Environment Webinars

There is growing interest in deep-sea mining - the process of extracting mineral resources from the seabed in areas of the deep ocean. Research suggests deep-sea mining could severely harm marine biodiversity and ecosystems, but there is still much that we don’t know about the specific impacts on deep-sea biodiversity. In this event, we'll hear about work being done in this area through the iAtlantic project. The iAtlantic project is undertaking detailed research into the potential effects of deep-sea mining on ecosystems both in the water column and at the seafloor, using experimental approaches to determine organisms’ response to mining impacts such as increased sediment particles in seawater and metal toxicity. As climate change is a significant factor in today’s changing ocean, their research also takes into account the synergistic and potentially cumulative effects of a warming ocean on ecosystems coming under stress from mining activities. This session will take a look at the latest research results and their implications for the development of policies to regulate deep-sea mining activities. A Q&A session with the audience will follow the speakers' presentations.

Carbon projects are designed to make a positive impact on the climate and can also benefit local communities and ecosystems and promote sustainable development. However, projects must implement safeguards to ensure they do not inadvertently cause harm to the people and places where they operate. Join experts to learn about the role of safeguards in minimizing social and environmental risk in carbon projects as well as how to protect yourself from risks that arise from gaps in today's carbon market requirements.

Species invasions are ranked among the top global drivers of change to biodiversity and ecosystem services, with big economic costs. Communicating about introduced species and their impacts in ways that engage and empower audiences can be challenging but is necessary to enable informed decision-making. This webinar will present an overview of a recent, ongoing project at Carnegie Museum of Natural History on invasive plants and seek participant feedback and discussion on best practices for effectively and inclusively communicating about invasive plants to diverse audiences.

Over the past three years, coral reefs have experienced a temporary refuge in the La Niña phase. However, the tide is turning as we face an unfolding El Niño event, ushering in warmer conditions that pose a renewed threat to these fragile ecosystems. During this webinar, experts from CORDIO East Africa will share information about the current El Niño transition and its potential consequences, particularly the increased risk of coral bleaching during the warm summer months of January to June 2024 in the Western Indian Ocean. They will share specific tools, resources, and adaptive strategies tailored to coral bleaching response efforts in the region. We will also hear updates on regional projects, and discuss methods and timing for bleaching monitoring to aid in collaborative efforts on the ground. The webinar will last for 90 minutes and the presentations will be followed by an open question-and-answer session and group discussion. A recording of the webinar will be available on reefresilience.org.

Join our webinar on Fire Service Hazards and Building and Fire Code Prevention Efforts for Lithium-ion Batteries and Energy Storage Systems! Lithium-ion Battery Fires: What have we learned in the last year? Presented By the Fire and Life Safety Section (FLSS)Attention all fire service professionals, industry experts, and safety enthusiasts! We are excited to invite you to our upcoming webinar focused on Fire Service Hazards and Code updates on Prevention Efforts for Lithium-ion Batteries and Energy Storage Systems. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your knowledge and stay at the forefront of fire safety practices in the rapidly evolving field of energy storage.

This webinar will be 3nd webinar in the BOEM Environmental Studies Program's 50th Anniversary Series and will include a Knauss Fellows roundtable highlighting emerging leaders in the field followed by a live Q&A.

Gruening Middle School in Eagle River, Alaska, was significantly damaged during a magnitude 7.1 earthquake in November 2018. This webinar discusses the engineering and design process for the earthquake recovery project, including the use of FRCM to upgrade existing CMU walls and meet current MSJC requirements. The webinar will be presented by Alex Daddow, Senior Composite Strengthening Systems (CSS) Field Engineer at Simpson Strong-Tie, and Ellen Hamel, PE, SE, a structural engineer with over 15 years of experience in the design of various structures. Register now to learn more about seismic repair and retrofit in Alaska.

Mātauranga Māori and mātuaranga-a-iwi are unique to Aotearoa. They have guided a general understanding of our land and provided more specific insights into volcanism that parallel many of the of the problems that scientific research is trying to solve today.

This webinar marks the launch of the National Trust's new report "Climate for Change: Adapting the National Trust."

In 2021, the World Urban Parks Healthy Parks Healthy Cites Committee developed a set of principles for ensuring Healthy Parks. But how are these being implemented in practice? The aim of this session is to present examples from around the world where the Principles are put into practice to achieve healthy parks from design to end use. Information shared will include discussion of issues, challenges encountered and successes. Proposed case studies for the presentation include: Girls Play in Los Angeles, work of Greater London Authority and Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park on Gender Inclusive Design case studies and low carbon and sustainable park design studies in New Zealand. The panel of presenters will comprise members of the World Urban Parks Healthy Parks Healthy Cities Committee. At the conclusion of the presentations there will be time for discussion of the case studies and questions from session attendees.