Local Central Ohio leaders gathered around a table in the Faculty Club Wednesday to discuss Ohio State’s climate action plan and ways to reduce carbon emissions in the Columbus community. Credit: Chloe McGowan | Asst. Arts & Life Editor
Central Ohio leaders gathered at Ohio State’s Faculty Club Wednesday to discuss the university’s Climate Action Plan, local sustainability efforts and how to reduce carbon emissions in the Columbus community.
The Ohio State Sustainability Institute worked with the university to host the conference, Gina Langen, director of communications for the institute, said. President Kristina M. Johnson joined guest speaker Alan Gogbashian, British consul general for Chicago.
U.K. ambassador to the U.S. Karen Pierce was originally scheduled to speak at the conference, however Gogbashian said she had to remain in Washington D.C. to assist with an urgent humanitarian issue. He spoke in her place at the conference.
“We’re here to really celebrate Ohio Climate Action today and to have a discussion on how green economy collaboration between the Columbus region and the U.K. can best deliver jobs and growth,” Gogbashian said.
“One of the things that the Ohio State University has done, and in fact done very well along with the city of Columbus, is what we call the ‘Columbus Way,’” Johnson said. “This is by getting together our industrial people, the nonprofit people and government in order to solve big problems, and this is a big problem we have to solve.”
According to the city of Columbus’ website, “the ‘Columbus Way’ of private/public partnerships has shown leadership in waste reduction and conservation.”
Examples include monetary awards to the city for reducing greenhouse emissions, encouraging businesses to adopt conservation practices and allowing for the improvement of energy efficiency at business and non-profit locations through the Columbus Region Energy Fund.
Ohio State plans to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, according to an event handout. The Climate Action Plan, updated by the university in 2020, details a series of actions that would reduce 55 percent of Ohio State’s carbon emissions by 2030.
According to the city of Columbus’ website, the council decided “to fight to preserve environmental safeguards and grow the renewable energy economy” after former President Donald Trump announced the United States would leave the Paris Climate Agreement.
Representatives from the private sector, local and state government, nonprofits and civil society also attended the conference, Langen said in an email.
Discussion topics ranged, including transportation, farming, water pollution, universal recycling and how Ohio businesses and residents benefit from sustainability efforts.
One attendee, Bexley Mayor Ben Kessler, said he was testing the waters for environmental legislation in his eastern Columbus suburb.
“One of the roles that we have as the local government is to prove that it can be done, and to lead the way with the template, whether it’s through legislation, or policy, or practice,” Kessler said. “I think, as local leaders, we all believe in this. I think we have the obligation to be at the forefront of addressing climate change and sustainability.”
Gogbashian said the benefits of tackling climate change are numerous — including cleaner air, sustainable economic growth, energy security and a safer, more stable climate.
Johnson said the issue of climate change speaks to the mission of a land grant university to serve and influence communities. She said the solution requires everyone to contribute.
“People say, ‘Save the planet,’ I personally believe it’s actually about saving civilization,” Johnson said. “Planet’s been here for a couple billion years before, it’ll be here for a couple billion years afterwards. Whether we’re here or not depends on, probably on what we do over the next couple decades.”
