Burke Lectureship Welcomes Bill McKibben

In an era marked by escalating climate disruption and urgent calls for global sustainability, the Eugene M. Burke C.S.P. Lectureship on Religion and Society is honored to welcome Bill McKibben—author, activist, and one of the world’s most influential voices on climate change—to UC San Diego’s Jeannie Auditorium on Thursday, April 23, 2026. McKibben’s lecture arrives at a critical time, exploring the moral and spiritual dimensions of climate change.

More than three decades ago, his groundbreaking book "The End of Nature" introduced climate change to a wide audience, launching a career bridging science, ethics, and community action. As founder of 350.org, he has built a global grassroots climate campaign and driven the fossil fuel divestment movement, shaping worldwide ethical conversations about protecting our planet. This lecture offers a rare opportunity to re-engage with the moral stakes of environmental action, inviting all audiences to consider how courage, truth, and collective responsibility can shape a more sustainable and equitable future. The lecture will be moderated by Marco Werman, award-winning journalist and host of The World (WGBH Boston & PRX). Werman’s global perspective will guide a dialogue examining the intersections of faith, justice, and activism, probing how ethics, civic responsibility, and human solidarity can be tools for confronting the climate crisis.