UNL student, Columbus native at U.N. summit on energy

University of Nebraska-Lincoln students and other U.S. youths have a voice in a United Nations summit on sustainable development thanks to a volunteer-driven youth organization and the commitment of architecture student Jeremy Emerson.

SustainUS is a national organization seeking to empower youth in creating a more sustainable world. Emerson represented SustainUS and U.S. youth at the U.N. Commission on Sustainable Development in May in New York City.

The commission is a U.N. body charged with monitoring progress made by the world's governments in implementing sustainable development agreements, namely those negotiated at the World Summit for Sustainable Development in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, where SustainUS came to life. The theme of the May meeting was reviewing progress on energy development and climate change. Emerson and other youth were there to demonstrate that youth are leading their communities and campuses in developing clean energy measures that reduce contributions of greenhouse gases associated with climate change.

Emerson was selected as one of 13 "Agents of Change" who were invited to the SustainUS delegation after a competitive, national selection process. "It is really exciting to participate in the commission and meet other young people from around the world who are passionate about sustainability," Emerson said.

A native of Columbus, Emerson is a master's candidate in architecture and community and regional planning at UNL. A former collegiate wrestler and Peter Kiewit Distinguished Scholar, he has worked at HDR Architecture for the past two years and helped establish the UNL Emerging Green Builders that brings together student architects and engineers to work on sustainable projects.

Contact: Jeremy Emerson, (402) 730-9355