The Aspen Institute

Featuring Gina McCarthy, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Natural Resources Defense Council and Elliot Gerson, Executive Vice President of the Aspen Institute, this conversation explored the intersections between systemic racism, climate change and health, with a particular focus on the COVID-19 global pandemic. Gina McCarthy reminded us that if we don’t change the way we think and talk about these systemic challenges, people will be continually surprised that Black Americans are disproportionately impacted by environmental pollution or that Latinos have higher asthma rates than white Americans, rather than taking action to combat the well-known health disparities tied to the environment and race. It is low-income and communities of color that are continually left behind in so many areas and we must address and take responsibility for the systemic racism that are exacerbated by climate change.

Through timely and engaging discussions with industry thought leaders and rising stars, this series will offer a fresh angle on the nexus of climate change as it relates key issues, including energy, agriculture and food systems, health, resilience and water.

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V. July 9 – Innovators in Sustainable Business 

VI. July 22

VII. August 5

VIII. August 10

IX. September 2