Members of the University community tonight will have a chance to learn about vital environmental issues the United Nations will address this June during the Earth Summit in Brazil.

Universities and other groups from all over the country will participate tonight in a teleconference organized by the Iowa division of the United Nations Association-USA, the National Wildlife Federation and the University of Iowa Student Association.

Penn State's Undergraduate Student Government and Eco-Action will sponsor the teleconference here from 7:30 to 10 tonight in 312 Keller.

The teleconference will feature panelists who work in various environmental fields and will focus on the upcoming U.N. conference on environment and development -- the Earth Summit -- to be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, June 1-12, said Kay Powers, assistant teleconference project director.

The teleconference will be divided into segments dealing with specific environmental topics. A question-and-answer session --when viewers can call and talk with the panelists -- will follow each segment, Powers said.

Videos, including one from U.S. Sen. Al Gore, D-Tenn., will also be shown as part of the program, Powers added.

Penn State will have its own phone line to call in questions, said USG President Mark Stewart.

The teleconference will be videotaped and sent to the United Nations Association-USA, which will determine U.S. policy for the Brazil summit, Stewart said.

"They'll have input from college students across the country," Stewart said.

The teleconference started within the Big Ten but has spread to schools around the country, Stewart said. About 100 sites nationwide and in Mexico and Canada will participate, Powers said.

Along with the teleconference, a letter-writing campaign will be organized asking that President Bush attend the Earth Summit in person because of the importance of environmental issues, Powers said.