First Parish hosts climate crisis forum 

September 29, 2023

It is clear to many of us that our worst fears about what climate change can do to our planet and to us are becoming a disturbing reality. We need to hear what can be done to address the growing impacts of global climate change and its role in exacerbating wildfires, hurricanes, rising sea level temperatures and other destructive climatic events.  

Climate economist Gilbert (Gib) Metcalf will explore the crisis at a forum hosted by the First Parish in Concord Environmental Team on October 19 from 7 to 9 p.m. both in person at 20 Lexington Road and on Zoom. For more information on taking part virtually, check www.coolerconcord.org.  

Metcalf has written and spoken extensively on the economics of climate change and the effectiveness and socio-economic impacts of different policy approaches to eliminating greenhouse gas emissions. He’ll be introduced by moderator Peter Lowitt, with a question and comment session to follow the talk.  

Gib Metcalf is a Tufts University professor of economics emeritus and a visiting professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Sloan School, where he serves as an affiliate of the Center for Energy and Environmental Policy Research. He’s also a research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research and a university fellow at Resources for the Future.  

Metcalf has frequently testified before Congress, served on expert panels for the National Academies of Sciences and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and as a consultant to numerous other organizations. During 2011 and 2012, he served as the deputy assistant secretary for environment and energy at the U.S. Department of Treasury, where he was the founding U.S. board member for the U.N.-based Green Climate Fund.