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Climate commissions report stresses importance of diverse networks

Climate Commissions need to have representative and meaningful engagement with existing groups and organisations, be financially independent, have a clear governance structure and share a means of networked communication.

These are the recommendations of a report authored by a team from the University of Edinburgh, which has studied emergent climate commission platforms for driving place-based climate action.

Chair of Edinburgh Climate Commission announced

The independent Chair of the Edinburgh Climate Commission, Dr Sam Gardner, has been announced today [19 February] in conjunction with an update on Edinburgh's progress towards its ambitious target of becoming carbon neutral by 2030. Co-sponsored by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) and Edinburgh City Council, with funding support from the Place-based Climate Action Network (PCAN), the Commission will provide leadership, expertise, challenge and encouragement to the city of Edinburgh as it works to deliver its carbon neutral ambition by 2030.

Belfast Climate Commission explores how finance can support a just transition in Northern Ireland

The Belfast Climate Commission has held a first meeting to identify the role of the finance sector in ensuring a just transition in Northern Ireland. Hosted at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) on Friday 24 January, the workshop was organised as part of the UK-wide Place-based Climate Action Network (PCAN) and was delivered together with the London School of Economics and UK Finance, the main financial sector association.

Belfast Climate Commission is launched

Queen’s University Belfast and Belfast City Council have today (Friday 10 January, 2020) launched the ‘Belfast Climate Commission’, to drive action on the climate crisis. 

The Commission will play a key role in place-based climate action necessary to achieve the UK Government’s target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to net-zero by 2050. 

UK businesses invited to take part in climate risk survey

As part of the Third UK Climate Change Risk Assessment the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics in collaboration with the UK Committee on Climate Change are investigating climate risks to businesses and industry in the UK.

Edinburgh Climate Commission takes shape

Edinburgh City Council and Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation (ECCI) are progressing plans to establish an Edinburgh Climate Commission at will spearhead the city's medium and longer term response to the climate crisis, with a major conference and youth summit in development for early 2020. 

Now a raft of immediate steps and short term Council actions have been mapped out and approved by Councillors at a special meeting of the Policy and Sustainability Committee last month.

First PCAN Fund winners announced

Five proposals are sharing £105,000 of funding from the first round of the PCAN (Place-Based Climate Action Network) Fund. The winning proposals, which made it through a two-stage selection process involving almost 80 initial bids, include creating guidance for Citizens’ Assemblies on climate change, future-proofing World Heritage Sites from climate impacts, and Climate Emergency Bonds. A project building knowledge and skills for a just transition to a low carbon economy, and another supporting local government officers to implement rapid carbon action have also been funded

The benefits of investing in zero-carbon cities

A new report shows low carbon measures in cities could reduce urban emissions by nearly 90% and support 87 million jobs worldwide by 2030.

The Coalition for Urban Transitions is supported by 50 leading international institutions. Its report, Climate Emergency Urban Opportunity, shows that governments which invest in low carbon cities can enhance economic prosperity, make cities better places to live and rapidly reduce carbon emissions.

UK contribution to social science research on climate change 'significant'

The UK makes a significant contribution to social science research on climate change but important research gaps remain, a comprehensive review of UK-funded research in this area finds. The report, commissioned by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), demonstrates that a remarkable diversity of topics, methods and geographies have been addressed over the past decade, with seven thematic priorities emerging.