2021 programmes
Net Zero and Carbon Offsetting
This COP26Cast will examine how businesses and other 'non-state actors' are increasingly setting ambitious net zero or even net negative emission reduction targets. In turn, this is driving renewed interest in carbon offsetting, with the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets estimating a 15-fold increase in demand by 2030.
Speakers will discuss how offsetting can contribute to fulfilling the goals of the Paris Agreement, and the challenges such as double counting, and whether to prioritise removals.
Speakers
- Matthew Brander, Senior Lecturer in Carbon Accounting, University of Edinburgh Business School
- Derik Broekhoff, Senior Scientist, Stockholm Environment Institute
- Tracey Osborne, Associate Professor, UC Presidential Chair in the Department of Management of Complex Systems, Director of the University of California Center for Climate Justice, University of California Merced
- Owen Hewlett, Chief Technical Officer, Gold Standard
USA at COP26: Opportunities and Barriers
This COP26Cast will examine the prospects for USA leadership at the upcoming COP26. Can the USA gather the domestic and international support needed to set and deliver ambitious carbon reduction targets, and urge others to do the same? The roundtable will explore the key economic, social, and political drivers supporting or hindering USA's climate action, and leadership.
Speakers will cover a range of issues including the Biden’s administration priorities, the role of political partisanship, and prospects for climate justice.
Speakers
- Elizabeth Bomberg, Professor of Environmental Politics and deputy Head of Politics and International Relations, University of Edinburgh
- Sarah Shanley Hope, VP of Brand and Partnerships, The Solutions Project
- Julie Cerqueira, Executive Director, US Climate Alliance
- Pete Ogden, Vice President, Energy, Climate, and the Environment, United Nations Foundation
2020 programmes
COP and the Climate Crisis: Setting the Scene
While much of the world’s attention is focused on the effects of a global pandemic, the need for action against climate change grows ever stronger. In this series our aim is to put climate change at the top of the agenda as we consider what needs to happen next in a range of different areas.
Speakers
- Niklas Hagelberg, Coordinator, UN Environment's sub-programme on Climate Change, UN Environment Programme
- Dr Sarah Ivory, Director, Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Lecturer in Climate Change and Business Strategy, University of Edinburgh Business School
- Rob Woodward, Chair, The MET Office
COP, Climate Change, and the Financial Markets
Climate-related financial risks are ever-increasingly prominent and the effective management of these risks is a front-and-centre consideration of investors and regulatory authorities. On the one hand, investors are demanding businesses to identify and mitigate their exposure to climate change. On the other hand, regulatory authorities expect financial organisations to measure, quantify and report their risks from the changing climate to help financial organisations to understand the risks and, ultimately, make finance more resilient.
Speakers
- Robert Litterman, Chairman of the US Commodity Futures Trading Commission’s Climate-risk subcommittee and Founding Partner, Kepos Capital
- Kaisie Rayner, Climate Change Lead, Group Finance - Investment Office, Royal London
- Luca Taschini, Member of the Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Reader in Carbon Finance, University of Edinburgh Business School
COP and the Individual
Everyone: every household, business, and government needs to do their bit. But it's hard to feel like much is happening when change is so dispersed. How can we stay connected to this collective cause and how can we be inspired and incentivised to keep making good decisions?
Speakers
- Niklas Hagelberg, Coordinator, UN Environment's sub-programme on Climate Change, UN Environment Programme
- Professor Dave Reay, Chair in Carbon Management and Education, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, and Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI)
- Hermione Taylor, Co-Founder/Director, Do Nation
COP and Business Transformation
Business is a major emitter, but holds the key to many of the solutions we need to address the climate crisis. How are purpose-led organisations leading the way, what obstacles do they face, and what do they need to fast-track their impact?
Speakers
- Dr Sarah Ivory, Director, Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS), and Lecturer in Climate Change and Business Strategy, University of Edinburgh Business School
- David Lockwood, Chief Executive Officer, Babcock International
- Sue Bonney, Vice-Chair, UK Head of ESG in the UK, KPMG
- Thomas Lingard, Global Sustainability Director – Climate & Environment, Unilever
COP and the Energy Transition
The single biggest thing we could do to address climate change is stop global emissions from fossil fuels. How can this happen, what steps are we taking to do this, and what do industry leaders need from the public, from governments, and from their investors, to be able to achieve this?
Speakers
- Alistair Phillips-Davies, Chief Executive Officer, SSE
- Tara Schmidt, Vice President Of Strategic Planning, Wood Plc
- Chris Stark, Chief Executive, Climate Change Committee (CCC)
- Camilla Thomson, Member of the Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Chancellor's Fellow in Energy, University of Edinburgh
COP and Wellbeing Economies
The WeGo Alliance formed by Scotland, New Zealand, and Iceland in 2018 is one initiative focused on embedding wellbeing into our economies. What can we learn from these examples that will contribute to addressing the climate crisis and its wider societal impacts?
Speakers
- Roseanna Cunningham, MSP
- Dr Katharina Kaesehage, Director of Research, Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Lecturer in Climate Change and Business Strategy at the University of Edinburgh Business School
- Dr Katherine Trebeck, Advocacy and Influencing Lead, Wellbeing Economy Alliance (WEAII)
COP and Development Finance for the Global South
The global south is being disproportionately impacted by climate change, but also has an opportunity to build a more sustainable economy and leapfrog mistakes made in the global north. What impacts are we seeing, what mechanisms are helping to develop sustainably, and what else is needed to embed this?
Speakers
- Amal-Lee Amin, Climate Change Director, CDC Group
- Chinelo Anohu, Senior Director of the Africa Investment Forum, and Immediate past Director General and CEO of the National Pension Comission (PenCom), Nigeria
- Dr Ian Cochran, Member of the Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Lecturer in Carbon Finance at the University of Edinburgh Business School
- Michael John Hastings, Baron Hastings of Scarisbrick CBE
COP and the Circular Economy
Shifting from take-make-waste to a more circular approach to resources and a creative approach to 'waste' is crucial. What can we learn from recent examples to understand how the principles of the circular economy can be achieved at scale? What do we need to change about our business models and decision making, our partnerships and procurement, to make the circular economy a reality?
Speakers
- Dr Jack Barrie, Circular Economy Policy Analyst, Zero Waste Scotland
- Marco De Benedictis, Head of Sustainable & Transition Finance, Corporate Banking, Barclays
- Dr Katharina Kaesehage, Director of Research, Centre for Business, Climate Change, and Sustainability (B-CCaS) and Lecturer in Climate Change and Business Strategy at the University of Edinburgh Business School
- Fran van Dijk, Partner and B Corp Ambassador, One Stone Advisors UK
COP Process, Covid-19 Impact, and the Year Ahead
COP26 will now take place in 2021. What does the year ahead look like, how has Covid-19 impacted plans, and what chance is there of the action required to reduce global emissions?
Speakers
- Professor Saleemul Huq, Director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD), and Senior Fellow at the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
- Charles Ogilvie, Director of Strategy, COP26
- Professor Dave Reay, Chair in Carbon Management and Education, School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh, and Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI)