Nuclear Abolition, Climate Protection, and Our Cities’ Future
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Sheslow Hall, Drake University, Des Moines
Convened by Mayors for Peace, the Office of the Mayor of the City of Des Moines, and Drake University
Organized by Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy, Western States Legal Foundation, Global Action to Prevent War, and Progressive Coalition of Central Iowa
Message from Tadatoshi Akiba, Mayor of Hiroshima
YouTube videos of presentations at conference
Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines: Introduction
Jacqueline Cabasso, Mayors for Peace and Western States Legal Foundation: Introduction
Steven Starr, MT, Senior Scientist, Physicians for Social Responsibility: Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change
Dr. John Burroughs, Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy: International Frameworks for Climate Protection and Nuclear Abolition
Dr. Maureen McCue, Iowa Physicians for Social Responsibility: Responsibility to Future Generations
Jacqueline Cabasso, Mayors for Peace and Western States Legal Foundation: Nuclear Abolition – Whys and Ways
Dr. John Burroughs, Lawyers’ Committee on Nuclear Policy: International Frameworks for Climate Protection and Nuclear Abolition (cont'd)
Dr. Brice Smith, State University of New York, Cortland: The Role of Nuclear Power
Mary Beth Sullivan, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space: Converting the Militarized Economy
Mary Beth Sullivan, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space: Converting the Militarized Economy (cont'd)
Andrew Lichterman, Western States Legal Foundation: The Broader Context of Changing Urban Priorities
Ben Manski, Liberty Tree Foundation: Social Change and Cities
Wilson Riles, former Oakland City Council member: Cities – An Effective, Sane Voice for Peace
Frank Cownie, Mayor of Des Moines: The Role of Cities
Ed Malloy, Mayor of Fairfield: The Role of Cities
Dr. Arjun Makhijani, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research: Climate Protection: Whys and Ways
Prepared texts of remarks and transcripts
Dr. John Burroughs, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy: International Frameworks for Cooperation on Nuclear Abolition and Climate Protection
Jacqueline Cabasso, Mayors for Peace and Western States Legal Foundation: Nuclear Abolition: Whys and Ways
Andrew Lichterman, Western States Legal Foundation: Nuclear Weapons, Nuclear Power, Corporate Globalization, and the Role of Cities: Some Preliminary Observations
Wilson Riles, former Oakland City Council member, edited transcript of remarks: Cities – An Effective, Sane Voice for Peace
Dr. Jürgen Scheffran, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, presentation slides: Climate Change and Protection: Sustainable Energy Paths
Mary Beth Sullivan, Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space: Converting the Militarized Economy
Why a conference on the role of cities in nuclear abolition and climate protection?
Cities are assuming an active role in nuclear abolition and climate protection initiatives. Over 900 mayors have signed the U.S. Conference of Mayors Climate Protection Agreement, pledging to work to implement the Kyoto Protocol in their own communities. In 2008, the U.S. Conference of Mayors unanimously adopted a resolution entitled “Support for the Elimination of All Nuclear Weapons by the Year 2020.”
Mayors for Peace is a rapidly growing international network dedicated to the abolition of nuclear weapons. Headed by Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba of Hiroshima and Mayor Tomihisa Taue of Nagasaki, Mayors for Peace has over 2,600 members in 134 countries and regions. More than 130 U.S. mayors in 38 states are members.
Acknowledgement: A grant from the Ford Foundation to the Lawyers' Committee on Nuclear Policy helped fund this conference.
Q&A: John Burroughs and Steven Starr
Dr. Jürgen Scheffran, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign: Climate Change and Protection: Sustainable Energy Paths