September 3, 2009

MEDIA CONTACT:
Nick Massella
202-994-3087; massella@gwu.edu

SENATOR JOHN KERRY TO KEYNOTE CONFERENCE ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND NATIONAL SECURITY AT THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SEPT. 10, 2009

EVENT:  The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs and the American Security Project will host a half-day conference titled "The Day Before: A Conference on the National Security Implications of Climate Change." Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) will deliver the keynote address.

WHEN:   Thursday, Sept. 10, 2009; 8:15 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

SCHEDULE: 

*Final agenda will be released at a later date

-8:15 - 8:45 a.m. - Registration
-8:45 - 9 a.m. - Welcoming Remarks
-9 - 9:30 a.m. - Opening Remarks (Speaker TBD)
-9:30 - 10:30 a.m. - Panel Discussion
-10:30 - 11:20 a.m. - Remarks by Dr. Michael Oppenheimer, director, Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy, Princeton University
-11:30 - 12:30 p.m. - Remarks by Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.)

PANELISTS: 

-Dr. Bernard Finel, senior fellow, American Security Project
-Ms. Ladeene Freimuth, founder, Freimuth Group, LLC
-Dr. Charles Glaser, founding director, GW's Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies
-Vice Admiral Dennis McGinn, USN (Ret.)
-Dr. Adil Najam, director, Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future; professor of international relations and geography, Boston University

WHERE:  

The George Washington University

Jack Morton Auditorium

805 21st St., NW, Washington, D.C.

Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro (Orange and Blue lines)

RSVP:  

This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required. RSVP to rsvpesia@gwu.edu. Media are welcome and should RSVP to Nick Massella at 202-994-3087 or massella@gwu.edu.

BACKGROUND:

The conference will discuss how climate change will impact food shortages, scarcity of resources and mass migration and the stability of countries and national and international security. Participants will also discuss the implications of climate change as it relates to U.S. military operations and economic competitiveness and announce details about a new American Security Project initiative aimed at analyzing the national security implications of climate change. 

The American Security Project (ASP) is a non-profit, bipartisan public policy research and education initiative dedicated to fostering knowledge and understanding of a range of national security and foreign policy issues. It is organized around the belief that honest public discussion of national security requires an informed citizenry-one that understands the dangers and opportunities of the 21st Century and the spectrum of available responses. ASP was formed to help Americans-from opinion leaders to the general public-understand how national security issues relate directly to them, and to explain challenges and threats in a way that spurs constructive action.

The George Washington University's Elliott School of International Affairs is one of the world?s leading schools of international affairs. Located in the heart of Washington, D.C., its mission is to educate the next generation of international leaders, conduct research that advances understanding of important global issues and engage the policy community in the United States and around the world. 

- GW -