Climate Change Panel with Hilary Benn: Global Divestment Week

Fossil Free Leeds University and the Divest Parliament Campaign are celebrating Global Divestment Week by hosting a panel discussion on climate leadership with Hilary Benn MP and a range of expert speakers.

Background

At least 80% of existing fossil fuels have to stay in the ground if we are to avoid irreversibly chaotic climate change. Divestment campaigns are weakening the fossil fuel industry’s political and economic stranglehold over society. Every time a respected institution publicly breaks its ties with fossil fuels, we chip away at their political power to perpetuate catastrophic climate change. To date around 700 institutions across the globe representing funds worth over $5 trillion have taken leadership on the environmental and made some form of divestment commitment.

May 2017 sees the first Global Divestment week, a coordinated push for people across the world to come together to call upon our institutions to do the right thing.

Our event brings together university staff, students and members of the public to discuss divestment, the politics of climate change and climate change in general. Refreshment and nibbles will be provided.

About the speakers

• Hilary Benn (Member of Parliament for Leeds Central,  10 June 1999-03 May 2017): as the Environment Secretary in the last Labour Government, Hilary Benn brings first-hand knowledge of the politics behind environmental action.
•  Dr Joel Millward-Hopkins is a fellow of the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) at the University of Leeds. His research touches many aspects of low-carbon transitions, particularly involving the urban environment. He is also the author of an open letter to the University calling for fossil fuel divestment currently supported by over 250 academics.
•  Dr Jonathan Busch is also a fellow of the SRI at the University of Leeds. His research focuses on studying the technological, economic and social basis for a transition to sustainable, low carbon infrastructure systems, and he teaches students in Environmental Economics. He is a leading early-signee of the staff letter to the University calling for divestment.
•  Lina Brand Correa is a PhD student at the SRI, University of Leeds. Research interests of hers include the impact of energy systems on climate change and the energy requirements for the satisfaction of human needs. She is also a signatory of the aforementioned letter.

Directions to venue

The Medical Lecture Theatre (7.35)  is easily accessible from the Foyer of the Medical Teaching Centre in the Worsley Building (Clarendon Way, Leeds, LS1 4DY) . Go into Medical coffee bar area, turn left, the Medical Lecture Theatre is on your left.