RCAT Network: After Glasgow COP26: Where are we NOW?

After diplomats, scientists, lobbyists, activists, artists, the media, politicians and businesspeople gathered in Glasgow for COP26, it might be easy to dismiss the entire affair. That would be a mistake. The removal of the fundamental limit on humanity flourishing as a result of our dependence on fossil fuels remains vital. To understand the results and issues, we turn to experts who were there or tracked the output of Glasgow closely. The RCAT Network Global Forum presents a three-person panel focused on Glasgow to help us understand the commitments countries made at COP26 so that we can hold them to their promises.

Gary H. White, Moderator
Gary H. White will moderate this three-person panel. He is a Climate Activist trained by Former Vice President Al Gore and his Climate Reality Project (CRP). Gary’s role with the CRP SF Bay Area chapter is to educate and motivate people in the Bay Area to learn about and address the climate emergency. Gary is also the Founder and Group Leader of the San Mateo chapter of Extinction Rebellion, a group that uses non-violent, direct action tactics to call attention to the increasing severity of the climate emergency and demand an aggressive response by the U.S. government and the business community to limit the damage. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Stony Brook University, a Master's from UC Berkeley, and an Executive Education Certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from the Harvard Business School. Gary is an active member of the Rotary Club of San Mateo.

Karen Kendrick-Hands, Panelist
Karen Kendrick-Hands, an attorney and a member of the Rotary Club of Madison, Wisconsin since 2012, helped to form the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG), to synergize her passions for Rotary Service and mitigate climate change as well as provide a way for like-minded Rotarians to collaborate. She has served as ESRAG’s Chair, Director of Communications, and is currently the Director of Projects. Karen was the first ever Observer Delegate sent by Rotary International to the UNFCCC climate talks, attending COP24 in Katowice, Poland in December 2018. In February 2020, Karen presented to the Rotary Foundation’s Environmental Issues Task Force, on behalf of ESRAG. Rotary International’s Directors and the Trustees of the Rotary Foundation accepted the Taskforce report unanimously and have created a seventh Area of Focus: Supporting the Environment. 

Elizabeth Bagley, Panelist
Elizabeth Bagley is a Program Director at Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI) primarily building sustainability leaders through partnerships with higher education institutions. Elizabeth’s interdisciplinary background spans academia, business, and the nonprofit sector. Before joining SEI, Elizabeth led Drawdown Learn at Project Drawdown where she produced Climate Solutions 101, directed sustainability efforts at the California Academy of Sciences, and designed the science content for video games at LeapFrog. An experienced environmental educator, Elizabeth worked as a naturalist in Glacier National Park, taught middle and high school science in Louisiana, developed K-12 professional development for teachers, and designed a science communication course for graduate students. She holds joint PhDs in Environment & Resources and Educational Psychology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison where she studied how video games can encourage systems thinking about complex environmental topics.

Rick Wayman, Panelist
Rick Wayman is the CEO of the Foundation for Climate Restoration (F4CR). Before joining F4CR in September 2021, Rick co-founded and led GeoComb Homes, a sustainable modular housing company based in California. From 2007 to 2020, Rick worked at the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation (NAPF), where he served as Director of Programs & Operations, Deputy Director, and CEO. While at NAPF, Rick collaborated with the United Nations and participated in the negotiations that led to the 2017 Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. Rick plans to leverage his background in advocacy and coalition building at F4CR in order to mobilize support for the restorative technologies that will ensure we have a habitable planet for future generations. He has a Bachelor’s degree in International Business and a Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management and Political Advocacy.