5th Open Forum: ‘From Climate Crisis to Action: Adapting to a Changing World’ – York

REGISTER HERE NOW: JULY 4th, 2025

CONNECTS-UK 5th Open Forum:

‘From Climate Crisis to Action: Adapting to a Changing World’

4 July 2025, York

Emerging challenges and solutions in climate science are at the forefront of global discourse. Understanding the mechanisms of climate change, mitigating its impacts on ecosystems and communities, exploring innovations in renewable energy, and addressing environmental justice are critical for shaping a sustainable future.

How can we better prevent environmental degradation? What role do individual and collective actions play in reducing carbon footprints? How can scientific advancements contribute to more effective climate mitigation and adaptation strategies? How do climate solutions reach communities, and do people trust the science driving policy and innovation?

We welcome everyone who is curious about climate change and wants to learn more, from interested outsiders to leading experts. This event is open to all, free of charge, and includes networking opportunities.

AGENDA

10:30-11:00 – Registration

11:00-11:15 Welcome remarks

• Introduced by Nathalie van Meurs, CONNECTS-UK and Dutch Network of Academics in the UK (DNA UK), Middlesex University
• Emilien Gasc, (remotely), Counsellor for climate, environment and energy at the Delegation of the European Union to the United Kingdom

11:15-12:15 Panel 1: Past and Present Challenges

• Henrice Altink, Professor in Modern History, University of York. “Jamaica’s transition to renewable energy: a short history”
• Elisa Lopez Capel, Senior Lecturer, University of Newcastle, “Sustainable farming practices to mitigate climate change”
• Andrea Werner, Associate Professor of Business Ethics, Middlesex University, ‘Sustainability in the Global Fashion Industry: The need to move beyond novelty and growth’
  Q&A

12:15-13:00 Networking lunch

13:00-14:00 Panel 2: Future actions and solutions

• Nils Barner, University of Cambridge, “Decarbonising Aviation from the Bottom Up: The Promise of Hydrogen Fuel Cells”
• James Moir, Chair of the Biorenewables Centre, University of York, “Crossing the valley of death: implementing biorenewable technologies”
• Elisabetta Patané, Passivhaus Designer, Buro Happold Engineering, (London) and Lecturer, University of Reading, “Thermal adaptability, energy sufficiency and passive design”Q&A

14:00-14:20 Coffee-break and refreshments

14:20-15:00 Roundtable: What problems have been resolved and what potential can connections with other disciplines bring?

• Chair: Lindsay Stringer, Professor, University of York
• Elena Lopez-Gunn, Royal Elcano Institute, Founder and CEO of ICATALIST
• Benedict Morrison, Senior Lecturer, University of Exeter
• Madeline R. Young-Touré, University of Exeter/University of Amsterdam
• Haydn Osborne-Brookes, Young European Movement UK, Head. of Campaigns
  Q&A

15:00-15:15 Prizes (posters and videos) and wrap-up

This Agenda is subject to updates and alterations.

We are also hosting a poster and video competition with a cash prize; more details, along with the agenda and registration form, will be shared soon. Submit here your poster or video

For those travelling to York, we are offering travel reimbursements of up to £150 per person (limited availability on a first-come, first-served basis). Please keep your travel receipts for claiming the reimbursement. Only standard tickets (non first class) will be accepted.

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For any inquiries please contact events.comms@connects-uk.org

XII International Symposium SRUK/CERU – York, July 4-6, 2025

Between 4th and 6th July participants will have the chance to join some of the session of Facing Challenges XII International Symposium SRUK/CERU.

This event is organised by CONNECTS-UK, a collaborative project conceptualised in 2022 by the scientific diasporas of Finland, France, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Netherlands, and Spain in the UK, together with Native Scientists. The diaspora of Slovenia is now also associated with CONNECTS-UK. The main goals of CONNECTS-UK are to strengthen EU-UK scientific collaboration and research mobility but also the showcase the impact of science.

CONNECTS-UK is co-funded by the European Union. This event is supported by the the Government of the Netherlands in the UK,  FECYT (Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology) and Xunta de Galicia.

The objective of the Open Fora is to bring together leading researchers in the EU and the UK, who present their research to an expert and non-expert audience. With these events, CONNECTS-UK aims to connect EU researchers and academics working in the UK, to give visibility to their achievements and to transfer scientific knowledge to the broader society.