Addressing the Climate Problem and Seeking a New Energy Future

Stephen Pacala, the Frederick D. Petrie Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a past director of the Princeton Environmental Institute — now the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) — discusses the “collection” of unprecedented environmental problems that humanity currently faces: climate change, a shortage of fresh water, the threat of mass extinction and an urgent need to boost food production by 2050. For the past 50 years, Princeton has been at the forefront of interdisciplinary research related to renewable energy, environmental policy, and understanding and protecting our natural systems. A core focus today is providing a blueprint based on current technology for completely eliminating carbon from the United States’ energy infrastructure in the next 30 years. Pacala created HMEI’s flagship environmental studies course, “The Environmental Nexus,” to challenge Princeton undergraduates to think about and address our environmental crises from multiple perspectives.

This video is part of a series that premiered during the Princeton Environmental Forum to highlight the environmental research of HMEI as it marked its 25th anniversary.

(Video by Video Production Support and the Office of Communications)

Addressing the Climate Problem and Seeking a New Energy Future

Publish Date

October 29, 2019

Presenter(s)

Stephen Pacala

Link to Video

https://youtu.be/sbSrsLf47SI?t=15

Video Length

2:32

Stephen Pacala, the Frederick D. Petrie Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and a past director of the Princeton Environmental Institute — now the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) — discusses the “collection” of unprecedented environmental problems that humanity currently faces: climate change, a shortage of fresh water, the threat of mass extinction and an urgent need to boost food production by 2050. For the past 50 years, Princeton has been at the forefront of interdisciplinary research related to renewable energy, environmental policy, and understanding and protecting our natural systems. A core focus today is providing a blueprint based on current technology for completely eliminating carbon from the United States’ energy infrastructure in the next 30 years. Pacala created HMEI’s flagship environmental studies course, “The Environmental Nexus,” to challenge Princeton undergraduates to think about and address our environmental crises from multiple perspectives.

This video is part of a series that premiered during the Princeton Environmental Forum to highlight the environmental research of HMEI as it marked its 25th anniversary.

(Video by Video Production Support and the Office of Communications)