Michael Dorsey, Dartmouth Environmental Activist, to speak at FAMU

Michael K. Dorsey, environmental activist and one of few African-American scholars on Environmental Policies, will speak at Florida A&M University (FAMU) Friday, March 21, 2008 at 11:15 a.m. in the New Pharmacy Building, Room 106. Dorsey, an assistant professor at Dartmouth, will discuss The Struggle for Climate Justice.

Hosted by the Environmental Sciences Institute, the School of Journalism and Graphics Communication, and the Office of Sponsored Research the event is free and open to the public.

A joint study from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and the California based not-for-profit organization, Redefining Progress, revealed that African Americans are already disproportionately burdened by the health effects of climate change, including deaths during heat waves and from worsened air pollution. People of color are less responsible for climate change than other Americans historically and at present. Policies intended to mitigate climate change can generate large health and economic benefits or costs for African Americans, depending on how they are structured.

Dorsey purports, “any conversations on avoiding a climate crisis must bring diverse voices to the table and consider the vicissitudes of race, class and injustice.”

Professor Dorsey is actively engaged in scholarly research and strategic policy advocacy on the subject of climate justice. Some of his thoughts on this matter are reflected in the recent publication: “Climate Knowledge and Power: Tales of Skeptic Tanks, Weather Gods and Sagas for Climate (In)Justice.”

Dorsey provides advice to governments, foundations, and others on a variety of climate change matters. In 1992, he was a member of the U.S. State Department Delegation to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, “The Earth Summit.”

FAMU launched efforts to promote environmental awareness and specifically issues related to global warming and climate change January 31. More than 600 students, faculty, staff and members of the community participated in Focus the Nation, a nation-wide teach-in directed by Lewis & Clark Professor of Economics, Eban Goodstein.

“We are honored to be able to continue our environmental awareness efforts by extending the conversation with someone of Dorsey stature,” said Henry Neal Williams, director of the Environmental Sciences Institute.

Dorsey is a graduate of the University of Michigan, School of Natural Resources and Environment; Yale University’s School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; and The Johns Hopkins University, Department of Anthropology.