Event

Nathaniel Rich Discusses 'Losing Earth' at University of Chicago

In March, Geophysical Research Letters reported that the western part of Greenland’s ice sheet is melting at its fastest rate in at least 450 years. Some scientists believe that the Arctic hasn’t seen ice melt like this in 5,000 years. If the ice sheet melts entirely, sea levels would rise 20 feet, leaving Lower Manhattan underwater. Jason Gulley, a geologist, and Celia Trunz, a Ph.D. student in geology, have been conducting meltwater research by releasing a fluorescent red dye to determine how and why more rivers form on the surface of the ice sheet and what will happen as a result of these new and turbulent flows. So far, they have found that the rivers lubricate the ice slab, making the sheets move faster toward the coasts, which could cause even more icebergs to calve into the ocean. Image by George Steinmetz. Greenland, 2017.

In March 2018, Geophysical Research Letters reported that the western part of Greenland’s ice sheet is melting at its fastest rate in at least 450 years. Some scientists believe that the Arctic hasn’t seen ice melt like this in 5,000 years. Geologist Jason Gulley and Celia Trunz, a Ph.D. student in geology, have been conducting meltwater research by releasing a fluorescent red dye to determine how and why more rivers form on the surface of the ice sheet and what will happen as a result of these new and turbulent flows. Image by George Steinmetz. Greenland, 2017.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 - 05:30pm EDT (GMT -0400)
The University of Chicago
1100 E. 57th Street
Regenstein Library Room 122
Chicago, IL 60637
United States
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On Tuesday, October 30, 2018, join writer Nathaniel Rich for a discussion on 'Losing Earth' at the University of Chicago's Regenstein Library, Room 122.

“Thirty years ago, we had a chance to save the planet. The science of climate change was settled. The world was ready to act. Almost nothing stood in our way – except ourselves.”

So begins “Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change,” The New York Times Magazine’s special August 2018 issue that examines how close humankind came to addressing the dangers of climate change in the 1980s.

The Pulitzer Center supported the "Losing Earth" reporting project, written by Rich with photographs by George Steinmetz, whose work is on on display in The McCormick Tribune Lounge October 22-25.

At the University of Chicago event, Rich is in conversation with Kim Wolske, assistant professor at the Harris School of Public Policy and fellow with the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC). He'll discuss how he went about producing the story and reflect on similarities and differences between the decade studied in the piece and our present moment.  

The University of Chicago is part of the Pulitzer Center's Campus Consortium network, and the evening event is part of a two-day visit to Chicago by Rich and Hana Carey, Pulitzer Center Campus Consortium coordinator.

Watch the conversation here.