Ross Macfarlane to speak on climate solutions May 23

Western Washington University will host a presentation by Ross Macfarlane titled “Climate Solutions in an Era of Consequences” as part of Western’s Huxley College of the Environment Speaker Series at 4 p.m. on May 23 in Western’s Biology Building room 212.

The presentation is free and open to the public. The presentation will include a question-and-answer period.

Macfarlane’s presentation will focus on global efforts to shift from fossil fuels to cleaner and more efficient sources of energy. His main topic will be the urgent need for an energy revolution and some solutions that are most important for our region.

Macfarlane manages Climate Solutions Business Partnership program, which helps build support in the region’s corporate community for strong climate and energy policy and private investment in solutions.

He is active in promoting good climate and energy policy on a state and federal level and recently managed and facilitated Sustainable Aviation Fuels Northwest, the first stakeholder effort in the nation to point a path to low-carbon alternatives to power the next generation of flight.

Macfarlane is a member of the Founding Advisory Board for the Institute for Energy Studies at Western and a former board member for Washington Conservation Voters. He brings more than 30 years of experience working on public policy and environmental issues. He was also a partner at Preston Gates & Ellis (now K&L Gates) where he managed the environmental law practice and represented a wide range of public and private clients.

The speaker series is held by Western's Huxley College of the Environment to bring together the environmentally minded community and other interested members of the Western and Bellingham communities. Speakers address topics of contemporary environmental concern in the region and the world.

For more information, please contact the main office of Huxley College of the Environment, at (360) 650-3520.