Satellite image of the Earth depicting atmospheric temperature differences.

COP26@ Lancaster University

The COP26 at Lancaster Festival brought together leading voices on climate change issues. We sparked discussion, debate and collaboration on the greatest challenge facing us all.

A quote from Professor Simon Guy Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, International, Sustainability and Development)

As the COP26@ Lancaster University Festival draws to a close, the 'real' COP26 is starting to gear up in Glasgow with the UK Government having recently launched its Net-Zero Strategy, and independent reviews of this made.

With 39 events that ran over the festival week and over 1500 people registered, we hope that those taking part found plenty of opportunity for learning, discussion and making connections on the various aspects of climate change. As the festival closes, this does not mark the end of our focus on climate change, and we hope that the past week helped spark new ideas, collaborations and energy that deliver on our collective societal responsibility to respond to climate change.

We thank everyone who came along to listen and contribute to the festival, to those who organised and hosted events, to our Pro-Vice-Chancellor Simon Guy for ensuring the Festival happened and to all the professional services staff who made the vision of a festival a success. Let’s now hope that our political leaders make COP26 a success too.

We hope that you follow COP26 closely and that it yields valuable outcomes.

Jan Bebbington
Director, Pentland Centre for Sustainability in Business

Jess Davies
Director, Centre for Global Eco-Innovation

The Pollution Pods at the COP26 Festival

The Pollution Pods provided a sample of different breathable atmospheres.

Lancaster's research into a sustainable future

Blogs

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Sustainability at Lancaster

Lancaster University is committed to sustainability. We declared a climate emergency in 2020 and aim to become carbon neutral by 2035. Discover what Lancaster is doing and how it aims to meet these commitments.

Sustainability
Students walking by the Chaplaincy Centre

Beyond the COP26@ Lancaster University festival

As well as our week-long festival, there's plenty more going on at Lancaster University in connection with the COP26 summit in Glasgow.

COP26 international student webinar: Climate Change Has No Borders

Lancaster students from around the world will come together on Wednesday 17th November 2021 to explore how students can rise to meet the challenges of climate change.

Five groups of students collaborating from across our international partnerships will focus on the themes of energy consumption, transportation, waste and recycling, food consumption, and air quality.

Each group of students will work together to deliver a 10-minute presentation and one minute video in a student focussed webinar presenting their answer to meeting the challenge that they have addressed. The presentations and videos will be published on the University website and YouTube channel, as well as onto partner campus websites, and on social media.

Further details on this event to follow.

Stylised hands holding the Earth
An illustration with people exploring against a bsckground of colourful flowers

The 2021 Festival of Social Science

Join us throughout November to explore the world of social science, from how our behaviour can help fight climate change to the effects of the pandemic on society. We have events across the UK, both virtually and in person, for all ages and tastes.

The environment is a key theme of the 2021 Festival, which has been timed the Festival to tie in with the COP26 UN climate change conference. Our events cover a range of topics such as our relationship with the natural environment and how we can change our behaviour to reduce carbon emissions.

The Festival is led and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), which supports research and training in social science subjects.

From exhibitions and performances to participatory events, talks and debates, you can expect to find a range of online and in-person events at this year's festival with over 300 to choose from across the UK from the 34 partner universities and research organisations. You’ll be able to book yourself a place in advance online – attendance is free for all events.

Lancaster events