Money seems to be the bone of contention in the Climate Summit currently being held in Lima, attended to by the leaders of 195 countries in the world; a meeting that seems to have turned into a discussion between the rich and the poor, despite their agreement regarding the need to fight global warming. However, the most developed nations are those that do not seem very willing to pay the bill for all that contaminated up to now and to help the Green Climate Fund. This aid package would compensate, with funds from the most wealthy, their responsibility regarding climate change, which would have a catastrophic impact especially on the most humble.

However, while these world leaders quarrel, many scours of teenagers will demonstrate that it is possible to collaborate against the destruction of the environment, despite one’s origin or passport. Thanks to the Academy’s Women in Natural Sciences (WINS) program, endorsed by the Academy of Natural Sciences of the University of Drexel and the National Museum of Mongolia in Ulaanbaatar, 30 teenagers from Philadelphia and from Mongolia will be able to partake in an international exchange to explore the cultural heritage of both places and learn how this is related to the climatic change in their neighborhoods, cities or countries.   

Mongolia is one of those poor countries suffering the consequences of contamination. Between 1940 and 2012 the temperature rose 3.8 degrees F, causing great changes in the way of life of its citizens. The grasslands are more scarce than ever and preparing the animals to withstand the winters is truly difficult.
“Do they experiment the same type of things that we do in Philadelphia?”, Ariel Bradley from Central High School asked herself. As Jacquie Genovesi, Vice President of Education of the Academy contended, “the large differences between their schools, their cities and cultures will serve to show that climatic change is a global issue”.   

With the help of Betsy Payne, WINS manager, and scientists from the Academy, the students will begin to learn about ecology on line, while they communicate with their program partners on the other side of the world, through Facebook and Twitter. Respecting the 12 hour time differences, of course. With all this new knowledge, they will soon be able to create and electronic museum guide that will inform others on climatic change. The fifteen girls will also participate in the Philadelphia Science Festival.

Five of them will also be able to enjoy a trip to Mongolia during two week, next summer. Likewise, five teens from the Asian country will come to visit Philadelphia. This exchange will continue the work began by Dr. Clyde Goulden in 1994, when he began studying the impact of climatic change on the Mongolian shepherds.