Climate Change; Science, Impacts & Responses

Dates to be confirmed

Background

Climate change is one of the most profound and complex issues affecting our society and economy today. Scientific developments continue to increase the scale of concern and suggest that the climate change problem may be even worse than previously feared. Despite continuing uncertainties about the detailed linkages, extreme weather events are increasingly being attributed to human interference, and greater emphasis is emerging on the need to prepare and adapt to climatic changes.

The relaunch of global negotiations, set to culminate at Copenhagen in December 2009; the adoption of the "EU Package" of measures for implementing the EU's ambitious goals for 2020; and the election of Barack Obama as US President, have all fuelled expectations that 2009 will be a year of breakthrough. However the issues are also incredibly complex. Moving from the science of concern to the technological options for tackling the problem itself covers huge ground. Adaptation, carbon pricing and energy implementation, land use, and international policy including technology transfer and the ‘global carbon mechanisms' - these involve even bigger challenges to coordinated action. Countries and the international community have been wrestling with these and developing some responses for years - but there is a very long way to go.

This year's training course is intended to explain these challenges and the options in discussion for overcoming them. As in previous years it is modular, but designed as an integrated package for the benefit particularly of officials or researchers seeking an overall understanding of the huge scope of the issues. To reflect the rising focus on the international process, the course is slightly restructured, with the second day devoted to explaining the international processes, so that participants can set the issues of energy technology and policy, land use, and adaptation all within the context of the broad international negotiations now underway.

The Programme

In recognition of the importance of these issues, Imperial College London, has for the past five years, in collaboration with the Climate Strategies network, organised a 5-day programme to provide professionals, particularly in government and industry, with an in-depth understanding of the issues surrounding climate change.

Building on this track record, we are pleased to announce this year's course, which again will be held at Imperial College London, on 20 - 24 April 2009. A modular structure has been adopted to enable senior executives to attend the single days of the most direct interest to their organisation.

Who Should Attend

Issues associated with climate change have an increasingly significant impact on many business sectors and organisations need to have an understanding of the key issues and how these might affect their businesses.

This programme will be of great interest to all those in organisations who have a responsibility for understanding issues associated with climate change and its business impact. The course will provide an opportunity for participants to obtain an in-depth understanding of the various aspects of climate change directly from leading international experts in their areas.

This programme is directed by Prof Michael Grubb of Imperial College London and The Carbon Trust.