APA Task Force on Climate Change: Call for nominations

The American Psychological Association is seeking nominations of individuals to serve on a new APA Task Force on Climate Change. The task force will:

• Review APA's past and current activities related to how psychology, as a discipline and profession, has addressed global climate change.
• Recommend goals and strategies for future APA activities that will strengthen the role and impact of psychology in addressing the global climate change crisis.
• Through a subgroup, assess and make recommendations regarding APA's own practices as an organization related to energy use and sustainability (see below).

Formation of the task force was authorized in February 2020 by APA's Council of Representatives as part of the policy resolution, APA's Response to the Global Climate Change Crisis. The task force, which will take an interdisciplinary and international perspective, will produce a report to be submitted to the Council of Representatives and shared with the APA membership and the general public.

The task force will be composed of seven or more individuals, appointed by the APA president. Task force members will include individuals from psychology and from other disciplines or professions, and individuals from both within and outside the United States. One member will be designated as chair by the APA president.

People are asked to self-nominate. Especially encouraged to apply are individuals who will enhance the diversity of backgrounds and perspectives on the task force, including individuals at early stages of their careers. Task force members are not required to be members of APA.

Nominations are sought from individuals with expertise in such areas as:

• Beliefs, attitudes, affects, communications, and actions regarding climate change and climate change policies.
• Behavior change, decision making, and policies related to energy use, conservation, and sustainability.
• Mental health and psychosocial consequences of climate change and related natural disasters and pandemics (including coping and individual and community resilience).
• Social disparities in impacts of climate change, environmental/climate justice, and related aspects of human rights.

Further, it is intended that the members of the task force will collectively have knowledge about:

• Both mitigation of and adaptation to climate change.
• Climate change issues at multiple levels of analysis (individual, household, organizational, community, national, international).
• Interactions of climate change with other broad societal and economic trends (e.g., migration, urbanization, inequality, racism, aging, changing workplace, political developments).
• Relevant scientific and professional work in psychology and other fields.
• Other organizations' efforts on climate change.

For task force members who participate in the subgroup that will consider APA's own practices, expertise is sought on the psychological and organizational aspects of sustainability practices (e.g., energy use, conservation, collective behavior, leadership, communications).

Input from additional contributors will be called upon by the subgroup on APA's organizational practices and possibly by the full task force. These contributors may include APA staff, APA members with relevant expertise, and outside experts/consultants.

The subgroup will examine and make recommendations regarding APA's own energy use and sustainability practices, as related to:

• APA buildings, facilities, and operations.
• APA staff, suppliers, contractors, affiliates.
• APA Convention, governance meetings, and other events.
• Travel by staff and nonstaff (local and long-distance).
• Telecommuting.

The primary focus will be on practices managed at APA's central office, but those managed by APA divisions will also be examined. APA staff with responsibility for and knowledge of these topics will be available to the subgroup to provide information and answer questions.

The subgroup will also consider the experiences of other organizations in such areas as energy conservation, event planning, and communications with staff and members.

Which task force members will serve on the subgroup and how they will divide their efforts between the work of the subgroup and the other work of the task force will be determined in the course of selecting and appointing members.

It is expected that the bulk of the task force's activities will occur in late 2020 and early 2021, although completion of the task force's work may take up to one year from when it begins to meet.

Meetings will be conducted in English through video or telephone conference calls (no travel will be required). The APA Science Directorate will provide staff support for the task force's activities.

The following APA boards will be invited to designate liaisons to the task force: 

• Board of Directors.
• Board for the Advancement of Psychology in the Public Interest.
• Board of Educational Affairs.
• Board of Professional Affairs.
• Board of Scientific Affairs.

These liaisons will have the opportunity to attend task force meetings.

While the task force's final report will be submitted to the Council of Representatives, it is not expected to be considered for adoption as a formal APA policy. However, the report could recommend development of new policies.

Individuals who wish to be considered for membership on the task force should submit the following:

• Statement of willingness to serve a full year on the task force.
• Brief description (two pages maximum) of expertise and qualifications related to the areas described above.
• Statement regarding interest in serving on the subgroup on APA's organizational practices related to energy use and sustainability. (Participation in subgroup is not required.)
• Current curriculum vitae.

Nomination materials should be submitted by the nominees themselves. Endorsements from other individuals or groups are not expected. Nominees do not need to be members of APA.

Nomination materials should be sent by email to Howard Kurtzman, PhD, of the APA Science Directorate by Aug. 21, 2020. In the event of questions or difficulties regarding email transmissions, please telephone (202) 336-5939.