Christopher Coates, an engineering sophomore performing research in the department of chemistry and chemical biology, will join 499 select other students and young professionals at the UN Headquarters in New York City from June 6-8, 2007 for ATHGO International’s Third Annual Global Forum, “Global Third Way: Becoming One with the Environment.” The focus is on global warming and climate change. Coates, a member of K.V. Lakshmi’s research group, works on developing cutting-edge technology for solar energy use.  

Technology for solar energy use

According to Coates, “Solar power performs one of the most energetically demanding reactions in nature.” Photosystem II (PSII) is a protein that uses light energy to split water into oxygen. The exact mechanisms of how this occurs are unknown.

The focus of Coates’ work is to develop new methods for directly visualizing the molecular mechanisms of PSII. In other words, “photographing” charge transfers in proteins. This work is important in designing bio-inspired catalytic systems for producing solar fuels.

Coates says, “The economic and environmental impacts of the discovery of these processes in natural systems would be astounding. Newer, more efficient solar fuels would make the United States self-sufficient in its energy needs and bring the cost of energy down, all while dramatically decreasing environmental pollution caused by other energy sources.”

Coates also works on creating a semi-hybrid biological battery.

“If you put photovoltaic cells on a conductive surface,” Coates says, referring to cells that produce voltage when exposed to light, “and are able to create a small, biological half-cell, you could connect it to a second, synthetic half-cell and create electrical energy out of solar power.”

Bringing it all together

The Forum comprises individual speaker series and panel discussions, with presenters from UN permanent missions, the private sector, international organizations, various funding entities, academic institutions, think tanks, and other nonprofit organizations. Participants work in small groups throughout the event.

The participants will examine the problem of global warming while focusing on existing countermeasures, implementation strategies, and accomplishments. The program also includes discussions about the weaknesses and the strengths of these measures and their implementation strategies.

The Forum culminates with panels composed of the participants themselves and a presentation of their Summary Resolution, a collaboration of ideas that provide alternative strategies in dealing with the climate crisis. The resolution is forwarded to the UN permanent missions and other relevant organizations.

The path from science to policy

The forum will discuss the issue of global warming and climate change under four areas.

One, leading environmental academics and scientists discuss the causes, consequences and long-term ramifications of global warming, and then provide policy recommendations and forecasts for the future.

Two, ambassadors from resident UN missions address the political will required to develop policies and build consensus for a universal agenda that addresses the needs of both developed and emerging economies. They also outline their country’s individual green initiatives and the various incentives used to encourage transformation within the private sector. 

Three, executives from private foundations and venture capital firms discuss their priorities and provide insights into the process associated with funding environmental programs. Representatives from the private sector describe their efforts to develop alternative energy products and solutions, as well as outline corporate strategies geared toward environmentally-friendly business practices.

Four, representatives from UN agencies and other international organizations discuss the role of the international community, including their ability to respond to a crisis swiftly, the bureaucratic challenges they face, potential private sector partnerships, and the role for young people in the policy process.

Learn more

Read Chris’s winning essay where he answer’s the question, “If a newspaper were to do a story about your life to date, what would they write about?”

You can also visit the forum website.

Published May 31, 2007