Science Speaker Series 2022 - Chemistry's role in global resilience to climate change: From molecules to policy and regulations

Chemistry' s role in global resilience to Climate Change: From molecules to policy and regulations with Dr. Hind A. Al-Abadleh

Global climate change and environmental degradation are classified as the biggest challenges facing hu­manity in the 21st century. The amplified greenhouse effect from burning fossil fuels has resulted in raising atmospheric and ocean temperatures, worsening re­gional air quality, and increasing frequency and inten­sity of weather extremes among other impacts felt by societies all over the world. This presentation will highlight research in Professor AI-Abadleh's lab aimed at climate action (at global and regional levels), and clean water. These areas are two of the seventeen United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This research demands innovative and integrated ap­proaches to thinking at multiple scales. To tackle these grand challenges and improve societal resilien­cy, we can learn important lessons from historical en­vironmental crises since the industrial revolution, which emphasize the need for science-based policies and regulations backed by public engagement and support.

Dr. Hind A. AI-Abadleh is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario. She is a Fellow at the Balsillie School of International Affairs in Waterloo, Chair of the Atmo­sphere-Related Research in Canadian Univer­sities, and Past Chair of the Environment Divi­sion in the Chemical Institute of Canada.