There will be two free events held at The Scottish Parliament in February which are one-off events organised by the team behind the Festival of Politics..
These net zero focussed talks on 16 February 2026 will be held at the same time so participants can only book one or the other.
Scotland at the Crossroads: Net Zero and the Next Parliament
16 February, 5.15pm to 7pm
As Scotland heads toward a pivotal Holyrood election in May 2026, join the panel of experts to explore how the next Parliament could redefine the path to net zero and the implementation of the Climate Change Plan. As MSPs examine the plan ahead of dissolution, this discussion will delve into the political, economic, and social pressures shaping Scotland’s climate future, examine public attitudes to environmental policy in an election year, and highlight the importance of women’s roles in driving Scotland’s green energy transition.
Speakers:
- Dr Hannah Salamon, Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy, University of Glasgow
- Mark McGeoghegan, Research Associate at the Centre for Public Policy
- Professor Jaime Toney, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Solutions, University of Glasgow
- Dr Dominic Hinde, Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Glasgow, author and climate journalist
Sport and the Power of Soft Power
16 February, 5.15pm to 7pm
In a year when sport will again place Scotland on the international stage, this panel will look at the powerful and influential role of soft power and paradiplomacy – at a time when the focus on hard power has rarely been more intense. Sport is in itself a forum for international relations, goodwill and global cooperation across sectors, countries, communities and institutions. As a key soft power asset, there is more that countries like Scotland can do to maximise sports added value – to support and extend local and global influence in time of increasingly complex and fractured international competition and diplomacy.
Speakers:
- Professor Grant Jarvie, Chair of Sport and Founding Director of the Academy of Sport at the University of Edinburgh
- Alice Calder, International Relations student at the University of Edinburgh
- Dr Ben Coulson, Lecturer in International Relations, University of Edinburgh
The next Festival of Politics will take place at The Scottish Parliament on 27 to 28 August 2026.
