IEEE YP CSTF Town Hall Successfully Conducted: ‘IEEE and Its Work in the Climate and Sustainability Space’
The IEEE YP Climate Sustainability Task Force (IEEE YP CSTF) recently conducted a Town Hall on April 8, 2023, with the title ‘IEEE and Its Work in the Climate and Sustainability Space’. The event was a success, with speakers sharing their insights on climate change issues from an IEEE perspective, and engaging in a productive question-and-answer session, where cutting-edge topics related to climate and sustainability were thoroughly discussed.
During the event, Dr. Saifur Rahman (IEEE president) stated, “Our efforts can be the seeds to help combat and mitigate the effects of climate change through pragmatic and accessible technical solutions and by providing engineers and technologists with a neutral space for discussion and action.” The event had a diverse set of speakers who shared their notable contributions to the promotion of sustainable energy and climate awareness.
Dr. Rajan Kapur, who holds the position of IEEE Smart Village Chair, shared the organization’s initiatives aimed at promoting local businesses in neglected communities across the globe. The primary objective of the organization is to provide guidance and support to local enterprises in underserved areas worldwide. To achieve this goal, the organization actively seeks out local entrepreneurs in these communities and provides mentorship and funding to enable them to establish technology-based businesses that can gradually become self-sustaining. Ultimately, these enterprises will create sustainable benefits and improve livelihoods in underserved communities.
Ms. Radia Sedaoui (Chief Energy, Climate Change and Natural Resource Sustainability Cluster, ESCWA) talked about the Regional Initiative for promoting Small-scale Renewable Energy Applications in Rural areas of the Arab Region (REGEND), and emphasized the importance of the Circular Carbon Economy as an integrated approach for carbon management. She also introduced the 4R for climate change solution, which stands for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Remove.
Hebert Lwanga (IEEE Humanitarian Technologies Board Chair, sight.ieee.org) shared that from 2018 to 2022, IEEE HTB has awarded over US$575,000 in funding to 67 projects that provide sustainable energy solutions in underserved communities worldwide.
Dr. Celia Shahnaz, the Chair of IEEE Women in Engineering Committee for 2023-2024, shared that the number of women members in IEEE has reached 29,351 as of April 2023. She highlighted that the WIE affinity group is committed to promoting diversity and organizing Climate Awareness Events. Additionally, she emphasized the importance of the “train the trainer” initiative, which aims to equip individuals with the skills and resources necessary to sustain the program for years to come. Dr. Shahnaz also mentioned the IEEE WIE’s Outreach program, which is another major initiative of the organization.
The organizers thanked all the invited guest speakers for their valuable contributions to the IEEE YP CSTF Town Hall. The second Town Hall event is scheduled to be held on April 28, 2023, with the title ‘Energy Transition, Climate, and Sustainability: Engagement of Young Professionals in a Global Setting’ (Registration link: https://tinyurl.com/ypcstf-townhall2). We look forward to the next event!