August 2012 Presentation

LOOKING FORWARD:
LOCAL SOLUTIONS TO GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

In the 21st Century, as global environmental challenges like climate change, clean air, and safe drinking water are exacerbated, the United States is exploring new ways to create a cleaner planet.

Dr. Griffin Thompson will lead a discussion on how the State Department promotes local solutions to global environmental challenges. Dr. Thompson's talk will demonstrate how many international climate and energy initiatives draw upon innovation at the local level. Furthermore, he will explain how these initiatives can ultimately serve the social and economic interests of local communities. Drawing on colorful examples and broad experience, Dr. Thompson will articulate the many economic and social benefits our U.S. foreign policy initiatives deliver to states and cities across the United States.

Griffin M. Thompson, Ph.D.
Branch Chief, Senior Climate Change Program Manager
Bureau of Oceans, Environment and Science
U.S. Department of State

Dr. Thompson represents the Bureau on all energy matters regarding the environmental impacts of energy production and use, with primary emphasis on the intersection between energy and climate change. This entails providing technical and policy guidance and strategic planning recommendations on cleaner fossil, renewable energy, and energy efficiency technologies and practices. As the Bureau's renewable energy specialist, Dr. Thompson is asked to provide strategic and policy guidance on the nexus between renewable energy and the U.S. Government's diplomatic, climate change, and development objectives. Specific responsibilities include:

• U.S. Government lead negotiator on Technology within the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

• U.S. Government co-chair on U.S. review of IPCC Special Report on Renewable Energy (SSREN) chapter on "Renewable Energy and Sustainable Development"

• U.S. Government representative on the International Steering Committee of the Renewable Energy Policy Network of the 21st Century (REN21) - Paris, France

• U.S. Government representative on the Governing Board of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) - Vienna, Austria

• Lead U.S. Negotiator for Energy at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development - New York City

Griffin Thompson is is also responsible for planning, designing, and managing the Department's energy and climate project portfolio (over $220M for FY10/11). This includes facilitating the strategic development of the programs, generating the substantive policy, technical and budgetary rationale for the programs, and managing the disbursements of the funds and the implementation of the entire project portfolio: clean energy, adaptation, and sustainable landscapes. Working in support of the U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, Dr. Thompson provides strategic and technical guidance to ensure that the funds appropriated to the Department for climate programs are consistent with and complementary to the United States' negotiating strategy within the UNFCCC, and the broader development objectives of the U.S. Government.

Dr. Thompson has a B.A. in English from Gonzaga University, and a Ph.D. in Political Philosophy from Georgetown University.

For questions, please contact Kelli Crain at (509) 624-1050 or kelli@msi-engineers.com

IMPORTANT! Please RSVP on or before Monday, August 13th, to guarantee your seat for this important presentation. The Lincoln Center requires our RSVP count 72 hours before each event. Thank you.

Share this event