Inspiring Stories to
Move the Planet Forward
Convening leadership
We produce world-class events on sustainability, storytelling, and science.
The Planet Forward Summit
The annual Summit at the George Washington University is a premier environmental storytelling conference for college students. Every April in Washington, D.C., more than 300 attendees and more than 40 universities attend the Summit, where we connect students with leaders in business, government, science, and media.
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Since 2013, Planet Forward has engaged more than 15,000 participants in person and online and more than 125 colleges and universities represented.
Major speakers have included:
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Current EPA Administrator Michael Regan and former EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy, USAID administrator Raj Shah, members of Congress and mayors from around the country
Storytellers and journalists from The New York Times, Comcast/NBC Universal, Project Drawdown, National Geographic, Discovery, NowThis, The Washington Post, Google, ProPublica, and VICE
Entrepreneurs and visionaries from Adobe, Comcast, Gensler, Boeing, Bayer, Gates Foundation, Climate Nexus, Uber, CARE, Skanska, Barclays, and the United Nations
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Presidents and CEOs from Lindblad Expeditions, TerraCycle, Land O'Lakes Inc., American Electric Power, World Food Program USA, and the National League of Cities
World-famous chef and humanitarian José Andrés
Leading scientists, including Dr. Tom Lovejoy, “the godfather of biodiversity,” and science-based organizations like the American Geophysical Union, World Resources Institute, American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Global Council for Science and Environment, and the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
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HARRISON WATSON
Jackson State '19
Princeton University '24
“Planet Forward has done so much to bring people together, and it’s shown me that to inspire individuals is to get them involved. That's probably the most inspiring thing that you can do, is let folks understand that anything is doable no matter how monumental the obstacles may seem.”
Planet Forward's Salon Series
Throughout the academic year, Planet Forward hosts a series of Salon conversations that bring together students, academics, policymakers, and leaders in sustainability. These events are held in GW's Richard Eaton broadcast studio and streamed to our Consortium of schools and the wider public through Facebook Live.
At each event, we identify and discuss stories and solutions on major environmental issues with storytellers and change makers. These invite-only, intimate gatherings have a live audience of 45 people, creating a fun and interactive setting. Students and faculty from the Planet Forward Consortium watch online and contribute questions and feedback during events.
“The Climate is Changing: Is TV News Adapting?”
CBS News meteorologist and climate specialist Jeff Berardelli, CNN health and science unit producer Jen Christensen, and WNET executive producer Eugenia Harvey discuss how to create lasting climate communication that won’t get washed away in the rising tides.