Priestley Centre for Climate Futures

Last month we hosted an event to celebrate the transition to our next phase, becoming the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures 🎉🌍 Our guests enjoyed an interactive showcase of climate research and initiatives from across the University of Leeds and our collaborators. During the showcase we also asked some of our guests to share what Priestley means to them, summing up their thoughts in one word! Find out more here 👇 https://lnkd.in/eU2UtTkN Kindly featuring in our video: Harriet Thew, C-Capture Ltd., Leeds, James McKay, Leeds University Libraries and Galleries, Sally Chan, Leeds University Business School, Ice Club - Water@Leeds, GENERATE, Sammie's Flowers - Kiddal Quarry Farm, Buena Jill Galleposo, Hina Komiya, Celine Roblin-Robson And in our showcase: Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission, University of Leeds Sustainability Service, Policy Leeds, Global Food and Environment Institute, University of Leeds, UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment (CGFI), Leeds Institute for Fluid Dynamics (LIFD), Geosolutions Leeds

Tonight I'll be answering the question "How should we pay for driving?" at the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society. After 100 years of a system broadly based on two taxes - one on ownership and one on fuel we are moving into a very different world. The headlines are on the loss of tax revenue as we switch to electric. The talk will draw on work done with Greener Transport Council which has explored why there is a case for change (beyond just tax and efficiency) but it will ask some different questions from those in a typical road pricing discussion. Will we be travelling in the same way in the next 20 years - all based around individual ownership and use? Are we future proofing our thinking or trying to reinforce a system which needs to change anyway? Is what is on the table fair? https://lnkd.in/ecBxkUAs - more details from my talk to follow after. Details below if anyone is in the Manchester area tonight...

Here is a short piece ahead of COP29 in Baku, which brings together next month's international conference of the parties and the US elections. As we all know, the stakes are very high. https://lnkd.in/eRJMngSN #UNFCCC #COP29 #USelections #climateleadership Priestley Centre for Climate Futures

Exceeding a 1.5°C increase in global temperature comes with irreversible consequences 🌡️🌊 ‘Climate overshoot’ scenarios, where temperatures temporarily exceed the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C limit before descending again using carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to achieve net-negative CO2 emissions, have been analysed in a new study co-authored by Dr Chris Smith. By exceeding 1.5°C, there is a risk that species abundance, carbon stocks and biodiversity may never return to pre-overshoot levels and some climate damages, including rising sea levels, will be irreversible 🌳🌍 Read more about the research and find the full paper published in Nature Portfolio 👇 https://lnkd.in/gPYJ_Ufn

2 weeks left on this funded PhD opportunity, so please do share! Country eligibility: UK only Funding on Offer: EPSRC DTP Studentship offering the award of fees & tax-free maintenance grant (currently £19,237 academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. Training and support will also be provided. 

Climate change is already having an impact on policing and public services in the UK 🚔🌍 From one-off extreme weather events requiring emergency assistance, to tackling social unrest and managing the effects of environmental crimes such as illegal industrial waste disposal. Research by Dr Ali Malik, from the University of Leeds, and Dr Julie Berg, from the University of Glasgow, examines how police can utilise knowledge from Local Resilience Forums (LRFs) made up of representatives from local public services including blue light emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, the Environment Agency, and others. The work explores how the police, LRFs, partner agencies, and community-based groups understand, prepare for, and respond to climate vulnerability in the UK. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/e_V3PY8Y

Milena Buchs and I have a new paper out in Journal of Industrial Ecology. 'Examining changes in household carbon footprints across generations in the UK using decomposition analysis' looks to see if a generational lens is useful for explaining changes in the UK's carbon footprint from 2001. We find some evidence for the hypothesis that younger generations have smaller footprints than older generations as Generation X and Millennial households have smaller carbon footprints compared to the generation before them at a similar life stage. We find that factors such as decarbonization, household occupancy, total expenditure, and changing consumption patterns contribute to the UK’s changing carbon consumption emissions between 2001 and 2020, and the importance of these factors varies for different generational groups. Did Baby boomers destroy the climate? It's a little more complex than that!

Join us in Leeds on 23rd January for a day of collaboration, networking, and knowledge exchange. Meet our University of Leeds energy researchers, hear about exciting new innovations and explore how working with the University could help address your challenges in the transition to Net Zero.

💡 NEW: A Climate Scenario Taxonomy for the Financial Sector.   A new CGFI discussion paper proposes a climate scenario #taxonomy for enhancing the transparency, reliability, and applicability of climate scenarios in the financial sector.   As discussed today by lead author David Wilkinson at our CGFI Connect event, the taxonomy categorises #climatescenarios based on their narrative, macro-modelling, and micro-expansion elements, while also identifying geographical and sectoral variations. By understanding the assumptions and calibration choices at each stage of scenario construction, both builders and financial end-users can better evaluate and utilise scenario pathways towards more effective #riskmanagement and sustainable financial practices. ➡️ Read the full paper here: https://lnkd.in/epXcmyEs   Authors: David Wilkinson (CGFI Associate Fellow), Moritz Baer (University of Oxford), Dr Chris Cormack (CGFI Associate Fellow), Alexandre Koberle (Centre for Climate Finance & Investment), Jason Lowe OBE (CGFI) and Erica Thompson (CGFI Associate Fellow).   #scenarioanalysis # Gireesh Shrimali

Applications for our climate scholars programme are now open! 🎓🌍   Over the course of two years Priestley Climate Scholars will attend seminars, workshops and training events designed to support development in four key competencies: interdisciplinary climate research; communicating climate change; leadership and engagement; career preparedness.   The programme runs from January-December. It is ideally suited to students in the first year of their PhD, but we welcome applications from any University of Leeds PGRs who are able to commit to the 2 years of involvement!   Come along to our information session: 🗓️ Tuesday 15 October ⏰ 11:15 - 12:00 📍 School of Earth and Environment seminar rooms 1&2 📧 RSVP to: climate@leeds.ac.uk   Application deadline: Sunday 3 November   Or find out more 👇 https://lnkd.in/enf-wiGp