Halfway between Glasgow and Sharm El-Sheik A post-COP26 discussion

Join us as we bring together a panel of St Andrews staff and students who attended November's historic COP26 conference in Glasgow. We'll discuss what was achieved at the conference and how we can build momentum as we approach six months to COP27 in Sharm el-Sheik.

This lively discussion will be moderated by Stephen Gethins (Principal's Office and School of International Relations) and will feature a panel of staff and students from different areas of the University of St Andrews who attended COP26.

You'll hear about their experiences at COP and their opinions on what should happen next. You'll also have the chance to ask questions and make your views heard about the climate emergency.

Panelists

James Rae – School of Earth and Environmental Sciences
James' research focuses on the Earth's carbon cycle and climate and he attended COP26 as part of the University's delegation, attending various plenary and discussion sessions. He also includes COP-related content in three courses within Earth and Environmental Sciences and COP26 continues to inform some of the critical aspects of his group's research on CO2 and climate change.

Louise Reid – School of Geography and Sustainable Development
Louise's main research interests surround the relationship between people and the environment. She also attended COP26 as part of the University's delegation and was able to access the media section, country stands and plenary sessions. Louise is also a member of the University's Environmental Sustainability Board.

Montague Jones – 4th year BSc Chemistry
Montague was one of two students who joined the University's COP26 delegation. He also played a key role in the wider COP project as the COP26 Student Reporter. As part of this role, he spearheaded the creation of an online speakers series called Next Generation St Andrews which brought leading climate thinkers to St Andrews, including Julia King, Caroline Hickman, Amory Lovins and Prakash Kashwan. He also hosted a successful event aimed at students looking to enter sustainability-related careers.

Elena Chen – 2nd year MA Management and Sustainable Development
Elena was a delegate representing the China Youth Climate Action Network at COP26. She was also a volunteer for the China Corporate Pavilion and was in charge of hosting the interview with Michael Norton, “the father of social innovation in Europe”. She also participated in the Global Alliance of Universities on Climate (GAUC) and the Global Youth Zero Carbon Future Summit.

This event is open to all.