Meet the Delegates

Meet Nils: Master Student, Sustainability Advocate, Nature Enthusiast

On Living sustainably:

"The more I study the history of modern civilization and the relationship between the environment, the economy, and society, the more I realize that environmental degradation, economic mismanagement and social inequality are in fact merely symptoms and expressions of a fundamentally obsolete and unsustainable way of life. The best way to change this is to firstly recognize the scope, severity and interconnectedness of these problems and to secondly create individual, communal and global solutions.

A gradual shift from a largely fossil-fuel powered world to renewables is not only a question of macroeconomics and large-scale technologies, but will also require a personal commitment to lower energy consumption and a move away from a resource devouring economy. In addition to their obvious environmental benefits, renewables create many new jobs in countries that have been adjusting their economies and policies accordingly. Aside from the economic and environmental advantages, they also promote the creation of more resilient communities, producing and managing their own energy.

Switching energy consumption to renewables is merely one – albeit vital – step towards sustainable life. Many more will have to follow."


Nils Symanczyk
Graduate Student
History of Science & Technology
Technical University Berlin


Bio:
Nils Symanczyk is a graduate student of History of Science and Technology at the Technical University of Berlin. Focusing on the industrialization and high modernity of Europe and North America, he devotes most of his research to interdisciplinary fields of study related to environmental concerns. This includes the production of modern commodities such as oil, coffee, and livestock, environmental history and environmental ethics as well as technological utopias and dystopias in the literary genre. During academic exchanges at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Washington he participated in student debates and various classes on social and environmental issues. In 2013 Nils graduated from Freiburg University with a Bachelor of Arts in English and American Studies and Philosophy. 

Nils's research project is focused on “Post Peak Oil: Challenges and Opportunities for a New Paradigm.”

He will be tweeting, posting and commenting under the "token" #NiSy. 

Meet the Delegates

Meet Alexander: Master Student, Green Thinker, Energizer

On Going Green:

"As climate change is increasingly threatening communities around the globe, particularly the most vulnerable and least responsible ones, we begin to see the interconnectedness of social, economic and environmental challenges. Going green means much more than simply lowering CO2 emissions. It means questioning and rethinking our everyday behaviour and habits, public infrastructures, political and economic institutions. Luckily, win-win options are available: Shifting from fossil fuel-based towards renewable energy production will create jobs, while benefiting human health and environment alike. Retooling our cities towards sustainability will not only mean less dependence on cars and more resilience to climate change but also improve human well-being. Most importantly, moving beyond the paradigm of unlimited economic growth will make capital productive again and put communities back at the center of economic activity – all while lowering our environmental impact. It's time to turn those bold ideas into reality!"  #AF

Alexander Franke

Graduate Student

Political Science

Otto-Suhr-Institute, Free University Berlin

Bio:

Enrolled in a research-based masters program in political science at the well-known Otto Suhr Institute at the Free University of Berlin, Mr. Franke’s research interests include renewable energy politics and the political dimensions of energy transitions. Prior, he studied, among other universities, at SciencesPo Paris and the University of Heidelberg, where he received a B.A. in political science and public law. Following an internship of 6 months in their Washington DC office, he started working for the Heinrich Böll Foundation, a German green political think tank, in 2013. At the foundation, he is an editor for the German Energy Transition project (http://energytransition.de): It explains the policies and politics of the German “Energiewende” to an international audience. The aim is to overcome existing misunderstandings about Germany's energy transition in the hope to foster an international exchange on energy and sustainability transitions. Apart from his academic focus on renewables, he is particularly interested in urban sustainability and ideas of post-growth. 

Alexander's contribution to the Summit will be on “Framing of solar energy by advocates in Germany and the United States – the importance of culture and narratives”

Alexander will be posting, commenting, tweeting under the "token" AF / #AF

Meet the Delegates

Meet Natasha: Master Student, Debater, World-Changer

“The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” - Alice Walker

“A lot of times people are convinced changing their own behavior or actions cannot cause change. In believing that their individual action will not contribute to change they feel dis-empowered and neglect the fact that collective action can cause change and empower people. I am convinced this also applies to the way in which the impact of climate change is handled. Climate change is no longer the problem of future generations. It already impacts the well-being of our generation and is partially caused by our individual actions and thus, requires a change of our behavior. In times when climate change poses one of the biggest contemporary global challenges, as its’ impact undermines livelihoods, contributes to poverty, hinders economic growths and threatens human rights such as the right to water, food and health, collective action becomes even more important. Nonetheless, collective action requires the involvement and taking responsibility of all parts of society, including governmental agencies, NGOs, civil society, and the individual." #NC

Natasha Cherifi

Graduate Student
International Studies / Peace and Conflict Studies
Technical University Darmstadt /
Wolfgang Goethe University Frankfurt

Bio:

Enrolled in the research-based master’s program “International Studies/Peace and Conflict studies”, offered jointly by the Goethe University Frankfurt and the TU Darmstadt, in cooperation with the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt (PRIF), the focus of Ms Cherifi’s studies is on climate change and peace/conflict. She intends to complete her research work with a M.A thesis in the fall of 2015. Furthermore, Ms Cherifi is currently working as a student assistant at AbbVie, a global innovative biopharmaceutical company, at the department of Governmental Affairs and Strategic Health Initiatives. During her B.A in political science at the University of Marburg, she studied at Juniata College, PA, USA. In 2011 Ms Cherifi participated at the NMUN Conference in New York, and later trained following delegations as well as headed the debating club of the UN society Marburg. Before attending college, she carried out a European voluntary service at a HIV and sexual health charity in Oxford, UK. In addition to that she volunteered as the British Red Cross Oxfordshire Refugee Service Coordinator. There she worked closely with refugees and asylum seekers. This experience has led Ms Cherifi to be personally invested in questions of climate change and its impact on the displacement of people and future migration flows.

Natasha’s contribution to the summit will be focused on:“Environmental migration and conflict”

Natasha will be posting, tweeting and commenting under the "token" NC / #NC

Meet the Delegates

Introducing the Young Minds 

behind Green Made in DE

In the following blog posts we would like to introduce you all to the young minds that make up our delegation to the 1st International Environmental Youth Summit in Atlanta. The young experts pursue different research in various departments at several high-ranking German universities. Together they form an interdisciplinary brain pool from which we hope will spring some highly interesting and forward-looking projects. We want to take the time to introduce everyone of them individually, as the inspiring young people that they are, but also to give you an idea about the fascinating approaches they all have to the issues of climate change, environmental stewardship and sustainability. 

Each delegate will also choose a "token" under which they will write their own blog posts, tweets and short comments. If you want to respond to them or get in touch, please always use their token (on twitter it will be their #) and they'll get back to you directly. 

Before we start with our first delegate, Ms Cherifi, we wanted to provide you with an overview and preview of the delegates:

©LeaLösch     

Selecting Students, Joining Forces, Creating the Delegation

The interest in the 1st International Youth Summit was overwhelming. With the call sent out to universities and colleges across the entire country and to as many different departments as possible, the applications from very diverse students came rolling in on a daily basis. This response has shown us that students from all backgrounds care about the issues and want to do their part on the path to a more sustainable future.

After making some tough decisions on the overall excellent applications of the many students, the selection process went into the interview round. Meeting the young minds behind the inquisitive research on the impacts of climate change and environmental pollution as well as the powerful ideas for mitigation, adaptation and sustainability was inspiring and made the decision who to take an even harder one.

In the end, however, the selection committee pulled together a diverse interdisciplinary group of 7 students from all degree levels, who have each very unique approaches to the topic of the summit. We will start introducing them one after another in this blog, starting the the second week of August.

Meanwhile the team pulling together the I. Part of the delegation's visit to the region is hard at work. The program, which is now taking shape, will bring the students to various stops in Atlanta and the region: Ranging from visits with German industry located in the area, to the City of Atlanta, from connecting with conservation groups, farmers, and business leaders, to discovering the beautiful city of Savannah. We are particularly excited about working with colleges and high schools in the area, since one of the main goals of the program is to connect the next generation of leaders in the areas of sustainability and environmental stewardship, across borders in lasting networks.

By the end of July, the German Student Delegation, has had its first Skype conference, during which the students met and organized for a get-together in Berlin later this months. Here, the delegates will have the opportunity to truly connect and discuss their own research work as well as discuss their outreach strategies during the visit and their presentation at the summit.

The delegation also took to twitter and is excited about the positive feedback of the social media outreach; already several institutions and organizations have reached out to find a way to connect with us and show us the impeccable efforts that Atlanta and the region has been making to incorporate ideas about sustainability in their daily work.

In this sense, please feel free to contact us any time if you would like to connect and find ways to cooperate with us during and after the summit.

We are looking forward to introducing the 7 delegates and our Regional Coordinator, who is a student herself, to you and hear your feedback and ideas.

Stay tuned.

International Youth Summit on Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability 2015

The Origins, the Beginning and the Call for Papers

Enlarge image(© European Commission)

In September 2014, the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany joined the US EPA, Region 4 in Atlanta for the first time at the 3rd Environmental Youth Symposium for Colleges and Universities in the Southeast. Based on this cooperation, the two organizations developed the idea to host the 1st International Youth Summit on Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability on October 2nd, 2015.

Having received funding through the German Federal Foreign Office, the Consulate General in Atlanta is delighted to invite a select group of students across all disciplines to travel to Atlanta and the Southeastern United States to explore sustainable efforts and the region’s unique approach to the issues connected with climate change.

The EPA International Youth Summit will offer the participating students the opportunity to present their own creative solutions for a more sustainable future to an international audience comprised of representatives from government, non-governmental organizations, industry and most importantly fellow university students.

With a wide range of international partners the International Youth Summit is a unique pilot project that will connect students from various cultural and academic backgrounds with each other and stakeholders in society. The idea is to create a lasting network of current and future decision makers that will facilitate the dialog and share research and technology to help solve the problems of tomorrow with innovative ideas.

At this very moment, partners from across the globe are pulling their resources to help create the programs, including the conference and various networking opportunities for all participants.

Please check back often, since there will be updates on speakers and events.

All others:  EPA Region 4’s "Call for Papers" and "Poster Competition" to be announced shortly.

Part I:
German Student Delegation visit, September 24th - October 4th
Tour through the Southeastern United States
Atlanta (GA), Chattanooga (TN), Savannah (GA)
September 25 – October 1, 2015
Program   (tbd)

Part II:   
1st International Youth Summit Conference, October 2nd, 2015
US EPA, Region 4 Headquarters, Atlanta, Georgia                            
Agenda    (tbd)