Feature
SMMI LEADS DELEGATION TO COP26 The Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI) led the University of Southampton to the 26th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow in November 2021. Nine members of staff from four schools comprised the delegation to Scotland and represented the diversity of University research, collaborations and impact.
Alok Sharma, President of COP26, chairing a plenary session at the summit
The aim of COP26 was to bring together parties to accelerate action towards the goals of the 2015 Paris Agreement, namely, to take measures to restrict global warming to less than 2°C above pre-industrial levels, and preferably less than 1.5°C. The SMMI championed the University application to the UNFCCC for Observer status at COP26 and the team headed to Glasgow to participate in the 13-day summit. The summit Overarching themes highlighted throughout the Summit such as energy, nature, transport, resources, adaptation and the impact of
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One of the Delegations’ Pavilions on Nature-Based solutions
climate change on communities and the environment are at the heart of SMMI activities and interests, through research at the University as well as collaborations with research institutions, civil societies, and industry and policy makers. Numerous events organised at the delegates’ pavilions in the UN Blue Zone provided ideal opportunities for the Southampton team to network with fellow researchers, knowledge brokers and policymakers. This enabled the exchange of ideas and insights around growing the understanding of the impacts of
human interaction with the planet’s natural environment and scope opportunities to translate this understanding into tangible solutions to avoid catastrophic climate change. Highlights Highlights of the summit for the Southampton delegation included Dr Lindsay-Marie Armstrong, from the School of Engineering, attending events which focused on financing a net zero economy, accelerating net zero energy technologies, the legal aspects of achieving net zero and how bioenergy systems will play a critical role.
