COP26 and the CSCT
In November, the UK, in partnership with Italy, will host COP26 in Glasgow. COP, or Conference of the Parties, is an event where the 197 signatory Members (196 countries and the EU) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) get together in a global climate summit involving officials from every country, representatives from civil society and the media.
COP26, the 26th edition of the summit, is crucially important in keeping the climate crisis under control.
As one of the UK leading institutions in sustainability and the circular economy, the Centre for Sustainable and Circular Technologies (CSCT), was established in 2008 and has trained over 80 researchers in an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability. The Centre has produced over 400 publications, of which more than half are in high impact journals; and our students and academics continue to accrue an impressive number of achievements year after year.
The CSCT’s systems approach recognises that progress in one area could either undermine or enhance progress in others; meaning that we are able to focus change appropriately for overarching system improvement. Our work predominantly focuses on technical solutions working closely with businesses and industry to develop innovating solutions to material recycling, remanufacturing and production, energy provision and developing truly circular technologies and systems.
We will be contributing to COP26 as follows:
- Our Summer Showcase event, ‘Race to Zero’, where we will host world-renowned international speakers to cover how science and technology can help governments and businesses across the globe in their Race to Zero. Some of our sessions will be particularly relevant to COP26, such as:
- Policy talks on Net Zero policies across the UK, Europe and the UK, with: Professor Paul Monks, Chief Scientific Adviser of the UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy; Franck Gouéry, Policy Officer for Climate Diplomacy/International Policy Dialogue, European Commission; Dr Meredith Williams, Director, California Department of Toxic Substances Control; and Marco Mensink, Director General of Cefic (European Chemical Industry Council).
- A plenary session on industrial decarbonisation for green recovery, with Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer FRSE, Director, Industrial Decarbonisation Research and Innovation Centre (IDRIC), Heriot-Watt University.
- A plenary session on sustainable chemicals and fuels, with Professor Sir Richard Catlow FRS, Professor of Catalytic and Computational Chemistry, Cardiff Catalysis Institute.
- Two emerging technologies talks with Professor John Warner, Distinguished Research Fellow at Zymergen and father of green chemistry, and Dr Mike Mason, CSCT Visiting Research Fellow, providing a futuristic perspective on what new technologies may help us meeting carbon emissions targets.
- Three collaborative talks presenting the research we are doing with our industrial partners to produce sustainable technologies and systems.
- Two round-table events in key technical areas
- Sharing research and knowledge related to COP26 with our international academic partners, in particular by giving voice to early-career academic researchers
- Focusing our public engagement initiatives in partnership with local communities on engaging with young adults
Find out more and register to our Summer Showcase
Keep an eye on our events page for further updates on our upcoming activities.
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