Distinguished Engineering Alumni Academy member Marcelo Mena-Carrasco (MS 2003, PhD 2007 civil and environmental engineering) delivered a summary

presentation at COP21, Conference of Parties, an annual forum to try to tackle climate on a global political level held November 30-December 11 in Paris, France.

Mena is Vice Minister of the Environment at Ministero del Medio Ambiente for Chile.

On Saturday, December 12th, Mena was a delegate among the 196 countries at the conference. The group emerged victorious with the first ever global accord in the fight against global warming.  All 196 nations have agreed to decrease the use of fossil fuels that generate heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions like methane and carbon dioxide as soon as possible. The agreement also stipulates that by 2050, man-made emissions should be reduced to levels that can be absorbed by our forests and oceans.

To view Mena's summary speech at the conference, go to http://cgrer.uiowa.edu/dr-marcelo-mena-speaks-cop21-paris-france.

For more on Mena, go here.