Rosenberg Institute Seminar Series - Sheldon Gen

Sheldon Gen, Professor, San Francisco State University

Policy Advocacy for the Environment – Need, Progress, and Challenges

Abstract
People concerned with the environment have long advocated for public policies that reflect that concern for the conservation of natural resources, and preservation of natural spaces. That advocacy comes from a recognition that 1) the environment can’t speak for itself
in political processes, and 2) public policy is still the best mechanism for collective action in stable democracies. The practice of policy advocacy for the environment has grown considerably in the last 50 years, with a variety of strategies coming into clarity in the last
decade. But challenges remain, particularly with the integration of environmental science into policy advocacy. In this talk, Dr. Sheldon Gen presents a broad overview of the state of environmental policy advocacy—including his own research on the topic—to assess how environmental science can better inform and influence public policies.

Bio
Sheldon Gen is professor of public policy, and associate director of the School of Public Affairs & Civic Engagement, at San Francisco State University. He is the lead author of Nonprofits in Policy Advocacy: Their Strategies and Stories (2020), a groundbreaking book
investigating how organizations influence public policies. Prior to his academic career, he was a civil and environmental engineer with agencies including the Peace Corps, the Air Force, and the Environmental Protection Agency. A son of immigrants, and a first generation college graduate, he holds a BS degree in civil engineering, an MPA, and a PhD in public policy.