2:30pm – Unlocking Climate Solutions with NGEN Explorers
Groundbreaking research from the front lines of climate science, with The Explorers Club’s Next Generation Exploration Network, a group of Explorers Club members under the age of 35 who are changing the world.
Special introduction by Sarah, Duchess of York
- Rosemary Ostfeld – How To Fight Climate Change At Every Meal with Healthy PlanEat
- Reuven Bank – Climate Stars: How Restoring Endangered Sunflower Sea Stars Can Contribute to Kelp Forest Recovery and Mitigate the Impacts of Climate Change
- Neal Kelso – The Power of Ecological Calendars in a Volatile Pacific Climate
- Travis Bayer – Emerging Technology for Wildlife Conservation in a Changing World: A Case Study of Neotropical Bats
- Alexandra Climent – Protecting the Ecological Corridor of the Americas: The Darién Gap
- Hari Budha Magar
This NGEN Symposium will be moderated by NGEN Coordinator Grace Cordsen, MN’17.
5:00pm – XPRIZE Rainforest: Innovating for Biodiversity’s Future
Solution Showcase and Reception in Collaboration with Conservation International
Join us for a showcase of groundbreaking solutions from the six finalist teams of the XPRIZE Rainforest competition, in collaboration with Conservation International, dedicated to advancing biodiversity monitoring in some of the world’s most vital ecosystems. Featuring cutting-edge technologies such as drone-deployed sensors, eDNA analysis, and AI-driven data insights, this event highlights the intersection of innovation and conservation, paving the way for a sustainable and peaceful future in harmony with nature.
7pm – Peace with Nature in Colombia: The Road to the Biodiversity COP16
Few, if any, other countries have matched Colombia’s efforts in halting deforestation and beginning to truly enforce protections for the vital ecosystems that make all life possible on this planet. As a result, Colombia is becoming the premier destination for all who love nature, and dedicate their lives to understanding it, including explorers, scientists and naturalists. As one of the most biodiverse countries in the world, Colombia is playing a key role in the upcoming UN COP16 Biodiversity summit, centered on the theme of restoring peace with nature, and turning what we think of a commodity into a community, guided by science and Indigenous knowledge.
Ambassador Leonor Zalabata Torres. Born in the Arhuaco Indigenous village of Kwakumuke, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, in Colombia, she is the first indigenous woman appointed as her country’s ambassador to the United Nations. Prior to her appointment, she served in various capacities as an advocate for the rights of Indigenous peoples and their political representation in Colombia and environmental justice.
