Queen Mary University of London is holding a ‘Sustainability Week’ during the week of 18 October, to highlight the risks associated with climate change and other major environmental challenges.
All staff and students have been invited to participate in Sustainability Week and to host events or activities exploring how we can respond, individually and collectively, to current and emerging environmental challenges.
There will be a wide range of activities, events and presentations throughout the week. Dr Ana Sobrido, Reader in Sustainable Energy Materials will demonstrate how Queen Mary research is turning paper waste into batteries – just one example of sustainable research that is helping to shape the future.
Emma Howard Boyd, Chair of the Environment Agency, will also be discussing the role of women in managing climate change as part of the Energy & Climate Change Institute’s annual lecture on climate change. The talk will focus on how women can be instigators of change, and the disproportionate impact of climate change on women. There will also be a follow up talk from Claire Perry O’Neill, Managing Director for Climate and Energy at the World Business Council for Sustainable Development.
Queen Mary will be supporting the local area through a clean-up of Regent’s canal, allowing local wildlife to thrive, alongside a campus clean and planting fruit trees.
The week concludes with the first Brazilian indigenous film festival held in the UK. People’s Palace Projects is running a three-day festival featuring 12 productions by indigenous Brazilian filmmakers celebrating heritage and arguing for their rights to their lands and to cultural expression. Under the current Brazilian government, this has been openly disparaged, making it particularly pertinent.
Dr Philippa Lloyd, Vice-Principal Policy and Strategic Partnerships and Chair of the Sustainability Committee said: “Sustainability Week at Queen Mary is an important reminder of the threats currently facing our planet and the environment – which are arguably greater than at any point throughout history.
“We’re delighted to host a number of exciting activities, ranging from art installations and thought-provoking talks to film screenings, clean-ups and essay competitions, to help make everyone think about what we can do, separately and together, to help tackle climate change and reduce our impact on the planet.
“As an institution, we are committed to continuously improving our own environmental performance so that we can lead by example in operating sustainably.”
The full programme and more information on each activity is available here.
For media information, contact: