Theme: Countdown

Countdown is a global initiative to champion and accelerate solutions to the climate crisis, turning ideas into action. The goal: To build a better future by cutting greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 in the race to a zero-carbon world – a world that is safer, cleaner and fairer for everyone. We can change climate change – #JoinTheCountdown to a safer, cleaner, fairer future. Countdown invites collaboration from every organization, company, city and nation and from citizens everywhere. It is a movement open to everyone – and everyone has a vital role to play.

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Chicago, Illinois, N/A
United States

Cynthia Klein-Banai

UIC Assistant Vice Chancellor and Director of Sustainability

Dr. Cynthia Klein-Banai is a dynamic change agent and collaborative leader. She founded the UIC Office of Sustainability twelve years ago. Her team provides institutional value in supporting sustainability planning, projects, and reporting, while enhancing UIC’s mission of student success, improving public health, and serving the communities of Chicago. The Office promotes the UIC Climate Commitments of Carbon Neutral, Zero Waste, Net Zero Water, and Biodiverse University. She has helped advanced sustainable infrastructure at UIC through energy efficiency, renewable energy, grounds, water and stormwater management, waste and recycling, and transportation initiatives. Dr. Klein-Banai has a Ph.D. in Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences (EOHS) from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). She also holds an adjunct assistant professor appointment within the School of Public Health.

Elizabeth Kocs

UIC Energy Initiative Director of Partnerships and Strategy

Dr. Elizabeth A. Kócs is an environment-behavior scientist at the intersection of social, economic, policy, and technological advances in energy, sustainability and urban resilience. She has a strong focus on energy and technology for transportation, the electrical grid and smart cities. Elizabeth cultivates local, regional, national and international initiatives in energy, mobility, and urban sustainability ecosystems and leverages expertise, tools and resources across research, public and private entities to address climate-related energy and transportation challenges. She serves as the Director for Partnerships and Strategy for the UIC Energy Initiative and as an Energy Executive for the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and is co-founder for the Center for Urban Resilience and Environmental Sustainability.