Graduate School Newsblog

Graduate student Adam Airoldi and undergraduate Catherine (Cate) Cogger visited Copenhagen during the UN’s international climate change conference. Here is their report.

“Our last day in Copenhagen was devoted to finding the Bella Center, which is located approximately 10 kilometers from the Copenhagen Centrum and is the main conference center of the conference. Here diplomats, world leaders and journalists convene daily to discuss the many issues confronting the global community in relation to climate change, social justice worldwide, and the global market crisis and its pertinence to climatic changes.

“Upon finding the Bella Center, we were a bit disappointed by the facilities. Having expected a site a bit more grandiose, we found the Bella Center to be a large complex of modern buildings located in the “Green Living” sector of Copenhagen. Adjacent to the Bella Center was an apartment complex with the same futuristic look to it; many of the apartments were adorned with banners and placards urging political leaders to take significant and swift action. Although it was Sunday, we did see journalists entering the center as the talks inside continued.

“Being in Copenhagen was certainly an experience that we will remember for a lifetime. We witnessed a variety of different viewpoints concerning climate change, ranging from indigenous perspectives to polar explorers presenting scientific data.

“The general feel in Copenhagen is perhaps less pessimistic than much of the rest of the globe. We have heard from many people not in Copenhagen that they are not hopeful that much will develop out of this conference. Many are doubtful that any concrete resolutions will be reached about the direction the global community should take to mitigate the effects of global warming. In Copenhagen, however, the demonstrations and vigilant hopefulness continue on.

“It is certainly difficult to say what the outcome of these talks will be. The main change may stem from those who were in Copenhagen to simply show support of the cause of curbing global warming. It is uncertain whether or not worldwide policy will develop, but it seems as though those citizens in Copenhagen will bring home a message of conservation, energy efficiency and personal responsibility to their communities, wherever they may be in the world.”

Published in Tech Today

Two Tech students are visiting Copenhagen this week during the UN’s international climate change conference. One of them is Adam Airoldi, a graduate student in forest ecology and management. His advisor is Associate Professor Andrew Burton (SFRES). Airoldi is doing research in Norway this semester, collaborating with the Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, on changes in the alpine tree line around a small copper-mining town in central Norway. Airoldi earned his bachelor’s in forestry in 2008. He is in Copenhagen on a graduate travel grant from the Ecosystem Science Center.

Read his entire report and see pictures from Copenhagen.