Discussion event 4 July 2019 will carry on a conversation begun in Edinburgh earlier this year.
You would be forgiven for thinking that Edinburgh Science is all about the Festival in April. But it is most definitely a year round enterprise with another festival in Abu Dhabi and a whole programme of other work.
In April the Edinburgh Medal was presented to Christiana Figueres the former Executive Secretary UN Convention on Climate Change between 2010 and 2016. It was Ms Figueres who drove through the Paris climate change agreement and is the founding partner at Global Optimism.
Also in that month during Edinburgh Science Festival there was a round table discussion on climate crisis, the like of which has never been seen. The meeting was attended by a dozen leading academics, representatives of business and charities and other groups like 2050 Climate Group, WWF, Edinburgh Airport and The Scottish Government.
Now there will be a second such discussion which Ms Figueres will attend to see how much progress has been made and the leadership that Edinburgh Science is hopefully still showing. Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Roseanna Cunningham will update those attending on the progress of the Climate Change (Emissions Reductions Targets) (Scotland) Bill which concluded its 2nd stage with the aim of becoming net zero by 2045.
The UK Government passed legislation only last week to reach net greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The UK Government says it is the first G7 country to legislate to end its contribution to climate change.
The attendees include leading Scottish universities, EDF Energy, GlaxoSmithKline, Aberdeen Standard, ARUP, Crown Estate Scotland, Jacobs and many others. This meeting will also be attended by Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform. It will take place in the morning of Thursday, 4 July in Baillie Gifford’s offices in Edinburgh.
The discussion will focus on ideas that are being shaped to help Scotland claim its status as the global leader on climate change.
Featured image above from 2019 Edinburgh Science Festival launch Ian Georgeson
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
