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The Priestley Centre for Climate Futures is a world-leading climate centre based at the University of Leeds. From local to global, we ensure that climate action is informed by the latest research, collaborating with organisations and individuals to transform our expertise into real-world impact.
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New Open-Access Book Showcases Next-Generation Thinking on Climate Futures
A new open-access book, developed through the Priestley Climate Scholars programme at the University of Leeds, brings together diverse perspectives on one of society's greatest challenges: how to build fairer and more sustainable climate futures. Climate Futures Across Disciplines: A Next Generation Approach, co-edited by Professor Richard Beardsworth, Professor Viktoria Spaiser and Susan Ann Samuel,...
Understanding Earth’s past temperatures
The Earth’s temperature has been much cooler in the past than previously thought, meaning it could be moving towards the warmest it’s ever been. Research at the University used a new method of measurement to understand how warm the Earth’s temperature has been over the Phanerozoic period – from around 540 million years ago to...
Santa Marta and the future of climate leadership
Professor Richard Beardsworth, Principal Fellow of the Priestley Centre, has written an article in the July edition of Open Access Government, a publication for government ministers, senior civil servants, and public sector procurement and policy professionals across the UK and Europe. The article examines what initiatives such as the Transitioning Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF)...
Blog
Priestley Scholars: Connecting People, Ideas, and Impact Across Campus
Professor James Ford took over as academic lead of the Priestley Climate Scholars programme in 2023. Here he reflects on how the programme is helping...
Connecting with Global Climate Policy
The Priestley Centre and the UNFCCC From its inception, the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures has recognised that our world‑leading climate research can inform real-world decision making. Throughout the past decade, that conviction has guided our...
Why COP30 ran through the night, and What Might Help
A blog by Priestley member Sajid Siraj. I followed COP30, watching a negotiation end 27 hours late with agreements delivering a fraction of the emissions reductions that science says we...