Associate professor gives climate lecture at Baker Center
Joshua Fu, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UT, spoke at the Baker Center on August 29 about the future of climate in Knoxville and how aware the city’s citizens should be.
Fu began his discussion by stating the impact of continuous climate change, which affects air quality and energy. Fu gave his opinion on climate going forward.
“Humans and nature drives climate change,” Fu said.
Fu said people will decide the future of climate, not the environment, using many charts and graph to explain his reasoning. One graph pictured the increasing hot days and more precipitation every decade since 1950.
One of Fu’s key points came when he surprised the crowd with the fact that the United States no longer holds the top position for carbon dioxide fossil fuel emitters. China now holds the claim as the world’s top carbon dioxide polluter, while USA comes right behind at second in the world, Fu said.
Fu’s many years of studies in Knoxville area and around the county have not gone unnoticed, according to one student in the community.
“I believe it’s important for people like Joshua Fu to keep speaking to the people of Knoxville and keep us update on how the world will be in 20 years,” Corey Clay, a UT student, said.
Clay said he was very concerned about the climate for the future.
“I’m glad Fu is here because we as people have to stop being selfish and think about others,” Clay said.
Fu left the podium with a sense of optimism saying recent climate studies show significant improvements.
Edited by Jennifer Brake
