The scientific community has reached a strong consensus on the science of global climate change. The world is warming as a result of emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases from human activities including industrial processes, fossil fuel combustion and changes in land use.

Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result in additional warming over the 21st century with current projections of a global increase of 2.5 degrees to more than 10 degrees Fahrenheit by 2100. Warming in the U.S. could be even higher. This warming will have real consequences for the United States and the world — a sea-level rise that will gradually inundate coastal areas and increase beach erosion and flooding from coastal storms, changes in precipitation patterns, increased risk of droughts and floods, threats to biodiversity and potential challenges for public health. At Bucknell University, where I am a senior and an animal behavioral major, my fellow students, the faculty and the university administration are strongly supporting a national educational initiative on global climate change called Focus the Nation.

On Thursday, this initiative will focus more than 500 colleges and universities in a nationwide teach-in about climate change and potential solutions. The teach-in seeks to concentrate the country’s attention on this single issue for one day, encouraging universities, communities and politicians to focus the immense intellectual energy of our country on this urgent topic. Addressing climate change is no simple task. To protect ourselves, our economy and our land from the adverse effects of climate change, we must reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We owe our country and the world at least one day of focused discussion about these key decisions. For this reason, I invite the local community to attend Focus the Nation. Focus the Nation will kick off on Wednesday at 5 p.m. with a screening of “11th Hour,” the climate documentary narrated by Leonardo DiCaprio, at the Campus Theatre on Market Street in Lewisburg.

On Thursday, 12 academic departments will participate in a series of four interdisciplinary discussion panels from 8 to 9:30 a.m., 9:30 to 11 a.m., 1 to 2:30 p.m. and 2:30 to 4 p.m. Each panel will feature faculty from different disciplines speaking on global climate change issues related to their area of expertise. The discussion panels are titled “Obstacles to change,” “Tipping points,” “Can we afford NOT to stop global warming?” and “Motivating action.” Each will take place in the Harvey Powers Theater in Coleman Hall on Bucknell’s campus.

At Gerhard Fieldhouse, a campus sustainability celebration will include food, music, research posters, art displays and a sustainable business expo from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Elected officials from Pennsylvania have been invited to participate in a non-partisan and intergenerational discussion about what the state and country are doing about global climate change and how universities can be involved in laying the foundation for environmental decisions. The discussion will also take place from 4 to 5 p.m. in the Harvey Powers Theatre in Coleman Hall. The day will conclude with a talk by the award-winning science reporter Andrew Revkin from The New York Times in Trout Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. Revkin has reported on environmental issues for more than 25 years. Every event is open to the public. With the help of communities and educational institutions across the country, we can begin to make the changes that will lead to a just and sustainable future for our children.

n Jess Scott is student coordinator of Focus the Nation.