Panelists representing the perspectives of science, policy, and the financial system, will discuss climate change issues and answer questions. The panel includes Prof. Paul O'Goram (Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences), Prof. Kenneth Oye (Political Science), and Dr. John Parsons (CEEPR and Sloan School of Management). This session will focus on the opportunities and challenges facing President Obama and the new Congress when it comes to achieving national consensus on climate action. Which congressional proposals are most likely to be most politically palatable? Where is the leadership on the issue likely to come from? How will the financial crisis affect the debate and the availability of financing for clean energy investment? How do science and policy interact in the realm of climate? Are climate skeptics still a problem? This MIT Independent Activities Period session is one in a series organized by graduate students affiliated with the Global Change Program. Other activities in this series sponsored by the Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change include Intro to Climate Science (2 sessions; Jan 6, 2-4pm and Jan 8, 2-4pm) and a Discussion of U.S. Climate Policy (Jan 14, 2-4pm).