Summit Highlights

The 2007 Go Green Earth Summit played host to participants from 14 states and the District of Colum ia! "articipants represented the follo#ing community sta$eholders%

Teachers Students "rincipals Custodians Superintendents School &oard 'em ers "rofessional recyclers (ederal) state and local go*ernment officials Corporate and small usiness representati*es 'edia
"arents
National environmental education experts share proven methods of incorporating green concepts into the classroom without adding instructional minutes. Subject matter experts in energy management and recycling discuss partnerships that can make any campus a role model in stewardship Federal state and local government officials conduct town hall meetings to answer !uestions about programs available to schools at no cost "nternational speakers talk about the effect the #o #reen "nitiative is having in $frica and %exico and what &.S. schools can learn from them #o #reen "nitiative veterans reveal their methods for ac!uiring funding grants and other creative ways to finance their #o #reen #oals 'xhibits featuring the latest products and services to help you make your school green

En*ironmental and Education E+perts ,gree-The Go Green .nitiati*e is the .ndustry /eader 0hy is it important 1 2fa*our 3 'cological complexity and sustainability are becoming a core concept and instrument for improving our common future.

(he world is experiencing rapid urbani)ation industriali)ation and globali)ation. (he pace depth and magnitude of these changes have exerted severe ecological stresses on humankind living conditions and life support ecosystems across all scales * from local to regional and global scales.

+ater shortages desertification soil degradation greenhouse gas emissions elevated sediment and nutrient fluxes to the coastal seas and other environmental problems are increasingly becoming the common side effects of those human activities

(his 'co Summit will focus on integrative aspects of all ecological science and its application under the general theme of ,Ecological Comple+ity and Sustaina ility% Challenges and 4pportunities for 21st5Century6s Ecology,.

(he aim of this 'co Summit is to encourage a greater integration of both the natural and social sciences with the policy and decision*making community to develop a etter understanding of the comple+ nature of ecological systems

This understanding #ill pro*ide the asis for sustaina le solutions to en*ironmental pro lems

+e expect this meeting to attract the broadest representations of ecological organi)ations ecologists and practitioners on ecological sustainability issues from all over the world.

scientific program will feature- plenary sessions) symposia) contri uted oral and poster sessions) and special e*ening sessions. $ variety of scientific field trips will also be planned

17 8E,9S ,(TE9 THE 9.4 E,9TH S:''.T) "9,CT.C,/ ,CT.4; .S ;EEDED

(he summit witnessed a gain in strength of the non*governmental movement. "nternational N#.s are now highly organised and deeply entrenched in the &nited Nations process

(he 'arth Summit ** officially the &nited Nations /onference on 'nvironment and 0evelopment 1&N/'02***is a call to action. "n fact some are billing it as our last best chance to put our environmental house in order.

'arth summit will be the largest most ambitious conference in the history of the world with as many as 3 444 delegates from more than 564 countries and 544 heads of state meeting to chart a course toward sustainable development.

"t will also attract 74 444 to 84 444 representatives from local national and international nongovernmental organi)ations 1N#.s2 who will participate as observers and hold a parallel ,#lobal Forum.,

Significant dissatisfaction also exists over the role the &nited States has played to date. $lthough it has the largest best*organi)ed delegation the &nited States is widely perceived as an impediment to serious agreements rather than as a facilitator or committed leader

&.S. delegates have taken firm stands against targets and timetables for reducing the carbon* dioxide emissions that contribute to climate change

$t this point 9resident :ush is the only leader from the world;s seven major industriali)ed nations who has still not committed to attending the conference

<e will wait as long as he can to determine &N/'0;s prospects for success and decide what the political costs and benefits of attending might be. (hat unfortunately does not fit the ideals of mobili)ing political will and demonstrating international leadership ho#e*er) it appears that the :nited States may e softening its stance y agreeing to set some emissions targets and offering <77 million to de*eloping countries for climate5change concerns! This pro*ides some asis for optimism that a stronger agreement can e achie*ed