News
Fall 2022 Third Global Sustainability Conference
On November 3rd and 4th, the Patel College of Global Sustainability (PCGS) successfully held the Third Global Sustainability Conference, titled "Innovations for Resiliency", which was open to the public. The distinguished speakers included thought leaders, practitioners from industries, academia, and community organizations, moderated by PCGS faculty. Through this Conference, the Patel College engaged the community in scholarly discourse on developing innovative solutions to mitigate the disruptions caused by climate change, the pandemic, and other socio-economic factors.
The need to address climate issues is more urgent than ever. Conference speakers gave presentations on how their companies and organizations were addressing these challenges and which innovations they have put in place to ensure resiliency in their practices and operations. Sustainability is a broad spectrum to study; thus, the Conference covered multiple topics, which were presented throughout a number of panel discussions. Resilient infrastructure; innovative and sustainable business, finance, and investment; nexus of resiliency and ecosystem restorations; and innovations in climate-resilient food
and agriculture were the main themes of the Conference. Various valuable insights were provided, including the tracking of greenhouse gas emissions, impacts of heat and sea water rise, transparency and accountability within organizations, and more. The recent impact of Hurricane Ian was also discussed when proposing potential solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation.
As the discussion progressed, concerns, questions, and opposite perspectives were voiced. For instance, several attendees expressed their concern about whether government departments and big corporations were taking immediate action and constructing future environmental plans. Despite different backgrounds and viewpoints, conference attendees engaged in a thoughtful conversation and unanimously voiced their support for sustainability on the local and global scale.
"To make our communities more resilient, it’s essential that we work together across all sectors to create solutions. The conference was a good opportunity for us to hear from experts in all fields of sustainability, discuss how we can work together, and invigorate new ideas and collaborations", said distinguished speaker Sara Kane, Sarasota County's Sustainability Program Supervisor, and a PCGS alumna.
