An environmental social scientist explores human migration in a warming world
An environmental social scientist explores human migration in a warming world Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
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Assistant Professor Hélène Benveniste’s Journey in Environmental Social Sciences
Introduction
As told to Beth Jensen
Hélène Benveniste, an assistant professor of environmental social sciences and the Steven and Roberta Denning Faculty Fellow in Global Governance for Sustainability, shares her journey and passion for environmental issues and climate change.
Early Inspiration
Benveniste’s interest in environmental issues and climate change began during a high school project in her hometown of Rennes, France. She studied hurricanes and their expected increase in strength due to climate change. This idea fascinated her and sparked her interest in the global impact of climate change.
Shifting Perspectives
Initially, Benveniste believed that the only way to contribute to addressing climate change was through engineering and energy technology. However, her perspective changed while working at the French Embassy in Berlin, where she witnessed Germany’s renewable energy transition plan. This experience made her realize the importance of policy and political aspects in addressing climate change.
Later, Benveniste worked as a research analyst for the scientific advisory group to the French negotiation team for the Paris Agreement. This opportunity allowed her to witness the interactions between the scientific, policy, and political communities, further solidifying her interest in the policy and political questions surrounding climate change.
Research Focus
Benveniste’s current research focuses on the relationship between climate change and migration. She explores how climate affects migration and the expected future impacts of climate change on migration patterns. Additionally, she investigates how observations today can inform future expectations and international policy responses to climate-induced migration.
Collaboration at Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
Benveniste expresses her excitement about being a part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. She looks forward to collaborating with faculty members from various disciplines who are also working on addressing environmental challenges. Benveniste believes that solving these problems requires public support for large-scale change, and she values the opportunity to work with collaborators who can help understand how societies can transition their behavior towards sustainability.
Hope for the Future
Despite the immense challenges ahead, Benveniste remains hopeful about achieving significant progress. She believes that the need for change opens up discussions on a wide range of issues, and the potential for synergies found in these conversations is promising.
Related
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.a: Implement the commitment undertaken by developed-country parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to a goal of mobilizing jointly $100 billion annually by 2020 from all sources to address the needs of developing countries in the context of meaningful mitigation actions and transparency on implementation and fully operationalize the Green Climate Fund through its capitalization as soon as possible | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.b: Promote mechanisms for raising capacity for effective climate change-related planning and management in least developed countries and small island developing states, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.c: Improve climate-related planning and management in developing countries, including focusing on women, youth, and local and marginalized communities | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.7: Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory, and representative decision-making at all levels | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.8: Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in the institutions of global governance | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.9: By 2030, provide legal identity for all, including birth registration | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
| SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions | Target 16.10: Ensure public access to information and protect fundamental freedoms, in accordance with national legislation and international agreements | Indicator not mentioned in the article |
Source: sustainability.stanford.edu
