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As our country's natural resources are squeezed, communities are finding that conservation solutions that make economic sense rule the road. Bike and trail systems are finding support through unexpected partnerships among conservationists, business, and community interests. The Walton Family Foundation has worked with partners to build over 250 miles of multi-use and natur...
Thirty-two million gallons of mercury are trapped under the immense ice sheets in the Arctic Circle. As the Earth warms and the permafrost thaws, that toxic chemical could be released into the ocean or escape into the atmosphere. Other devastating threats also loom large. Bacteria, viruses and other pathogens that have been immobile for centuries will emerge from their dee...
Almost 110 billion pounds of food, roughly 40% of the nation’s total food supply, go to waste in the United States every year, yet more than 38 million Americans lack reliable access to affordable, nutritious meals. Can we create a win-win-win that bridges the gap between waste and hunger while supporting struggling local restaurants that are often community mainstays? Ret...
The world’s young leaders are leading the charge to ensure future generations inherit a vibrant and thriving planet. Hear from inspiring leaders and changemakers, among them Indigenous youth, about the urgent work being done through innovative and inclusive solutions, activism, and community resilience.
The award-winning economist Mariana Mazzucato has been called the “world’s scariest economist.” Why? She challenges us to reconsider capitalism as it exists today. Focusing on innovation-led, inclusive, and sustainable growth, Mazzucato examines the critical — and misunderstood — role that governments play in fostering innovation. Her latest book, The Value of Everything,...
Coastal cities are utilizing innovative solutions to adapt to extreme weather and rising sea levels, becoming more resilient in the face of climate change. From innovative design and community engagement to policy development and cross-sector partnerships, panelists will share what they’ve learned and highlight opportunities for collaboration across cities.
Meet three disruptive business leaders — all part of the Aspen Global Leadership Network — who drive significant economic value by leveraging emerging technologies to create sustainable, inclusive, and efficient business models in drug delivery, banking, and community-focused finance. Putting values-based leadership first, they address societal needs and drive economic gro...
Can a transformative solution built on the conservative principles of free markets and limited government save the planet? Now that the United States is backing out of the Paris climate accord, many believe that any significant reduction to greenhouse gas emissions must be led by the business community. Can such a business-led effort to promote carbon dividends — carbon ta...
Rural residents photograph ailing chickens to monitor the spread of Avian flu, mountaineer adventurers collect scat samples so microbes in isolated locations can be identified, and sailors take water samples that reveal the plastic afloat in the world’s oceans. These citizen scientists are ordinary people who collect data in the field that support researchers warning of di...
Water is perhaps the world’s most precious and health-sustaining resource, and surely one most at risk. Microbes, lead, and other contaminants threaten access to clean and safe drinking water. Record-breaking droughts and catastrophic floods put burdensome pressure on agriculture and imperil crops. In the face of these challenges, leaders are stepping up to reimagine water...
If the world is going to get to net-zero carbon emissions, we’ll need comprehensive, systemic change. We also need to recognize that there is no silver bullet, but a series of actions that must be taken by government, industry, and community. In short, we need a plan. In this two-part session, Ryan Pandchadsaram, co-author of Speed and Scale, lays out a blueprint for savin...
For more than 130 years, the National Geographic Society has pushed the boundaries of science by engaging the average citizen in a deeper understanding of the planet. Join two Nat Geo Fellows, Joel Sartore, renowned animal photographer, and Scott Loarie, director of a plant and animal identification app, to learn about the tools and strategies they're using to connect peop...
Aspen Ideas: Health Engaging Local Issues Series: In Roaring Fork Valley, the realities of climate change are never far from our lives. Pests and invasive plants are altering our ecology, warming trends are likely to ignite ever-larger fires, and an economy built around outdoor activities could be transformed. The term “climate anxiety” has been coined to suggest the inten...
Our coffee makers, phone chargers, washing machines — our lives — are powered by the humble flip of a switch or press of a button. And it’s easy to lose sight of where the energy that powers our everyday conveniences comes from. Fossil fuels, predominantly through transportation and electricity, account for roughly 74 percent of US greenhouse gas emissions. As the principa...
The Aspen Challenge presents teams of high school students from New Orleans and Miami who have developed innovative solutions to issues that have impacted their communities. See these young changemakers take to the stage to prove that entrepreneurial community solutions can be created at any age. Learn how Benjamin Franklin High School at the Katherine Johnson Campus is ta...
The principal solution to climate change challenges lies with a transformation to an all-of-the-above low carbon energy future. There is no going back. Clean energy technologies have become remarkably competitive in just the last few years. The US is already on a trajectory for meeting our Paris target, with rapid growth in natural gas and renewable power generation and en...