Cambridge Zero Climate Change Festival 2021

Cambridge Zero is to launch its second international Climate Change Festival.

The University of Cambridge will offer six days of free climate-themed online panel sessions, pre-recorded talks, stories and games for all ages at its Climate Change Festival, in the final days before the start of COP26.

Cambridge Zero, the University’s climate initiative and one of CSaP's partners, will kick off its second Climate Change Festival on Friday 15 October, to present solutions and inspire global action before the start of the United Nations international climate change conference, taking place in Glasgow 31 October – 12 November (COP26).

All events will be conducted by leading thinkers from science, academia, policy and community groups from around the world.

University of Cambridge Vice-Chancellor Stephen J. Toope said: “With COP26 almost upon us, Cambridge Zero’s International Climate Change Festival will allow us to nurture further collaboration and dialogue between the academic and non-academic communities. Addressing the issues of climate change is urgent. This year’s Festival will highlight that urgency, while making the case for local action to inspire global change.”

The Festival will start with the live panel session, “Women and Climate Change”, with an international guest panel including Princess Esmeralda of Belgium, Erika Arteaga Cruz from Ecuador, coordinator for the Environment and Health circle of the People´s Health Movement and chaired by Director of Cambridge Zero and friend of COP26, Dr Emily Shuckburgh OBE.

The Festival will also include live talks and panel sessions with leaders in the climate movement including academic, author and TV presenter, Dr Giles Yeo; Dr Nicole Redvers from the School of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of North Dakota, and author of The Science of the Sacred; as well as Rhiannon Osborne, Climate Change Commissioner for the Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority.

The six days of online events, both live and on-demand, will focus on the important work our communities are doing in the run-up to COP26.

Director of Cambridge Zero, Dr Emily Shuckburgh said: “With COP26 being a pivotal moment to agree the next steps to ensure emission reductions, this year’s festival will highlight the wide range of activities that are being undertaken to catalyse action and help make COP26 a success.”

All sessions are free to join with recordings made available to watch again on the festival website.