With 2024 officially the hottest recorded year in human history—surpassing the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels—climate change remains a global crisis. In response to these growing concerns, a University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa professor taught a course on climate change for government, private sector and academic leaders in Cairo, Egypt, in January.
Bob Richmond, research professor and director of the Kewalo Marine Laboratory, focused on climate change impacts to Egypt and the broader Middle East—North Africa region. Egypt has experienced associated problems of flooding, drought, extended periods of elevated temperatures, bleaching of coral reefs in the Red Sea and human health consequences.
“The need for scientists who can clearly communicate across audiences, from K–12 students and community stakeholders to national leaders and policy makers has never been greater,” said Richmond, who teaches a graduate seminar in communicating science. “All the cutting-edge data in the world is of little use if it’s not accessible to our communities. This was a great opportunity to engage leaders from other nations to address an existential problem for all of humanity.”
Topics included causes and needed interventions, actions and solutions that could be undertaken at multiple levels, from individuals to nations. The course was held at the American University in Cairo and was funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The course was co-led by Seham Elmrayed, an epidemiologist, who highlighted the disease and human health impacts. Richmond led discussions on environmental consequences, the environmental health—human health connections and the need for international cooperation to address the climate change crisis.
Richmond’s invitation came via the American Bar Association as a request for scientists who could communicate across professional target audiences that included members of governmental judicial, executive and legislative branch members, academia and the private sector.
A judge from the U.S. 9th Circuit Court in California, who recommended Richmond, had participated in a Pacific Judicial Council environmental conference held in Palau in November 2024, where Richmond organized the science presentations for the regional judiciary.
