News tracker: COP27 expert commentary and updates

15 December 

"The audience agreed that it is time for decisive actions and that this has to come from all areas of society including government, business, civil society, and the education sector."

Find out more about the debate at King's focused on the climate summit COP27 here. 

29 November

"One way to move past this and to accelerate action is to engage in the UN processes over the next year, and researchers have a unique role to play."

Dr Susannah Fisher explores the unique role researchers can play in the push to reduces emissions and accelerate action: COP27: How the research community can support implementation. 

"I had a very busy week engaging in the negotiations and establishing interview contacts for my research, as well as sharing the exciting work going on at King’s"

Rachel Harrington-Abrams takes us Inside COP27: understanding hard-fought wins and difficult outcomes. 

21 November

King's climate scientist joins UK Parliament in research advisory role

In a new role starting January 2023, Dr Tamsin Edwards will bring topical, policy-focused research on climate and environment to the desks of MPs, Lords and those working in Parliament. Read more about the appointment here. 

18 November

Are we at a pivotal moment in the climate crisis?

The latest podcase episode of WORLD: we got this, featuring Professor Frans Berkhout and Dr Duraid Jalili, explores how recent events including war and economic crises have affected the priority of environmental issues and whether we still have time to make a difference. 

17 November

"Reducing environmental pollution is an urgent public health priority to protect our children’s futures."

Findings from the first comprehensive study into the effects of air pollution on adolescents, as reported in i news today. 

15 November

"Missing 1.5C leads to terrible losses and every fraction of warming counts"

Dr Susannah Fisher shares a helpful round-up on the global state of play for adaptation at COP27, including why reducing emissions as quickly as possible is the best way to limit what we need to adapt to.

How much can we limit the rising of the seas?

On Wednesday 16 November, Dr Tamsin Edwards will discuss leading an international team of scientists and using machine learning techniques in the most comprehensive effort yet to predict 21st century sea level rise.

Presented by the Alan Turing Institute. More information and tickets here. 

14 November

"A clear imperative in addressing the climate crisis is to turn finance promises into climate action." 

Dr Megan Bowman, Director of the King's Centre for Climate Law and Governance, explores the subject in her paper Turning Promises into Action: ‘Legal Readiness for Climate Finance’ and Implementing the Paris Agreement. 

11 November

Should wealthier nations pay climate change compensation to those most affected?

Energy economist Professor Nick Butler appeared on 'The Great Debate' on Sky News. 

"...financial regulators have a role to play in supporting efforts to decarbonise our economies."

For the Financial Times (partner content), Professor David Aikman explores the financial regulators challenging role in the transition to net zero. 

10 November

"Being selected as a finalist is a recognition of the difference that King’s students, staff, and alumni are making."

King’s was shortlisted in three categories of the 2022 Green Gown Awards UK & Ireland in recognition of outstanding sustainability initiatives. Read more here. 

New research: Indoor wood fires ‘dangerous’ for some pregnant women

Air pollution from cooking indoors over a fire of wood or charcoal could have life-threatening consequences for some pregnant women. Read more about the study, led by Professor Andrew Shennan, in The Guardian. 

Reflections on COP27

King's staff and students are invited to hear from climate researchers who attended COP as part of the King's delegation, as they reflect on their experiences at this year's climate summit. Panelists include Rachel Harrington-Abrams, Susannah Fisher, Ruyuan Liu and Kate Greer. Register here.  

9 November

Dr Susannah Fisher is in attendance at the COP27 summit in Egypt, and is sharing updates in her Sink or Swim newsletter about adapting to climate change. 

Could coming together as a collective help us gain faster, cheaper renewable sources of energy?

Do not miss People Power Changing the Energy System, part of the Entrepreneurship Institute's Festival of Disruptive Thinking. On 23 November, Dr Anna Rebmann from King’s Business School will explore working together might help us all to gain faster, cheaper and greater access to renewable sources of energy. 

From fashion to fast food: the myth of sustainable consumption

Educating consumers about their choices isn't enough, writes Professor Giana Eckhardt from King's Business School for the Financial Times (partner content). 

Could the world’s most abundant energy source – light – solve one of the most pressing demands for a sustainable society?

Professor Anatoly Zayats from King’s is leading a multidisciplinary team of physicists and chemists to investigate reducing the energy required in key chemical processes., thanks to a £10 million EPSRC grant. 

8 November 

Dr Tamsin Edwards spoke to BBC Newscast, covering global warming thresholds and global opinions , the importance of the COP26 deforestation pledge and much more. Listen to the episode here. 

"The events of the past year have radically altered Europe’s energy policy."

Nick Butler, Visiting Professor at King's Policy Institute, writes for the Financial Times: European crisis risks climate action reputation.

"In the past months... the most extreme weather events in the African region have been largely unreported."

Alexa von Ow from the African Leadership Centre on why climate action is unlikely to adequately relieve the climate crisis. 

"I learned to appreciate the intersectionality of the effects of climate change as well as climate action”

Want to learn more about COP27 and wider climate action? Enroll on the KEATS Sustainability & Climate module.

7 November 

"Climate change is happening and under it, past expectations of averages and normality are simply not going to hold."

As leaders gather at the COP27 summit, Professor Daanish Mustafa explores what it means to decolonise water, especially in Pakistan. 

How do we create space for King’s students to share their climate hopes and fears, their dreams for a just and sustainable future?

Do not miss 'Weathervane: : We Not I', a joyful showcase of climate-inspired art and creative research, a student-led call to action.

4 November

 A new study by King's researchers, including Dr Andreas Baas, shows that global warming is set to change the face of deserts, transforming the shapes and dynamics of the sand dunes.

"A lot of people tend to think of the desert as an unchanging place, an eternal static environment and our studies are suggesting that this could really change in the future.”

The i newspaper ran this exclusive research, available here. 

"The changing severity and frequency of climate-related hazards mean the baseline against which any improvement is made is changing."

Dr Susannah Fisher, Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Geography, explores why we need to measure the success of climate adaptation policies. 

3 November

"It’s a sort of Glastonbury of climate politics and activism, only with the future of the world at stake."

Ahead of the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Frans Berkhout, Professor of Environment, Society, and Climate, asks 'Do climate summits make a difference?' 

Climate Action Network

Did you know King's has a Climate Action Network? Made up of over 400 members, this open, interdisciplinary forum brings together people from the King’s community who are passionate about sustainability and climate. 

27 October

King's climate scientist Dr Tamsin Edwards contributed an essay to GretaThunberg's The Climate Book.  

12 October 

The entire planet’s ecosystems have been classified for the first time ever as part of a global study

Dr Michael Chadwick from the Department of Geography at King’s contributed to the landmark research. 

26 September

King's hosted the London edition of Walk2COP27.

The event showcased how climate change is impacting London and the solutions that are being deployed. 

Key government and industry professionals spoke on the implications of climate in England and in particular the transportation industry, including what’s needed to achieve decarbonisation, resilience, justice and circularity.

10 August

If the Paris Agreement target is met, we can reduce the threat to millions of people and species inhabiting coastal areas.

New research by scientists including Dr Tamsin Edwards, from the Department of Geography, shows that the fate of the world's biggest ice sheet is in our hands.