Climate Change: Impacts and Opportunities | Conference 16-17 June 2010

Where? British Geological Survey, Keyworth, Nottingham

When? 16–17 June 2010

How much will its cost? £55 (inc. VAT) including refreshments and evening buffet reception

 

Introduction

Some amount of climate change is now inevitable. Governments at all levels and environmental industries recognise that increasing investment in resources will be required to adapt to climate change i.e. sustainable and economically efficient adaptation.

However, adaptation requires that we properly understand the scope of climate change impact — it goes beyond a rise in temperature or a change in precipitation — and that we understand the potentially non-linear sensitivity of both urban and natural environments to climate change.

Climate change also brings challenges and opportunities in the energy sector, all of which are inextricably tied to environmental impact and legislated mitigation efforts.

This conference will tackle these issues, highlighting both the scope of climate change impact, strategies for adaptation, as well as opportunities available to environmental industries and regional governments. The conference will also give participants a voice through extended Q&A sessions and panel-led discussions.

Key topics

• The impact on UK businesses from climate change and from the Climate Change Act 2008
• Environment and Heath: the possible effects of climatic change
• Groundwater and climate change
• Opportunities for regional development in Carbon Capture and Storage
• The transition to a low carbon economy: implications for UK businesses
• The impacts of climate change on present and future land use,  infrastructure & development

 

Who should attend?

This conference is aimed at UK institutions and businesses that are likely to be impacted by both climate change and the 2008 Climate Change Act:

• Civil engineers
• Consultants
• Energy analysts
• Energy suppliers
• Insurance sector
• Local authorities
• Regional development agencies
• Utilities companies

Using specific case studies, we will highlight the broad range of environmental impacts due to climate change, the equally broad range of opportunities due to climate change, and the approach that can be adopted to properly assess and develop adaptation strategies.

Guest speakers include

• Professor Anne Glover — Chief Scientific Adviser for Scotland
• Dr Chris West — Director, UK Climate Impacts Programme
• Professor Andrew Gouldson — Director, ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics & Policy
• Mr Chris Murray —Chief Executive Officer, XOSERVE
• Dr Stephen Brown — Director, Carbon Capture and Storage C0₂ Sense Yorkshire
• Professor Mercedes Maroto-Valer — Director of the Centre for Innovation in Carbon Capture and Storage, Nottingham University
• Professor Dermot Roddy — Science City Professor of Energy, University of Newcastle
• Mr Rowan Douglas — Chairman, Willis Research Network, Willis Group Limited

BGS speakers include

• Professor Mike Ellis — Head of Climate Change
• Dr Mike Stephenson — Head of Energy
• Plus BGS experts on groundwater flooding, land use and development, ground conditions, ground stability, health and ground source heat pumps.