Domestic and international experts will share ideas at daily free-to-attend events at COP26
The COP26 summit has been called the world’s “last best chance” to avert catastrophic warming, but where are the ideas and thinkers needed to save our planet? From the 1 – 12 November, Glasgow will see an influx of politicians and people representing businesses, advocacy groups, civic society, and young people, all keen to be part of discussions on climate change and the action needed to secure the future of our planet.
Both the UK and Scottish governments have committed to large-scale investment in the environment, and all parties have laid down deadlines for the UK to reach net-zero carbon emissions.
The UK Government has ambitious decarbonisation targets, with a legal commitment to bring all greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. Scotland’s target is even more ambitious, with a legal commitment to be at net-zero by 2045. The December 2020 update to the Scottish Government’s climate change plan also sets out over 100 new policies and proposals to support Scotland’s green recovery and help deliver a just transition to net-zero.
This is a complex subject. No one government or nation alone can avert the climate crisis. National and International collaboration between parties and nation-states is crucial, and cities, regions, businesses and civic society will all have a role to play too.
So, what is Holyrood planning?
As Scotland’s leading public policy and political communications brand, Holyrood has been at the forefront of climate change discussion in Scotland in the run-up to COP26. Holyrood’s Climate Emergency Series has spanned magazine supplements, podcasts, online content and events.
The Holyrood COP26 Fringe Festival offers the chance to benefit from the knowledge of some of the world’s foremost experts on the climate crisis, whilst contributing to potentially world-saving discussions.
Holyrood has brought together a panel of great minds – experts from business, science and technology – as part of a series of fringe events which will run alongside the summit itself. Running from Wednesday 3 – Saturday 6 November, our COP26 Fringe Festival will explore four overarching themes that encompass many of the issues surrounding climate change.
From our venue, Platform, in the heart of Glasgow (under Glasgow Central Station), we will offer a convenient hub for people to meet, discuss ideas and share best practice on the way to, and coming back from, the COP26 official zones.
The sessions will be a mixture of big-picture thinking; championing the industry-leading work being done in Scotland; looking at international best-practice; and discussing solutions to any implementation gaps to ensure that Scotland and the UK’s ambitious targets can be met.
The festival is free to attend and is open to everyone interested in learning about and discussing the climate emergency and the climate action needed.
For more information, and to book your free place click here.
Mandy Rhodes, Managing Director of Holyrood Communications and Editor in Chief of Holyrood Magazine, said: “I am delighted that Holyrood, as Scotland’s foremost provider of quality policy conferences and publisher of the award winning Holyrood magazine, has managed to bring together such an exciting programme of events to run alongside the official COP26 conference.
“The Holyrood team has pooled its considerable expertise and worked tirelessly during a really difficult past 18 months, to confirm a host of leading domestic and international experts from across the public sector and beyond to tackle a range of topics from land reform to AI and how they contribute to the global issue of the climate emergency.
“As Scotland’s leading public policy and political communications brand, Holyrood has been at the forefront of climate change discussion in Scotland in the run-up to COP26, and the Fringe Festival offers us a chance to take those conversations even further. I hope you can join us.”
Adam Lang, Emma Woodham, Cornell Hanxomphou , Lolita Jackson and Muhammed Imran
Key topics and speakers
Mobilising Global State and Regional Leadership on Net Zero Ambition: Adam Lang (Nesta Scotland)
Raising the Voices of Youth to Participate: Dr Emma Woodham (Glasgow Science Centre)
BAME Voices and the Climate Crisis: Cornell Hanxomphou (CEMVO Scotland) and Lolita Jackson (SDCL)
How can 5G help tackle the Climate Emergency?: Dr Muhammed Imran (University of Glasgow)
After COP26?
Holyrood’s focus on the climate crisis doesn’t end after everyone leaves Glasgow. Our Just Transition conference is planned for December 2021, and we have more editorial and political events planned for 2022 to discuss how a just transition to a net-zero future can be achieved in Scotland through a more inclusive and sustainable recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
You can find out about our upcoming events here
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