How is our University addressing the climate crisis? An open discussion
Staff and students are invited to the first open discussion of the Climate Plan on Wednesday 15 February. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, will give the opening and closing remarks.
About the Climate Plan
The climate crisis is the most significant challenge the world faces. The science is clear and we are committed to getting our house in order.
It’s now just over a year since we set out our Climate Plan, marking the single biggest investment in the University’s history to achieve a low carbon future. The plan was developed with academic staff, professional services colleagues and our students.
We know that there is great interest and passion about climate change across our staff and student community.
It is a challenging agenda but there is a concerted drive to make progress in reducing our greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, to invest responsibly, and to reorient research towards a sustainable future and to build sustainability into our curriculum. Delivering the Climate Plan will be challenging and will require agility, ingenuity, flexibility and collaboration across the University community. In some areas we will need to embrace and develop new approaches, to contribute credible solutions not just for ourselves but for wider society as well.
What will the event set out to achieve?
Staff and students are invited to the first open discussion of the Climate Plan. This is an opportunity to create meaningful dialogue within the University community. The in-person audience can ask questions – questions can also be submitted ahead of the event through Slido. The panel will answer as many questions as they can during the event. Even if you don't have a question, we encourage you to vote on the questions that you would like to see answered by the panel. The highest ranked questions will be asked before questions are taken from the audience. You can also submit questions by visiting slido.com and entering the code 3981016.
Professor Richard Beardsworth, Head of School of Politics & International Studies, who will chair the event, said: “This the first real opportunity for University of Leeds students and staff to engage openly with our University’s climate ambition and action in the context of the climate crisis. The focus will be on the University’s climate plan and its current review, but other related questions will obviously come up. I am delighted that the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, will give the opening and closing remarks. I hope that as many people as possible can join us in what will be the first of a series of events concerned with engaging the community in University climate policy.”
The event is co-organised with the student community, and Union Affairs & Communications Officer Maria Papageorgiou and student Hannah Crowther will bring student voices to the panel.
Who you’ll hear from
You’ll hear from key experts about the University’s climate ambition, including targets, actions and investments to achieve net zero by 2030. This will include climate researchers, those leading vital climate projects at the University, who are the right people to advise on the complex nature of climate issues.
Among others, you’ll hear from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Simone Buitendijk, Professor Richard Beardsworth, Professor Piers Forster, Director of the Priestley International Centre for Climate, Professor Simon Kelley, Head of School, School of Earth and Environment; and Professor Anne Tallontire, Lead of the LITE Fellowship on Sustainable Curriculum.
The following staff will be available for the Q&A session to share their expertise, Dr Kendi Guantai, Dean for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion; Sociology Professor Sarah Irwin, who studies perceptions of the climate crisis; James Dixon-Gough, Head of Net Zero Delivery; Professor Sandra Piazolo, Academic Lead for Geosolutions Leeds and Professor in Structural Geology and Tectonics; Professor Clare Richardson-Barlow, Energy Transitions; Professor Selina Stead, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Environment.
About the event
Date: Wednesday 15 February 2023
Time: 3:30pm – 5:00pm (followed by informal discussion until 6pm)
Location: Conference Auditorium 2
What should I expect?
o An open discussion of the Climate Plan, seven principles and transition to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2030.
o What the University of Leeds is doing in response to the climate crisis.
o Hear from key experts about the University’s climate ambition, including targets, actions and investments to achieve net zero by 2030.
o Time afterwards for informal discussion until 6pm
If you are unable to join us in the room, a live stream of the event will be available, in addition to a recording which will be circulated afterwards.
How to sign up
Sign up via Microsoft Forms.
Who to contact
If you have any questions about this event, please contact g.hardcastle@leeds.ac.uk
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