Here’s everything happening at the Lancaster University COP26 Festival

A delve into the week-long festival held 20-27 October 2021


Green Lancaster is holding a week-long COP26 Festival in response to the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties, held in Glasgow from 1-12 November 2021.

There are many events available throughout the week for staff, students and the public, taking the form of seminars, workshops, guided walks and discussions.

These events have been outlined below, but more information, including registering for events, can be found on the Green Lancaster website.

Week-long Events:

Wednesday 20th-Wednesday 27th – Sewing Café Lancaster Natural Dyes Exhibition

A week-long exhibition will be held in the Festival Marquee in Alexandra Square exploring the question ‘Should natural dyes be employed again on industrial scales’.

Friday 22nd-Tuesday 30th – A Lancaster Walking Trail: Our Food Growing Hope Spots

A self-guided interactive walking tour linking to theories of food-growing in urban spaces as a community response to a changing climate. This tour is based around the Lancaster district and explores considerations needed when growing food in urban environments.

Wednesday 20th

2-3 pm – Skills for Net Zero in Lancaster

An interactive session with panellists explores challenges in helping low carbon businesses in Lancaster to grow and contribute to meeting net-zero ambitions. Registration is required for this event, and it is accessible virtually and in person.

6-8 pm – Is This Version F**ked?

A session aimed at curating discussions as to the validity of the COP26 solutions that are being proposed. Registration is required for this event, and it is accessible virtually and in person.

7-8 pm – Beyond Net Zero? Making Connections on Farms in Lancashire and Cumbria

An online event will consist of screening a short documentary film about livestock and dairy farmers from Lancashire and Cumbria and their experiences with greenhouse gas emissions budgets. An online discussion with other farmers will follow this via TEAMS. Registration is required.

7:30-9 pm – Climate Change: What Can We Do Now?

An in-person event at Hornby Village Institute run by  Professor Mike Berners-Lee’s Small World Consulting, exploring systemic changes required in society and changes we can make as individuals. Registration is required.

Thursday 21st

9 am-12 pm – Mitigating Climate Change Through CO2 Capture and Utilization Technologies – Day 2: Emerging Technologies for CO2 Conversion and Utilization

A series of virtual seminars discussing developments in CO2 capture technologies, organised in collaboration with Lancaster University’s partners in Malaysia, Germany, Ghana and China. Registration is required.

10 am-3 pm – Dr Bike Maintenance and Mini Bike Sale

A Cycle themed day in the Alexandra Square Festival Marquee, with bike maintenance from Dr Bike and bike sales by Cycles Recycled. Green Lancaster commented on their involvement with this: “We also support the University on travel with services such as Dr Bike and the Big Bike Sale, which took part at the start of term and is included as part of COP26.”

12 pm – Circular Solutions: How Can Eco-Innovation Deliver Sustainable Development in Africa?

An online event with guest speakers who will present African perspectives on the potential for eco-innovation to develop sustainable development. Registration is required.

12-1 pm – Lancaster University Wind Turbine Site Visit

A site visit to the Lancaster University wind turbine at the Hazelrigg Field Station, including a presentation and discussion of construction and operation. Registration is required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-2 pm – Short ECOWoods Tour

A trip to and tour of the Green Lancaster ECOWoods Rewilding sites at Forrest Hills. Registration is required, and the tour includes a bus transportation service from the main campus.

1-2 pm – From Kyoto to Paris to Glasgow: Building Climate Change Agreements

A seminar explaining and exploring the frameworks around various climate change agreements. Registration is required for this event, and it is accessible virtually and in person.

2-5 pm – Waste Not: Gridding Equitable Urban Futures in Areas of Transition in Colombia and Cuba

An event reflecting on what the climate emergency means for residents of informal settlements who are involved in shaping zero waste initiatives in Colombia and Cuba. Registration is required for this event, and it is accessible virtually and in person.

3-6 pm – Connecting on climate change and sustainability – Early career research and networking event

A networking event organised by the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation will provide opportunities to become familiar with the latest research in Eco-I-North West. Registration is required for this event, and it is accessible virtually and in person.

Friday 22nd

9 am-12 pm – Mitigating Climate Change Through CO2 Capture and Utilization Technologies – Day 3: Integrating CO2 capture with its utilization – opportunities and challenges

A series of virtual seminars discussing developments in CO2 capture technologies, organised in collaboration with Lancaster University’s partners in Malaysia, Germany, Ghana and China. Registration is required.

11 am-3 pm – Hallowgreen 

A Halloween themed event in the Alexandra Square Festival Marquee with some “hair-raising activities.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12-12:30 pm – Lancaster University Energy Centre Site Visit

A site visit to the Lancaster University Energy Centre, including a presentation and discussion of construction and operation. Registration is required.

2-3 pm – Threat, coping and vitality – exploring the implications of threat responses for wellbeing and decision making in organisational contexts

An online seminar presents ideas of how well-being, resilience, and effectiveness can be affected by the perception of threat and response. This is put into the context of emotions, reactions and beliefs around climate change. Registration is required.

3-6 pm – Walk2COP26: Morecambe

Join the Walk2COP26 team, Marketing Lancashire, EDF and the Morecambe BID Community Interest Company for a two-hour interactive session, followed by sustainable refreshments. Registration is required.

Saturday 23rd

10 am-4 pm – TEA Talks (Technology, Environment and Architecture) 

A day-long series of talks by the Lancaster School of Architecture on the subjects of Technology, the Environment, and Architecture’s role. Registration is required.

Sunday 24th

2-4 pm – Travelling Tales: A Story Game about the Societal Readiness Levels and Social Acceptability of Decarbonising Initiatives

A workshop focusing on different travelling scenarios through exploration of low carbon initiatives and whether society is ready to make these changes. Registration required.

Monday 25th

12:30 pm – Long ECOWoods Walking Tour 

A walking trip around the main campus to view all the ECOWoods planting sites. The tour will be joined by ecology experts from Lune and Ribble Rivers’ Trust. Registration is required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2-3 pm – Introduction to Model-based Geostatistics for Global Public Health I: Introduction and Overview

The first of three linked lectures will show how geospatial statistical methods are being used within the Lancaster Medical School to address policy-relevant questions in global population health. Registration is required.

6-8 pm – People Power: Involving Citizens in Climate Policymaking

A debate event that will delve into the current upsurge in citizens’ assemblies and juries centred on the climate crisis, with a particular focus on the Lancaster District Climate Change People’s Jury. Registration is required.

Tuesday 26th

10-11 am – Plastics and Our Planet: Understanding the Links Between the Plastic Crisis and the Climate Crisis

A talk led by PHD Researcher Dominic Savage explores the links between two of the biggest ecological and environmental challenges in human history: plastic pollution and a changing climate. Registration is required.

11 am-12:30 pm – The Baked Potato Challenge

A workshop in the Alexandra Square Festival Marquee aims to help us understand how homes can be energy-efficient and comfortable without excessive energy. The workshop will show this visually through the use of a potato! Registration is required.

1-1:30 pm – Lancaster University Energy Centre Site Visit

A site visit to the Lancaster University Energy Centre, including a presentation and discussion of construction and operation. Registration is required.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2-3 pm – Introduction to Model-based Geostatistics for Global Public Health II: Application to Neglected Tropical Disease Control Programmes in Africa

The second of three linked lectures will show how geospatial statistical methods are being used within the Lancaster Medical School to address policy-relevant questions in global population health. Registration is required.

3-5 pm – The Ethics of Making Medicine Environmentally Sustainable

Listen to three Lancaster researchers highlight how we can make medicine more environmentally sustainable through science and ethics. Registration is required.

Wednesday 27th

10 am-3:30 pm – Travelling in Climate Time

Various events centred on the effect of climate change on Morecambe Bay and the Lune Estuary are available throughout the day at Lancaster Maritime Museum. Entry to the Museum is free for those with LA1-LA6 postcodes (proof of address is necessary), and registration is only required for the interactive guided walk.

1-2 pm – Lancaster University Wind Turbine Site Visit

A site visit to the Lancaster University wind turbine at the Hazelrigg Field Station, including a presentation and discussion of construction and operation. Registration is required.

2-3 pm – Introduction to Model-based Geostatistics for Global Public Health III: Application to the UK COVID-19 Epidemic

The third of three linked lectures will show how geospatial statistical methods are being used within the Lancaster Medical School to address policy-relevant questions in global population health. Registration is required.

2-3 pm – The Baked Potato Challenge

A workshop in the Alexandra Square Festival Marquee aims to help us understand how homes can be energy-efficient and comfortable without excessive energy. The workshop will show this visually through the use of a potato! Registration is required.

5:30-10 pm – Michael Pinsky: The Pod of the Future

A chance to experience internationally renowned artist Michael Pinsky’s series of geodesic domes stipulating what air pollution will be like in our future unless we do something about it. Registration is required.

5:45-7:45 pm – How do we breathe? Arts, Air Pollution and Health Equity

Professor Simon Guy (Pro-Vice-Chancellor) and Jocelyn Cunningham (Director of Lancaster Arts) led a discussion event to accompany Michael Pinsky’s art installation. Registration is required as capacity is limited.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When asked about the importance of this festival, a Green Lancaster spokesperson said: “As Green Lancaster, our main priority is to engage with students and staff to encourage and promote sustainable activity. We do this all year round with several initiatives, which can be found on our website.”

The Lancaster Pro-Vice-Chancellor Global (Digital, Sustainability and Development) spoke out, saying that “The COP26 at Lancaster Festival will provide an opportunity to bring together Lancaster’s leading voices on climate change issues, all to connect people and raise awareness whilst also sparking discussion, debate and collaboration on the greatest challenge facing us all.”

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