Solving the most difficult environmental issues requires international collaboration among researchers, governments, and the private sector. A recent year-long collaboration between universities in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada has been addressing energy and the environment and will be presenting some of its findings in a series of events in the coming months.
The North American Colloquium (NAC) addresses cooperation between the three countries, featuring experts from the University of Michigan, the National Autonomous University of Mexico, and the University of Toronto. Each year the NAC tackles a different set of issues, and the 2020-2021 edition produced a series of papers, which will be presented thematically at three events: "North American Electricity and Energy Security" (March 23), Methane and “Green Bilateralism” (April 5), and Multi-National Public Opinion and Urban Climate Governance (April 12).
Ford School professor Barry Rabe, chair of that 2020-2021 NAC, coordinated the collaborations. "The Ford School is honored to have convened the latest North American Colloquium with our Canadian and Mexican partners, turning to climate policy topics for the first time. Our distinguished scholarly teams have explored many issues where either bilateral or trilateral cooperation may be warranted but often faces major political stumbling blocks. These papers emerge at the very moment new partnerships are being explored for carbon, methane and other climate contaminants and we hope that this work contributes to constructive advancement of continental climate policy," he said.
Wednesday, March 23rd at 12:00pm ET:
"North American Electricity and Energy Security"
Featuring:
"Canada-U.S. Relations, Energy Security, and the Road to Net Zero by 2050," by Monica Gattinger (University of Ottawa)
"Mexico-U.S. Cross-Border Electricity Hubs: Limitations and Opportunities for Decarbonization," by Marcela López-Vallejo (Universidad de Guadalajara)
"The U.S.-Canada (Clean) Electricity Relationship: Challenges and Opportunities for Policy Design and Coordination," by Joshua A. Basseches (University of Michigan) and Nwamaka Ikenze (European University Institute)
Discussion moderated by Leigh Raymond (Purdue University)
Register for March 23rd Event Here
Tuesday, April 5th at 4:00pm ET:
"North American Methane Policy and 'Green Bilateralism'"
Featuring:
"Canada-U.S. Green Bilateralism: Targeting Cooperation for Climate Mitigation," by Debora VanNijnatten (Wilfrid Laurier University) and Mark McWhinney (Carleton University)
"Methane Politics and Policy in North America," by Barry G. Rabe (University of Michigan)
"The 'Dark Horse' of Climate Change: Agricultural Methane Governance in the United States and Canada," by Patricia (Trish) Fisher (University of Michigan)
Discussion moderated by Heather Millar (University of New Brunswick)
Register for April 5th Event Here
Tuesday, April 12th at 4:00pm ET:
"U.S.-Canada Climate Public Opinion and Urban Climate Governance"
Featuring:
"A Decade of Comparative Canadian and American Public Opinion on Climate Change," by Erick Lachapelle (University of Montreal) and Christopher P. Borick (Muhlenberg College)
"City Powers and the Governance of Urban GHG Emissions in the U.S. and Canada," by Sara Hughes (University of Michigan)
Discussion moderated by Brendan Boyd (MacEwan University)
Register for April 12th Event Here
