Humphrey Fellows visit the Pardee School
A contingent of Boston University-based 2014 Hubert H. Humphrey Fellows visited the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies on September 17, 2014, and – along with graduate students from the Pardee School – attended a lecture and panel discussion on climate change and human development. The lecture was delivered by the Dean of the Pardee School, Prof. Adil Najam, and he was then joined in a panel discussion by Prof. Anthony Janetos (Director of the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future) and by Prof. Henrik Selin (Pardee School of Global Studies).
The Humphrey Fellows including young professionals from China, Algeria, Pakistan, Yemen, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Panama, Congo-Brazzaville, Nigeria, Mongolia and Bahrain. They were joined by graduate students from the Pardee School of Global Studies.
The lecture by Dean Adil Najam focused on the linkages between climate change and human development. Dr. Najam argued that we have entered “the age of adaptation” which only underscores the need to link climate change to development, especially human development. He particularly focused on how water as a development issue is at the heart of the climate adaptation challenge: “Water is to adaptation, what carbon is to mitigation,” he said. Dr. Najam concluded that the most important challenge for the future is to make climate change a development challenge, not only for policy makers but also for citizens around the globe.
This was followed by a panel discussion with Prof. Anthony Janetos, Prof. Henrik Selin and Prof. Adil Najam. Prof. Janetos highighted how the climate change challenge has changed over the year and pointed out that one of the greatest hurdles has been government inaction and the inability of citizens concern to influence policy change. Prof. Selin said that he was more optimistic, particularly about international negotiations, because the position of key governments – including USA and China – have begun changing, mostly because of domestic forces. Both Prof. Janetos and Prof. Selin also gave examples of positive action that is beginning to be seen in linking climate change and development, including in the area of renewable energy.
A lively discussion session followed.