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University of Hawaiʻi President David Lassner joined other university leaders to discuss and collaborate on sustaining and strengthening biodiversity amid climate change at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) University Leaders’ Forum (ALUF) 2023 on November 13, in San Francisco, California.
The forum revolved around the important theme of “Investing in Tomorrow’s Biodiversity,” and was organized by the Association of Pacific Rim Universities (APRU), together with the University of California, Davis and the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Taking place alongside the annual APEC CEO Summit, ALUF 2023 brought together more than 100 leaders for a high-level dialogue between CEOs, policy leaders, presidents and top researchers from government agencies, universities, research centers, international NGOs, and civil society to collaborate on developing and disseminating innovative, sustainable solutions to biodiversity loss.
ALUF 2023’s more than 30 speakers covered a range of issues spanning four panel discussions: Responding to Changing Biodiversity, Mitigating Climate Change Impacts on Coastal Communities, Optimizing Water Resources for a Sustainable Planet, and Creating a Sustainable Future through Food Systems Innovation.
One of the speakers was UH Mānoa oceanography Associate Professor Rosie ʻAnolani Alegado.
The forum’s diverse range of participants enabled an in-depth conversation and discussion about sustainable endeavors that can contribute to the region’s economic development, including innovations in food science, water protection and climate change.
Read more about the APEC University Leaders’ Forum.