HBCU Climate Change Initiative: Growing HBCU Voices on Climate Change: The 4th Annual HBCU Climate Change Conference

 描述(由申请人提供)：迪拉德大学深南环境正义中心将召开HBCU 2015年第三届学生年会，弥合气候变化理论和经验之间的差距。大会将于2015年3月30日至4月3日在迪拉德大学校园举行。虽然气候变化的事实不再存在争议，但HBCU的学生需要机会与研究人员和科学家就气候变化的预期影响进行接触。1987年至2002年进行的11项主要国际研究都预测了由气候变化引起的重大灾害，包括洪水增加、平均大气温度升高、全球平均海平面升高、降水增加、干旱增加、大气持水能力增加、热浪增加、风暴强度增加、能量更强的海浪、进一步向内陆蔓延的风暴潮、城市排污和排水系统能力不足、枯萎病增加、港口城市更加脆弱，以及对弱势群体的不成比例的影响。HBCU的学生和教职员工，其中许多来自弱势社区，应该接触到气候变化可能对他们的社区和其他人口部分产生的影响。我们的会议打算提供这样的体验。我们的第一个目标是教育HBCU的学生成为受气候影响的社区的领导者和倡导者。我们的第二个目标是教育HBCU的学生与不成比例地接触毒素、健康差距、气候变化及其影响、气候正义、适应、社区复原力以及其他适应和缓解气候变化的主要主题有关的问题。这次会议将把学生、环境正义和受与气候变化有关的有毒设施和恶劣天气事件影响的沿海社区居民聚集在一起，以弥合气候变化理论和经验现实之间的差距。学生与会者将在会议上开展以下活动： 由该领域专家领导的小组和全体会议；参观/与目前受气候变化影响的墨西哥湾沿岸社区以及生活在毒素中的EJ社区的互动；HBCU学生小组演讲和利用TRI数据的EJ研究项目；HBCU学生海报会议，强调研究项目的开展和他们的研究结果；还向学生介绍气候正义的概念，其中涉及完全理解一些社区如何以及为什么受到气候变化的不成比例的影响。在这个项目的背景下，必须全面审查非裔美国人的状况，因为它与有毒物质接触和环境健康影响有关。居住在附近的有毒设施之间的相互联系及其对生产的贡献 温室气体(CO污染物)是学生在构建气候正义的框架内需要理解的一个重要概念。此外，学生们还能够评估非裔美国人因居住在TRI设施附近并生活在气候变化的影响中而面临的更大的健康风险。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The Dillard University Deep South Center for Environmental Justice will convene our 3rd Annual HBCU Student Conference 2015 Bridging the Gap between Climate Change Theory and Experience. The conference will be held on the campus of Dillard University, March 30 - April 3, 2015. While the fact of climate change is no longer subject to dispute, students at HBCUs need opportunities to engage with researchers and scientists about the expected impacts of climate change. Eleven major international studies conducted from 1987 to 2002 all predict significant climate change-induced hazards, including increased flooding, higher mean atmospheric temperatures, higher global mean sea levels, increased precipitation, increased droughts, increased atmospheric moisture-holding capacity, increased heat waves, increased strength of storms, more energetic waves, storm surges that reach further inland, under-capacity of urban sewerage and drainage systems, increased blight, increased vulnerability of port cities, and disproportionate impacts on disadvantaged population segments. HBCU students and faculty, many of whom are from disadvantaged communities, should be exposed to the impacts climate change could have in their communities and in other population segments. Our conference intends to offer such an experience. Our first objective is to educate HBCU students to become leaders and advocates for climate-impacted communities. Our second objective is to educate HBCU students on issues related to disproportionate exposure to toxins, health disparities, climate change and its impacts, climate justice, adaptation, community resilience, and other major climate change adaptation and mitigation topics. The conference will bring together students, Environmental Justice and coastal community residents impacted by toxic facilities and severe weather events related to climate change, in order to bridge the gap between theory and the experiential realities of climate change. Student participants will engage in the following activities at the conference:  Panels and plenaries led by experts in the field;  Tours/interactions with Gulf Coast communities currently impacted by climate change as well as EJ communities living with toxins;  HBCU student panel presentations on climate change and EJ research projects utilizing TRI data; and  HBCU student poster session highlighting the conduct of research projects and their findings Students are also introduced to the concept of Climate Justice which involves a complete understanding of how and why some communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change. In the context of this project, one must include a total examination of the African-American condition as it relates to toxic exposure and environmental health impacts. The interconnections between living near, toxic facilities and their contribution to the production of greenhouse gases (Co pollutants) is an important concept for students to understand within the construct of Climate Justice. Additionally, students are able to assess the increased health risks that African-Americans are exposed to by living near TRI facilities and living with the impacts of climate change.