The Dalai Lama: The Global Impact of Climate Change

Can compassion and universal responsibility serve as a foundation for addressing the global climate crisis? At UC San Diego, His Holiness the Dalai Lama joins esteemed scientists Richard Somerville and Veerabhadran Ramanathan to explore this question, examining the need for humanitarian values in responding to climate change’s impact on communities and ecosystems worldwide. This lecture, part of the Dalai Lama’s “Compassion Without Borders” symposium, brings together Buddhist spiritual leadership and rigorous climate science, illustrating how ethical and compassionate frameworks can complement scientific understanding in addressing environmental challenges. The discussion emphasizes that responding effectively to climate change requires more than technical solutions — it demands a shared sense of universal responsibility that transcends borders, cultures, and disciplines. As part of the broader “Compassion Without Borders: Science, Peace, Ethics with the Dalai Lama” series, this lecture exemplifies the growing dialogue between Buddhist philosophy and contemporary climate science, offering a compelling model for interdisciplinary engagement with the crisis.

(Visit: http://www.uctv.tv/dalai-lama for more video) His Holiness the Dalai Lama joins esteemed scientists Richard Somerville and Veerabhadran Ramanathan at UC San Diego to discuss the need for humanitarian values and universal responsibility in responding to the impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems. This lecture is part of the Dalai Lama’s “Compassion without Borders” symposium in San Diego. Series: “Compassion Without Borders: Science, Peace, Ethics with the Dalai Lama” [Public Affairs] [Humanities] [Show ID: 23963]