Restoring the Balance: Nature's Role in Future Climate

Since the Industrial Revolution, humans have driven a transformation of Earth’s climate, outpacing many of Earth’s natural cycles. But natural forces are still at work. SERC ecologist Pat Megonigal will illustrate some of the unseen forces driving climate change during a myth-busting journey from the massive ice sheets of Antarctica to microbes in the soil. He explores the natural phenomena both accelerating climate change and keeping it in check. Dr. Megonigal will also reveal ways people are already using nature to fight climate change, through natural climate solutions.
ABOUT OUR SPEAKER:
Dr. Pat Megonigal is an ecosystem ecologist with interests in carbon and greenhouse gas cycling in wetlands and forests, particularly as they relate to global change. He is the lead investigator of the Global Change Research Wetland, a world class facility dedicated to unraveling the complex ecological processes that confer stability on coastal marshes as they respond to global environmental change. He is also Associate Director for Research and Principal Investigator from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC).
The program was hosted by Greg Winchell, MDCRES Program Manager.
A question and answer session followed the presentation.
TIMELINE:
0:00 Presentation - Dr. Pat Megonigal
40:00 Q&A
This program was organized by the Metro Denver County chapter of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society and was recorded at their August 17, 2023 meeting. Contact us at [e-mail] or visit us online at www.cres-energy.org/.
Video production by Brian Beinlich, brianbeinlich.com.
Intro/outro music: “Glimpsing Infinity” by Asher Fulero via the RUclips Audio Library.
Intro/outro video by Jan Zakelj via Pexels.
ABOUT CRES:
For more than 25 years, the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and its local chapters have provided education, policy advocacy, and community engagement to accelerate Colorado toward a 100% renewable energy future. CRES is a statewide, non-partisan, non-profit, 501(c)3 membership organization that drives environmental, social, and economic benefits for our communities by promoting all forms of renewable energy, energy efficiency, storage, high-performance buildings, and other low- or zero-carbon solutions.
CRES features several local monthly speaker series throughout the state, provides speakers, experts, and workshops, and weighs in on state energy policy.
Learn more about CRES, membership, and how you can sign up to become a speaker or volunteer by visiting our website at cres-energy.org.