Second Nature is excited to announce a new initiative aimed at engaging academics from higher education institutions from across the nation:
the Academics for Climate Advocacy (ACA) Working Group.

This Working Group is for academics interested in utilizing their institutional position and expertise to help advance climate policy at the municipal, state, and federal levels in a low-life way. Academics will 1) convene on a quarterly basis for Working Group meetings, 2) be contacted when there are meaningful opportunities to engage in climate advocacy, and 3) receive regular updates on relevant policy developments in their jurisdiction. 

We recognize that academics often have limited capacity for this type of work, so our priority is to make meaningful climate advocacy as straightforward and low-commitment as possible. We hope to recruit a diverse range of academics from a variety of disciplines and institutions to advance climate legislation across the nation.

The Story Behind the Academics for Climate Advocacy Working Group
This past Fall, Second Nature conducted an analysis on prospective college and university engagement on climate policy, and interviewed key stakeholders from a variety of institutions. Our team learned a tremendous amount from the government affairs staff, faculty, academics, and nonprofit leaders we interviewed, and are very grateful for the candid wisdom and perspectives shared in these conversations*. 

Institutions expressed a reluctance to become politically involved in supporting or opposing specific climate legislation, instead expressing a preference for prioritizing their own sustainability work and avoiding navigating the political complexities of legislative work. Faculty representing university president and chancellor offices shared they had a limited ability to get involved in legislative conversations that did not directly pertain to higher education. While we will continue to push institutions to reconsider their relationship with climate advocacy, in the meantime, we recognize that the higher education sector has other critical opportunities to advance climate legislation.   

One of our most exciting takeaways from this research is that academic staff from a range of institutions and disciplines recognize academia’s potential to advance climate policy. Our Team interviewed more than 50 academics from across the country who expressed significant interest in getting more politically engaged on climate issues, and as a result of these conversations, Second Nature has decided to launch an Academics for Climate Advocacy Working Group.

The Working Group will serve as a convening hub for academics who are interested in getting more involved in climate advocacy, regardless of their previous experience in this type of work. The group will work to identify opportunities to support climate legislation at the municipal, state and national levels, helping to move the needle on the higher education sector’s influence on climate advocacy.

What does it mean to be a Working Group member?
Being a member of the Working Group is a very low-commitment — it essentially means being  willing to provide your email address and be contacted when there are sign-on letters in favor of strong climate action, or other opportunities to advance legislation that require very little capacity. All Working Group members will be invited to quarterly meetings, and also receive Second Nature’s Monthly Policy Updates – a newsletter curated every month with climate policy updates and participation opportunities that are particularly relevant to higher education. 

Members will also be contacted individually if particularly pertinent legislation has been introduced in their state, with the option of submitting testimony, writing an op-ed, meeting with lawmakers, or other opportunities (all completely optional!). Some members may choose to play a more active role in the Working Group, such as by serving on the Policy Subcommittee, which will play a leadership role in crafting the Working Group’s objectives.

Who will be in the Working Group?
Members will hail from a broad range of institutions, including public and private colleges and universities, Historically-Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs), and community colleges. Members do not need to be particularly well-versed in climate advocacy — nor are they expected to be experts in environmental science or climate policy — they simply need to be interested in helping to advance climate policies and initiatives. Members will have anonymity – so academics’ names will not be featured anywhere on our website, and participation will only be shared at their discretion. It’s important to note that academics will join the Working Group in an individual capacity rather than on behalf of their institution.

Why an Academics Working Group?
To date, colleges’ and universities’ actions around climate change have largely been internally focused; schools’ climate work has been focused mainly on their campus and local community, and institutions across the country are electrifying, implementing efficiency measures, and focusing on resilience and adaptation. These sustainability efforts are commendable and critical, and academics play a critical role in their implementation. However, climate action in higher education — and all sectors of society — is limited due to the lack of climate-friendly policies. The passage of climate mitigation and adaptation policies will make campus decarbonization and resilience more effective. 

Through this Working Group, the higher education sector has the potential to play an even larger role in the fight against climate change than it has already — by becoming more engaged in climate policy efforts. Higher education’s potential influence on the climate movement is enormous; colleges are major employers, responsible for educating the next generation of leaders, and can frame the public discourse in truly transformative ways. 

Every day, climate legislation is proposed at the local, state, and federal levels, and that legislation is debated and discussed. A diverse range of stakeholders regularly weigh in on this legislation — businesses, climate scientists, nonprofit organizations, industry leaders, and others. Higher education has the ability to sway the political landscape in an unprecedented way, particularly at the subnational level. And academics across the nation have a critical role to play in representing higher education and pushing their institutions to get more engaged. 

What are the goals of the Working Group? 
Broadly speaking, the Working Group will work to achieve the following goals:

1. Help to advance climate legislation at the municipal, state, and federal levels.
2. Produce a memo that overviews how higher education can better support climate advocacy efforts.
3. Equip academics with the tools they need to engage in climate advocacy in a low-lift way.

While the Working Group will loosely work toward these goals, the group itself will play a foundational role in establishing its own priorities and objectives.

How do I join?
Joining the Working Group simply requires that you fill out this form. Once you have joined, you’ll be added to the Working Group list. If you have any questions, please reach out to policyteam@secondnature.org.

AASHE has two openings for paid Internships! 

• The Education Intern will provide ongoing administrative support for AASHE's professional learning programs, including webinars, workshops and courses. See position description.

• The STARS & Resources Intern will assist in the submission review of AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) and provide administrative and technical support in the ongoing development of AASHE resources. Ideal candidates will have prior STARS experience. See position description.

Interested applicants can apply using the links listed above no later than April 17, 2022.

HESI+10 Global Forum 

Role of higher education in building back better from COVID-19 and advancing the 2030 Agenda  

Register now here! 

The Higher Education Sustainability Initiative (HESI) is an open partnership between several United Nations entities and the higher education community launched in the run up to the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20 in 2012).  

Each year, HESI organizes a global forum as a special event to the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) to highlight the critical role of higher education in achieving sustainable development.

This year, the HESI+10 Global Forum, held on 6 July 2022 as a virtual event, will place a particular focus on deepening the understanding of the challenges and opportunities the higher education community can play in building back better from the COVID-19 while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in line with the theme of HLPF in 2022. 

Three open webinars on topics related the theme of HLPF will be held in the lead-up to the forum. The output of the webinars will feed into the discussions of the forum.  

• Webinar 1: Transformation of higher education post COVID-19,
  27 April, 09 - 10.30 AM (EDT) 
• Webinar 2: Integrating Sustainable Development Goals into higher education,
  31 May, 09 - 10.30 AM (EDT) 
• Webinar 3: Inspirational higher education initiatives for SDG 4, 5, 14 and 15,
  21 June, 09 - 10.30 AM (EDT) 

The HESI+10 Global Forum and the webinars are open to all relevant stakeholders. 

Registration is now available here: https://forms.office.com/r/D3vH9sBBQp 

Please, find more information on the HESI+10 Global Forum and the webinars here: https://sdgs.un.org/topics/education/hesi  

If you answered yes to any of the above then the Office of Sustainbility invites you to participate in the  new UMBC Climate & Sustainble Development Knowledge Exchange!

Please share your research here: https://umbc.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6A3FK44I8tLXLVA

What are the 17 UN SDGs?

National Wildlife Federation Graduate Student Fellows help to inform and strengthen NWF Education and Engagement programs through dedicated research projects. Monetary fellowship grants are awarded to graduate students working with NWF staff on research that helps to expand the content and development of a variety of efforts across NWF's Education and Engagement programs. Fellows join a national network of current and alumni fellows, many of whom have gone on to lead new businesses, agencies, and programs for sustainability all across the U.S. NWF is currently accepting applications for the six graduate student Fellowship Positions.

Benefits of participation include:

• Earn a $6,000 stipend
• Play a key role in the development of NWF Education and Engagement Programs
• Gain valuable career experience and professional development

2022 Fellowship Opportunities: 

Community Partnerships Research Fellow 

In an effort to better serve the hundreds of communities we work with, the Community Partnerships Research Fellow will support the growth and expansion of National Wildlife Federation’s community-based programs by researching Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), or women-led organizations that are doing community based environmental/conservation work. This research should grasp the models and practices such organizations use to create meaningful relationships and enact lasting change in historically marginalized communities.

EcoLeader Community Research Fellow 

(2 Fellowship Positions Available)

In an effort to better serve the NWF EcoLeaders community, the NWF EcoLeader Community Fellows will support the growth and development of EcoLeaders and EcoCareers programs based on research of best practices in related leadership and career development programs, the advancement of equity and justice principles, stakeholder engagement, and the development of new or revised content.

EcoLeader Tribal Colleges and Universities Research Fellow 

In an effort to strengthen the NWF EcoLeaders community, the NWF EcoLeader Community Fellow will support the growth and development of EcoLeaders and EcoCareers programs based on research of best practices related to strengthening and building relationships with Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs), and the advancement of equity, justice, and inclusivity principles within these programs.

Environmental Action Research Fellow 

In an effort to assist NWF’s Earth Tomorrow Program in developing new Environmental Justice education tools and promoting “education to action” opportunities, the Environmental Action Research Fellow will inventory the current environmental justice resources NWF has for youth, research new education tools for youth and share recommendations for which tools should be incorporated in an “education to action” toolkit.

K-12 Education Research Fellow 

In an effort for National Wildlife Federation to better serve the K-12 education community, the goal of this Fellowship includes researching the changing landscape of education in the U.S. today as a result of the continuing pandemic. How has learning and the tools used to reach students changed? How much of this change will define new ways of learning post-pandemic, and what strategies will NWF need to develop and incorporate into our environment-based programming to meet these needs. This Fellowship will also explore the development of an NWF K-12 Educator Advisory Board to provide staff with input from practicing teachers. The research will include how best to strategically set up an advisory board, criteria for choosing educators, compensation, and structure the process. Fellows will have the opportunity to utilize this research to support staff in developing the advisory board. 

Learn more and share this opportunity with your network.

UMBC Green Office Explorer 

How to Participate?

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