Durham University has a rich portfolio of active research projects and activities that relate to evidence of climate change, understanding the implications and impacts of the climate emergency and developing solutions and responses. 

Introduction to series

The links below will take you to either the YouTube recording of the seminar if it has already taken place, or the registration link if the seminar is in the future.

‘The Influence of the Paris Agreement on Climate Litigation: The Rocky Hill Mine Case Study’ Lecture by Justice Brian Preston, Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales, Australia, followed by Q&A 

Climate Finance (May 2021)

Climate finance covers the broad topics of investments in both climate mitigation and resilience across the globe. The finance strand in COP26 looks at the funding mechanisms for all of the other thematic components of COP26 and it is here that we begin with a discussion on the incentives, regulation and pricing of investments relating to climate change/crisis and the green economy.

• Long run investment in climate change and the tyranny of discount rates Carly Beckerman and Julian Williams, Institute of Hazard Risk and Resilience.  
• Green investment and private capital Thomas Renstrom and Laura Marsilliani, Durham University Business School and Durham Energy Institute 
• Sustainable poverty reduction and climate change in vulnerable regions Andy Large and Julian Williams UKRI Living Deltas Hub and Newcastle University
• Delivering a fair transition to net zero. Aligning investment incentives to policy objectives Andrew Wright and Joanna Berry, Durham University Business School and Durham Energy Institute 

Energy Transitions and Clean Transport (June 2021)

Brought to you by Durham Energy Institute, this month focuses on two of the five priorities from the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021; Energy Transition and Clean Road Transport. The seminars and panel events look at research supporting the global transition to Net Zero and the domestic decision to move away from thermal vehicles in 2035. 

• Decarbonisation of Heat Dr Andrew Smallbone, Durham Energy Institute and Network for Decarbonising Heating and Cooling
• Decarbonisation of the Petroleum Industry and its Role in Energy Transition Professor Jon Gluyas, Durham Energy Institute and Dr Alison Auld, Scottish Environment Agency
• Growing Offshore Wind - Developing regional industry-university growth hubs Tony Quinn, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult; Benj Sykes, Ørsted UK; Louise Smith Project Aura, Professor Simon Hogg Durham Energy Institute and Energi Coast
• Hydrogen Transport Dr Janie Ling-Chin, Durham Energy Institute and Engineering Department
• A Just Transition Professor Simone Abram, Department of Anthropology and Durham Energy Institute; Professor Raphael Heffron, Dundee University, Dr Kirsten Jenkins, Edinburgh University; Dr Andres Luque-Ayala Geography, Durham University; Dr Sarah Knuth Geography, Durham University; Dr Jessi Lehman Geography, Durham University;

Adaptation and Resilience (September 2021)

Brought to you by the Department of Law and Global Policy Institute, the month of September covers the ‘Adaption & Resilience’ priority from the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021.  This month covers the global goal of adaptation to climate change. It will explore how international law can help in building resilience into climate governance frameworks. Climate resilient futures demand a holistic approach where measures that address the climate crisis and the recovery from the current pandemic are reconciled, in order to meet the ambitious goals of the Paris Agreement.

• Women, Climage and Conflict, Towards Meaningful Glob al Commitments with Professor Charlotte Clarke and Dr Catherine Turner
• Challenges to a Green Recovery? International Law, Climate Change and Public Health Two day conference with Dr Petra Minneropp.
• The costs of adaptation to the increased risk of glacial lake flooding and the attribution question in science and law with Lavanya Rajamani, Professor of International Environmental Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Oxford, and Yamani Fellow in Public International Law at St Peter's College, Oxford

Nature, Biodiversity and Nature-based Solutions (October 2021)

Brought to you by the Department of Engineering, the month of October covers the ‘Nature’ priority from the UN Climate Change Conference in 2021. The Engineering Department will provide a series of panel events looking at how an increasingly important aspect of the climate debate is around ‘nature-based solutions’ (NBS). That is how nature (forests, agriculture and ecosystems) can become a climate solution for absorbing carbon and for protecting against climate impacts. COP26 will start to discuss how to integrate NBS into the Paris implementation strategy.

• A nation that rebuilds soil rebuilds itself with with Karen Johnson (Engineering) Neil Gray (Newcastle), Andrew Neal (Rothamsted) and Cathy Clarke (Stellenbosch)
• Soils and biodiversity Transition with Karen Johnson (Engineering), Wayne Dawson (Biosciences) and Andrew Neal (Rothamsted) and Eddie Game from The Nature Conservancy 
• Soil and human health with Karen Johnson (Engineering), Sarah Dack (Public Health England) and Eric Brevik (Dickinson State Uni) 
• How to build a terrarium with Karen Johnson (Engineering), Wendy Stone (Stellenbosch) and others

 Durham University are also hosting:

Road to COP 26/CMA 3 Preparatory Lecture Series

A collaboration between the Centre for International Law-NUS, Durham Law School and the IUCN WCEL. Moving forward, this monthly series of lectures will provide an expert overview of the key issues that will be discussed during COP 26/CMA 3, in the context of past COPs and the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement legal framework.

The lecture series is aimed at government officials, academics, NGOs and others who will be attending or are interested in COP 26/CMA 3. This series will offer expert insight into the working mechanisms and procedure of climate change COPs, how they function and what to expect from COP 26/CMA 3 from specific issues that are on the agenda.

The full list of lectures is available to download via PDF: The Road to COP 26 Preparatory Lecture Series Programme. 

• Road to Paris and Glasgow, Professor Daniel Bodansky
• Financial and Funding Mechanisms under the Climate Regime, David Freestone (George Washington University Law School and Former Deputy General Counsel, The World Bank)