Science-based Targets for Faith: A Global Colloquium
- When: May 11th 2023 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
- Where: Georgetown University, Copley Formal Lounge
- RSVP: RSVP
Georgetown University and the World Resources Institute welcome you to the Science-based Targets for Faith: A Global Colloquium on May 11-12, 2023 in Washington, DC. This in-person dialogue and convening will be hosted in the Copley Formal Lounge on the historic campus of Georgetown University in Washington D.C.
The colloquium explores organizational management practices and methods advanced by faith-based organizations to collect energy data, manage energy performance and set Science-Based-Targets (SBTs) in alignment with the Paris Agreement. The convening will include a progress report on the WRI-Georgetown Science-based Targets for Faith project, knowledge exchange between global thought leaders and faith-based practitioners seeking to grow global communities of practice.
Participants include leaders from global faith-based organizations and stakeholders engaged in the WRI-Georgetown SBT-F initiative, leading organizations working to mitigate the causes of climate change and leading researchers supporting these efforts.
Individuals and organizations seeking additional information may reach out to: sbtf@georgetown.edu.
AGENDA
9:30am Welcome
Uwe S. Brandes, Professor of the Practice; Faculty Director Georgetown
Global Cities Initiative; Principal Investigator, SBTF Project
Alberto Pallecchi, Acting Director, WRI Faith & Sustainability Initiative
Quentin Dupont, S.J. Ph.D., Assistant Professor, McDonough School of Business
10:30am Panel 1: Grounding the Dialogue
Rev. Susan Hendershot, President, Interfaith Power and Light
Where is the FBO community on climate?
Michael Danielson, Senior Associate, Science-based Targets Initiative, World Resources Institute
What is science-based target setting and why does it matter?
Christopher Pyke, Ph.D., Co-PI, SBTF Project; Adjunct Faculty, Georgetown University; Chief Innovation Officer, GRESB; Senior Fellow, United States Green Building Council
Where are we on global real asset measurement?
Moderated by Uwe Brandes
Noon Lunch & Networking
1:00pm Panel 2: Voices of Leadership from the SBT-F Pilot-Phase
Walter Ganapini, Coordinator Scientific Committee 'Project for the Sustainability of Saint Peter's Basilica' at the Fabric of Saint Peter
Olivia Wilkinson, Ph. D., Director of Research, Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
Jodie Salter, Research Advisor, Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
Floyd Lawlet, Provincial Secretary of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines
Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins, Rector of Grace Church Millbrook, NY Episcopal Church
Thomas Gould, Committee Aide, The Episcopal Diocese of New York, NY Episcopal Church
Moderated by Alberto Pallecchi
2:30 pm Panel 3: Growing Global Communities of Practice
Jerry Lawson, National Manager for Small Business and Congregations, Energy Star Program, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Liore Milgrom-Gartner, Deputy Climate Action Director, Adamah
Telmo Olascoaga Michel, Ecology Officer, Jesuit European Social Centre
Gabrielle Pollet, Ecological Transition Officer, Jesuit Western European Provinces
Megan Chapple, Vice President of Sustainability, Georgetown University
Moderated by Uwe Brandes
4:00pm Reception
5:00pm Adjourn
Note: The following day, on Friday May 12 from 9:00am-10:15am, we will host a virtual-only reporting session which will summarize the dialogue and findings of the previous day. In order to attend this webinar, please RSVP here.
PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Georgetown University, The Earth Commons Institute
Georgetown University, Global Cities Initiative
Georgetown University, Office of Mission & Ministry
Georgetown University, Office of Sustainability
Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities
Science-based Targets Initiative
Syracuse University, Sustainable Enterprise Partnership
United States Green Building Council
Washington City Church of the Brethren
World Resources Institute, Faith & Sustainability Initiative
SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES (in order of the agenda)
Welcome & Opening Reflections
Uwe S. Brandes
Uwe S. Brandes is professor of the practice, faculty director of the Urban & Regional Planning Program and faculty director of the Georgetown Global Cities Initiative. He serves as chair of the District of Columbia Commission on Climate Change & Resiliency. He previously served as Senior Vice President at the Urban Land Institute where he formed the Climate Change, Land Use and Energy (CLUE) program and institutionalized the ULI Greenprint Center for Building Performance. Brandes holds a Master of Architecture from Harvard University and A.B. in Engineering Science from Dartmouth College Thayer School of Engineering.
Alberto Pallecchi
Alberto Pallecchi is Acting Director for the World Resource Institute’s Faith and Sustainability Initiative, where he supports existing and new faith-based projects in the area of sustainability. Prior to joining WRI, Alberto worked with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation; the European University Institute (EUI) and the Italian General Consulate in Miami.
Alberto holds a cum laude master’s degree in Political Science from La Sapienza University of Rome, a second master’s degree in International Communication from Hanze University of Groningen, and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from Roma Tre University.
Quentin Dupont
Quentin Dupont is an Assistant Professor in the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University and a member of the Society of Jesus. He received his undergraduate degree from the Catholic University of Lille, France, and his Master's degrees in Finance and Banking from the University of Paris, Business Administration from the University of Washington, Philosophy from Fordham University, and Divinity and Theology from Boston College. Father Dupont completed his Ph.D. in Finance and Business Economics at the University of Washington.
Rev. Susan Hendershot
Reverend Susanne Hendershot is the President of Interfaith Power & Light, a nationwide interfaith climate action organization. She serves as a member of the steering committee for the National Environmental Network. She is ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and holds a Master of Divinity from Emory University and a Bachelor's degree in Religious Studies from Bethany College.
Michael Danielson
Mike Danielson is a Senior Associate with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) at the World Resources Institute. He is an expert in air emissions inventory development across multiple industries. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master's in Civil and Environmental Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Christopher Pyke, Ph.D.
Christopher Pyke is the Senior Vice President for Product for ArcSkoru at the United States Green Building Council; Co-Principal Investigator for the Green Health Partnership, and faculty member in the Georgetown Urban and Regional Planning Program. He has been lead author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and co-chair of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program Interagency Working Group on Human Contributions and Responses to Climate Change. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Geology from the College of William and Mary and a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Federico Butera, Ph.D.
Federico Butera is a professor emeritus of environmental technical physics at the Politecnico di Milano and a member of the 'Project for the Sustainability of Saint Peter's Basilica' at the Fabric of Saint Peter. He has been actively involved in the field of solar energy applications, low-energy architecture, and sustainable urban development for over 40 years. He has received several awards, including the Demetra Award and the "Robert Schuman" Europe We Want Prize in 2021. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Palermo.
Olivia Wilkinson, Ph. D.
Olivia Wilkinson is the Director of Research for the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities. She has recently investigated the position of local faith actors in the localization of humanitarian and refugee response. She holds a PhD and Master's degree in humanitarian action from Trinity College Dublin and Université catholique de Louvain, respectively, and an undergraduate degree in Theology and Religious Studies from the University of Cambridge.
Jodie Salter
Jodie Salter is a researcher at the University of Leeds' Centre for Religion and Public Life, and a Research Advisor for the Joint Learning Initiative on Faith and Local Communities where she supports their work on faith actors in climate action and environmental sustainability. She recently co-authored a journal article with Dr. Wilkinson on faith actors’ definitions and usage of the term Climate Change. She is a PhD candidate in Religious Studies at the University of Leeds.
Floyd Lawlet
Floyd Lawlet is the National Development Officer and Provincial Secretary of the Episcopal Church in the Philippines.
Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins
Rev. Dr. Matthew Calkins is the Rector of Grace Church Millbrook, a parish within the Episcopal Church located in New York. Rev. Calkins has been a member of Grace Church since 1990, when he began attending with his wife and son. Prior to his current position, he served in parishes in Connecticut for 16 years. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from Middlebury College, a Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Hartford Seminary.
Thomas Gould
Thomas Gould is the Communications Manager at Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns and Committee Aide at the Episcopal Diocese of New York, where he assists the Creation Care committee in helping 180 parishes in the diocese to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Gould holds a Bachelor's degree in Humanities from Yale University and was a member of the Yale Secretary's Student Advisory Committee.
Jerry Lawson
Jerry Lawson is a national manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR programs for the faith community and small business. Lawson has held several leadership positions, including Executive Director for Conservation, Customer Service, Rates & Forecasting at the Lower Colorado River Authority, Director of the City of Austin Resource Management Department, and Deputy Director for Conservation and Renewable Resources at the Arkansas Department of Energy. He has a Bachelor's degree from the University of Arkansas and a Master's degree in Public Affairs from Arizona State University, with a focus on energy and public finance.
Telmo Olascoaga Michel
Telmo Olascoaga Michel is an Ecology Officer at the Jesuit European Social Centre, where he works at the intersection of ecology, international economics, public policy, and justice. He has a Double Bachelor's degree in Law and Business Management from the University of Deusto and a Double Master's degree in International Relations and International Political Economy from King's College London.
Gabrielle Pollet
Gabrielle Pollet is an Ecological Transition Officer of the Jesuit Western European French-speaking Provinces, where she is responsible for overseeing the ecological transition efforts of the Jesuits. She has worked as a Parliamentary Assistant to the National Assembly of France, as well as a project carrier and environmental lawyer at Eau de Paris. She holds a Licence and Master’s in General Public Law from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and a second Master’s in Environmental Law from Paris-Sud 11 University.
Liore Milgrom-Gartner
Liore Milgrom-Gartner is the Deputy Climate Action Director at Adamah, a non-profit organization working towards a more environmentally sustainable world while strengthening Jewish life. Prior to her current position, she was the Northern California Director at California Interfaith Power & Light, and Transportation Specialist at San Francisco Department of the Environment. She has a Bachelor's degree in Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences and a Master's degree in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University.
Megan Chapple
Meghan Chapple serves as the Vice President of Sustainability at Georgetown University. Most recently she led George Washington University through its comprehensive sustainability strategy process, and established the institution’s reputation as a leader in sustainability. Among other relevant roles, she has advised Fortune 50 corporations at SustainAbility and Odwaga, managed the global business education network at World Resources Institute, and led youth education for The Nature Conservancy in southside Chicago. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from Northwestern University, an MBA in Corporate Strategy, and a Master's degree in Environmental Policy from the University of Michigan.