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Salem State University Professor Noel Healy Delivers Talk at Prestigious Oxford Union

On May 2nd, 2024, Professor Noel Healy of Salem State University's Geography and Sustainability Department was an invited speaker at the Oxford Union, the world’s most prestigious debating venue. The Oxford Union, located at the University of Oxford, is a globally recognized forum for intellectual exchange and has hosted numerous distinguished guests, including US Presidents, Nobel laureates, international royalty, prominent celebrities, influential political leaders, and renowned academics. Past speakers have included the Dalai Lama, Malcolm X, Mother Teresa, Stephen Hawking, E.O. Wilson, and Richard Dawkins.

Professor Healy's talk, which can be viewed on the Oxford Union’s YouTube channel, outlined the argument that international climate policy is neo-imperialist. He detailed the Global North's broken promises in combating climate change and argued that the power dynamics of old are repackaged by former colonial powers through the seemingly equitable language of international climate policy. The motion passed with a resounding vote of 85-40.

Dr. Healy was a contributing author for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 6th Assessment Report, serves on the editorial board of Energy Research and Social Sciences, and is on the advisory board of Cell Reports: Sustainability.

For more information or to watch Professor Healy’s speech, visit the Oxford Union’s YouTube channel.

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Noel Healy
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