ONLINE: Nelson Institute Earth Day Conference

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courtesy Ayana Elizabeth Johnson

Urban Ocean Lab founder Ayana Elizabeth Johnson is a keynote speaker for the 2021 Nelson Institute Earth Day conference.

UW-Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies is named after Gaylord Nelson, the man who started Earth Day, so it’s only logical that celebrating Earth Day is a big deal there. This year the theme is “Nature at Work: Inspiring Just Responses for an Unruly World” and two days of live and pre-recorded sessions (all presented online) will discuss the ways the natural world is indeed becoming more unruly. Keynote speaker marine biologist Ayana Johnson will discuss her book All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis and focus on the topic of environmental justice (live at 6:30 p.m. Thursday). A complete rundown of the packed schedule and registration information can be found at earthday.nelson.wisc.edu.

press release: Join University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies for a virtual celebration of Earth Day Thursday, April 22 through Friday, April 23, 2021. This event titled, Nature at Work: Inspiring Just Responses for an Unruly World will feature a wide range of live and prerecorded sessions from speakers who will discuss the ways in which an unruly climate, biodiversity decline, and water scarcity are placing a significant and unjust burden on the most vulnerable populations.  

The virtual conference will feature keynote speaker Ayana Johnson, PhD, a marine biologist, policy expert, and writer who will discuss her book, All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis as well as conservation solutions rooted in environmental justice including the Urban Ocean Lab, a think tank she founded for the future of coastal cities. Her session will be live beginning at 6:30 p.m. CDT.

"The Nelson Institute's Earth Day programming has become a global phenomenon. People tune in to learn and share about environmental issues, sustainability, and justice from around the world,” said Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies Dean Paul Robbins. “This year is likely to be even bigger, with programming that touches on issues ranging from food and energy to Indigenous Ecological Knowledge. And Dr. Ayana Johnson's keynote is a be there event; her book, "All We Can Save" is important, moving, and urgent."

In addition to the keynote address, the learning event will feature several live and prerecorded sessions on a variety of topics ranging from equitable outdoor access and the food, energy, water (FEW) Nexus to Nature-based solutions (NbS) and the parallels between COVID-19 and climate change.

Following the success from last year, the Nelson Institute will once again be partnering with the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council and Evolution Marketing, LLC to lead a virtual session on sustainable business. The session tilted, "The future of work: how to create a just & sustainable workplace culture" will explore emerging trends and data related to the changing workforce landscape and dive into how businesses are adapting. From the lens of social sustainability, you will hear directly from businesses showcasing actions you can take to address these trends and how to be prepared for the future of work.

"We are excited to offer the 2021 Earth Day programming virtually again this year,” said Nelson Institute Assistant Director of Community Engagement & Alumni Relations, Emily Reynolds. “The 2021 Earth Day: Nature at Work: Inspiring Just Responses for an Unruly World will feature an array of talks with speakers from Dr. Ayana Johnson to Green New Deal architect and Roosevelt Institute Climate Policy Director, Rhiana Gunn-Wright, to Professor of Environment and Sustainability, Kyle Whyte, and many others sharing their perspectives on critical environmental topics."

To view the complete conference program and register, visit https://earthday.nelson.wisc.edu/.