New Bedford Lyceum with Bill McKibben

Of all the challenges we face, one of the most urgent is our rapidly warming planet—and few voices have done more to illuminate and confront this crisis than Bill McKibben. A celebrated author, educator, and activist, McKibben has spent decades translating the science of climate change into a call for collective action.

In his keynote Solar, Society, and the Shifting Climate, McKibben will explore the promise of solar energy, the fight for climate justice, and the power of community to create change. Known for weaving data, stories, and hope into his talks, he offers both practical solutions and moral clarity—reminding us that while personal choices matter, movements move the needle fastest when people stand together.

This keynote concludes a two-day climate learning experience at the Whaling Museum, beginning with the international Climate Future Film Festival on Friday, October 24—a touring series of short films capturing the human side of the climate crisis—grief, resilience, absurdity, and determination. As the Festival’s Honorary Judge, McKibben appears in the film to introduce the program before taking the stage in person the following evening. Film program tickets sold separately.

Author of fifteen books, including the groundbreaking The End of Nature and his newest release Here Comes the Sun, McKibben is the founder of 350.org—the largest grassroots climate campaign in the world—and Third Act, a progressive movement for people over 60. His accolades include the Right Livelihood Prize, the Gandhi Prize, and honorary degrees from 18 institutions. In 2014, a species of woodland gnat was even named in his honor.

Premium ticket buyers receive McKibben’s new book, Here Comes the Sun: A Last Chance for the Climate and a Fresh Chance for Civilization, to be signed by the author. In it, McKibben charts the global rise of solar and wind energy and makes a compelling case for a cleaner, fairer future.

Don’t miss this extraordinary evening of insight, urgency, and inspiration.