Earthwatch to Present Findings from its Largest ‘Citizen Science’ Climate Change Program
at AAAS
Session:
Earthwatch and the HSBC Climate Partnership: A Unique Citizen Science Model.
When:
Friday, February 18, 2011, 1-2:30pm.
Who is speaking:
Dr. Dan Bebber, Earthwatch Institute; Dr. Geoffrey “Jess” Parker, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center; William Thomas, HSBC Bank, Plc
Why attend:
2011 has been named the International Year of Forests by the UN. This model program, focused on forestry science, climate change and business impacts, represents the kind of innovative, action-oriented partnership necessary in today’s changing climate—in business and on Earth.
Where:
156 Washington Convention Center, Washington, DC
Media contact:
Kristen Kusek, Earthwatch, 978-450-1281, kkusek@earthwatch.org
Background:
The HSBC Climate Partnership (2007-2012) is a unique NGO-business-academic partnership with two key objectives for Earthwatch, a pioneer of “citizen science,” and HSBC, the first global bank to become carbon neutral. Get more information
The first objective is forest research. Employees from HSBC who are accepted into the program work as “citizen scientists” for two weeks at one of five climate centers Earthwatch has established with research partners in distinct forests around the world (US, UK, Brazil, India, China). They are collecting data on forest carbon—the least well understood component of the global carbon cycle—faster than ever possible before, and are helping to contribute to an understanding of how to best manage forests in a changing climate. By the program’s end, 2,200 employees will contribute nearly 100,000 hours of data collection across all five centers.
The second objective impacts HSBC’s bottom line: employee engagement and sustainable business practice. Each employee accepted into the program—called a “Climate Champion”—is responsible for implementing a project that embeds sustainable practice at the heart of the way HSBC conducts business. Climate champions to date are saving millions by saving resources, implementing ‘green’ marketing initiatives, inspiring their colleagues to ‘go green,’ and more.