NSPE believes licensed professional engineers should be good stewards of the environment in order to preserve and protect our world for future generations.
NSPE recognizes that attention to sustainable and resilient design practices is critical to the health of the planet and is an integral part of the practice of engineering.
NSPE advocates for the inclusion of licensed professional engineers in all engineering aspects related to the environment.
What’s New
In February 2022, the NSPE Board of Directors endorsed, per the Committee on Policy and Advocacy recommendation, “The Role of the Engineering Community in Addressing Climate Change.” Prepared with input from a working group of sixteen organizations including NSPE facilitated by ECL-USA, the statement is intended to unite, energize, and motivate people within and across organizations, and to fulfill their desires for meaning and purpose in their professional lives.
The Role of the Engineering Community in Addressing Climate Change
Climate change is real – the impacts are serious, and they are accelerating. There is an urgent imperative for the Engineering Community1 to take informed and intentional actions now to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. It is our duty and purpose to contribute our skills and knowledge of human-centered technologies and of the natural world to lead humanity out of the climate crisis with a focus on sustainable, resilient, equitable, and innovative approaches.
For the complete information, visit Engineering Change Lab - USA.
How This ECL-USA Coalition Along With NSPE Demonstrates Leadership
-
Collaborating with scientists, public policy makers, businesses, and other stakeholders to further this critical endeavor.
-
Focusing on affordability, sustainability, and reliability as we transition our energy systems.
-
Championing justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity in climate change strategies, recognizing that the human impacts of climate change are felt the most by those with the least resources.
-
Producing and using information and communications technologies that are climate-change neutral to communicate sound, scientifically valid information about climate change to society.
-
Unleashing innovation and entrepreneurship to contribute to transformational developments in areas that include energy system modeling; energy storage; renewable energy; electrification; energy efficiency; hydrogen; nuclear energy; carbon capture, removal and storage; reduction of embodied carbon in materials and material choice; transportation/land use; agriculture; natural climate solutions; and adaptation.
-
Advocating for public policies that address climate change, such as incentivizing energy efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and embodied carbon, while also prioritizing public and private sector expenditures for adaptation.
-
Engaging early-career professionals who place a high value on addressing climate change and empowering them to drive change in their organizations.
-
Educating the public (and those in our community) around the science of climate change and the strategies that will most effectively transition our energy system and facilitate adaptation to a changing climate.
(1) The “Engineering Community” includes engineers, scientists, technicians, technologists, computing and design professionals, and others engaged in the creation, implementation, maintenance, and regenerative lifecycles of technologies as well as the stewardship of the natural environment.
Related resources can be found on NSPE’s Sustainability and Resilience webpage.