UNC Asheville Professor Dee Eggers Named to N.C. Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change

Dee Eggers, UNC Asheville assistant professor of environmental studies, was among nine senators and citizens appointed to the new North Carolina Legislative Commission on Global Climate Change. The announcement was made by Senate President Pro Tempore Marc Basnight’s Office on Thursday, Dec. 1.

“It is an honor to be chosen to contribute to solving what is surely the most important environmental, economic and ethical issue of this century,” said Eggers.

Eggers holds a master’s degree in public health and a doctorate in environmental management and policy from UNC Chapel Hill. She joined UNC Asheville’s faculty in 1999 and teaches courses in environmental policy, natural resources management and environmental science. Previously she taught at the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment.

Prior to her career in academia, Eggers gained regulatory experience with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region II Superfund Program and the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources Solid Waste Section.

Egger’s area of special interest focuses on improving the environmental performance of institutions. She is currently developing a model that can be used by any organization to calculate their “climate footprint.” The model indicates how many metric tons of carbon (or carbon equivalent) an organization’s activities cause to be released into the atmosphere.

Senator Basnight appointed the commission to study issues related to global warming, the emerging carbon economy and whether it is appropriate and desirable for the state to establish a global warming pollutant reduction goal. The commission will look to report to the full Senate during the short session.

Media Contact:

• UNC Asheville Public Information Office, 828/251-6526