducing electric cars, scooters, and bikes to cities as a means to cut down on collective greenhouse gas emissions. Ms. Conroy spoke to the future of cities stating that the current state of the environment will lead to us seeing more green infrastructures and resilient cities, a trend of bringing nature back into city spaces, and an increase in strict energy standards for taller buildings.
The panel was followed by a networking lunch where attendees continued the discussion with the participants and fellow attendees. Many noted that this was the most interesting and entertaining lecture and discussion they had been to in a long time.
To view Rep. Vitolo’s presentation, please click here.
-Andrea Ciminelli