Refocusing Climate Research to Maximize Impacts

The impacts of climate change on daily life continue to become increasingly evident, and the unequal nature of those impacts demands attention to the root causes of climate-related suffering.

This talk will discuss the importance of centering disadvantaged, low-income, and BIPOC communities in climate impacts research, the challenges that exist in doing so, and the strategies that can be employed.

Dr. Vargo will cover examples from his time as lead scientist for climate change and health equity at the California Department of Public Health, as subject matter expert for the state’s COVID Health Equity Metric, and now as Senior Researcher of Community Development at the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

The Weston Roundtable is made possible by a generous donation from Roy F. Weston, a highly accomplished UW-Madison alumnus. Designed to promote a robust understanding of sustainability science, engineering, and policy, these interactive lectures are co-sponsored by the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and the Office of Sustainability.