Summary

Science and research are integral to the energy sector and policy making. Never before have we faced with so many technological options, each with the potential of making valuable contributions towards achieving sustainable, secure and affordable energy. The energy sector and policy makers face huge challenges in decarbonising our energy system to meet climate change targets. This will require radical systemic changes such as removing unabated fossil fuels from power generation, finding smarter ways of transporting and consuming electricity and switching away from hydrocarbons as energy vectors in heat and transport. At this event, a panel of leaders in energy research and energy policy will discuss the relationship between science, research, business and policy from the perspective of academia, industry, government and parliament.

Speakers

Bryony Worthington, Shadow Energy Minister
Baroness Worthington is a Labour peer and an architect of the UK’s Climate Change Act. She wrote the first report in the UK calling for the introduction of ‘carbon budgets’, was the brains behind the Friends of the Earth ‘Big Ask’ campaign, and helped the UK government launch its first public awareness campaign. She has promoted change in attitudes to the environment, and action to tackle climate change, and founded Sandbag, a non-profit campaign group designed to increase public awareness of emissions trading.

Jim Watson, Research Director, UK Energy Research Centre

Jim Watson is Professor of Energy Policy at SPRU, University of Sussex, and joined UKERC as Research Director in February 2013. He was previously Director of the Sussex Energy Group at the University of Sussex from Dec 2008 to Jan 2013. Jim trained as an engineer at Imperial College London and has a PhD in science and technology policy from Sussex. He has 20 years’ research experience on a range of energy, climate change and innovation policy issues. His most recent research has focused on the uncertainties facing carbon capture and storage technologies, low carbon innovation in China, community energy in the UK, and the governance implications of sustainable infrastructure systems.

Committee on Climate Change, Speaker TBD

The Committee on Climate Change (the CCC) is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Our purpose is to advise the UK Government and Devolved Administrations on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change.

In partnership with Carbon Connect and e-Luminate Festivals.