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Sustainability

The crisis of climate-driven extinction
Erol Akçay, Michael Mann, Zinta Zommers, and Simon Richter seat4ed on stage in front of a crowd.

From left: Erol Akçay, associate professor of biology in the School of Arts & Sciences; Michael Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science in the School of Arts & Sciences, with a secondary appointment in the Annenberg School for Communication; Zinta Zommers, humanitarian affairs officer with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and served as the Wolk Visiting Fellow (2021-22) and a Visiting Fellow (2022-23) at the Perry World House; and Simon Richter, professor of Germanic languages and literatures, a Perry World House faculty fellow, a faculty fellow of Penn Institute of Urban Research, and a faculty advisory board member of the Water Center at Penn.

(Image: Courtesy of Gabrielle Szcepanek)

The crisis of climate-driven extinction

In a session moderated by Simon Richter, panelists Erol Akçay, Michael Mann, and Zinta Zommers discussed the impact of climate change on efforts to conserve biological diversity.
Climate Week 2023 highlights the links between biodiversity and the climate crisis
wildfire with smoke in a forest Wildfires are becoming increasingly common as a result of the climate crisis, endangering biodiversity and humans.

(Image: iStock/Toa55)

Climate Week 2023 highlights the links between biodiversity and the climate crisis

The climate crisis impacts everyone. During Climate Week at Penn, which will be held from Sept. 18-22, everyone is invited to find their place in the climate movement.

Liana F. Wait

Shifting the climate narrative
The sky glows yellow and purple after a strong summer storm in Philly.

On Sept. 12, PBS, WHYY, and the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media are set to gather a group of community leaders, journalists, science communicators, and scientists to explore the role of storytelling in climate change education.

(Image: iStock / Luke Chen)

Shifting the climate narrative

In a Q&A with Penn Today, Michael Mann of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability, and the Media shares his views on the role of storytelling in the fight against climate change.
Climate change will raise sea levels, cause apocalyptic floods and displace almost a billion people

Climate change will raise sea levels, cause apocalyptic floods and displace almost a billion people

Michael Mann of the School of Arts & Sciences says that the displacement of hundreds of millions of climate refugees is inevitable but would take place over a much more manageable timeline if carbon emissions were immediately reduced, as opposed to continuing with current rates of fossil fuel burning.