Earth Summit celebrates 20 years

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit, which was known as the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development when it was launched.

To celebrate this milestone, Concordia’s Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability (LCDS, formerly known as the Loyola International College) is  partnering  with New York’s Siena College will co-host  Sustainability: Rio +20, a two-day symposium that will discuss the protection of biodiversity and the promotion of a sustainable world. This is the seventh consecutive year that the conference has been held.

“It’s going to be a retrospective look at successes and failures in the last 20 years and issues of biodiversity protection and sustainability,” says James Grant, the acting co-principal of LCDS.

The conference kicks off March 30 with two keynote speakers: MP Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, will present Rio Minus 20: Canada Searches for the 1950s, and Concordia Professor Damon Matthews will speak about Global Warming in the New Millennium.

On the second day, the conference will feature presentations by undergraduate students of research findings on the topics of biodiversity, sustainability and climate change.

“We’ll have a total of eight students and two professors speaking, representing both institutions,” Grant says.  

And why should people care about a sustainability conference?

“What is the major issue facing humanity?” Grant asks. “I’m biased of course, but I would say sustainability. If it’s not the issue for all humanity, it is one of the top issues.

“It kind of subsumes everything else, like governance, democracy, and human rights.  Without those you can’t have a sustainable society. So we think that this is the issue for the twenty-first century and beyond.”

The event, held on the Loyola Campus, runs until the afternoon of Saturday, March 31. Admission is free of charge and open to the general public.

When: Friday, March 30, from 6 to 8 p.m., and Saturday, March 31 from 9 a.m. to  1 p.m.
Where:  Room SP-S110, Richard J. Renaud Science Complex (SP Building),
Loyola Campus (7141 Sherbrooke W.)

Related links:
•    Loyola College for Diversity and Sustainability website
•    Siena College website
•    LCDS Facebook group
•    LICSA’s Facebook page