Decarbonising a globalised world: The practical application of green tech
Bizibrains Okpeh and M. L. Campbell
As Covid-19 vaccines are rolled out around the world, everyone expects a return to some sort of “normalcy”. But whichever “normal” we all yearn to return to, it must not be a “normal” that returns to the perpetual use of carbon-emitting fuel, gadgets or technologies. Instead, it should be one that is amenable to achieving a net-zero or carbon-neutral world.
The third day of Climate Exp0, through a series of panel discussions, presentations, and poster sessions, will focus on Mitigation Solutions. Sessions will explore the many ways in which technological innovation creates abundant opportunities for rapid, affordable and effective reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. Specifically, mass deployment of renewable power, alongside widespread electrification of energy use, will be presented as a robust strategy for delivering emission reductions.
Morning segment
The Mitigation Solutions day will open with a policy session — ‘A new perspective on the global energy transition’. The session will communicate evidence on new near-term mitigation opportunities for supporting COP26 objectives. Other sessions are:
- The mitigation landscape: This will provide a global overview of technical mitigation solutions, challenges and the key issues for COP26.
- Carbon dioxide utilisation: This session will highlight the findings of the April 2021 three-day symposium organised by the Royal Society of Chemistry.
- Youth advocacy and campaigning in the lead up to COP2: This will explore how young people can get involved with climate activism, mobilise for COP26 and help achieve net-zero targets.
- New evidence on mitigation solutions: This will survey global evidence and examples of best practices on mitigation solutions and enabling conditions for mitigation.
- Strategies for net zero: This will discuss key strategies for mitigating climate change.
- Decarbonising electricity systems: This will compare experiences of power sector decarbonisation opportunities and challenges from industry leaders around the world.
Afternoon segment
Differing from the morning programme, afternoon sessions centre discussion around the incentivisation of green technology at the local, national and global level.
The afternoon begins with a lunch break, featuring a viewing of the Student Voices Film Trailer. Soon after, attendees will sit in on hour long panels on topics including:
- Managing transition risks on the road to net-zero
- Decarbonising transport in cities
- Engaging people as agents of change
- Low carbon cities: planning and data
- Green transportation
From exploring contrasting perspectives on the role of social engagement in propagating mitigation solutions, to discussing ways to decarbonise transport in urban environments, these sessions will transcend boundaries between the physical and social sciences to deliver an interdisciplinary approach to carbon mitigation.
The afternoon will also feature a series of interactive sessions, run by leading experts, tailored towards debate on the efficacy of green technology. These include:
- A student-led session assessing the utility of carbon mitigation strategies and the future of green innovation;
- and Universities and the race to net-zero, a discussion of the role universities play in ensuring the achievement of net-zero emissions, featuring signatories of the Global Climate Letter from both the Global North and South;
Closing the day
The day will conclude with a panel discussion on ‘Policies for Delivering CoP26 Mitigation Objectives’ with negotiators from the UK, EC, and the global South, as well as policy experts from Cambridge, University College London, and the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
Throughout the day, make sure to also wander the poster hall and media library, which will include engaging posters and video presentations from researchers across the globe.
Online, free and open to all — see you at the Climate Exp0! Register today at https://www.climateexp0.org/
Climate Exp0 is the first virtual conference from the COP26 Universities Network and the Italian University Network for Sustainable Development (RUS), sponsored by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), Cambridge University Press, the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI), and the 2021 UN Climate Change Summit (COP26).
Running from 17–21 May 2021, it takes place at a critical juncture in the COP26 pre-meetings and negotiations, and is part of the All4Climate Italy 2021 official pre-COP26 initiatives. Learn more and register your place via https://www.climateexp0.org.
