Effective climate action is dependent on bringing together professionals from across specialisms and disciplines to collaborate, exchange knowledge and enact change. This webinar will explore examples of interdisciplinary climate change work in action, providing insights on how professionals can support change across sectors. 

• Tackling multi-faceted challenges with interdisciplinary climate action - Guy Finkill

This presentation will provide a look into the benefits of perceiving dynamic and evolving challenges through a range of disciplinary perspectives and will provide a case study deep-dive into the decarbonisation of industrial clusters and the importance of impact research.

• Driving climate action in green infrastructure investment - Emma Knight-Strong

You might be surprised to hear that green infrastructure investors aren't always that good at climate action. Some investors still think that by investing in green infrastructure they're doing all they need to do. There is, of course, much more to it than that. Driving action in this field is a delicate balancing act between risk and reward, data, and communications. ESG professionals have relatively little power but increasing levels of responsibility. This section will focus on how some of those elements are brought together to drive progress across multiple teams, decision-makers and budget holders. 

• Integrating Air Quality & Climate Change: Guidance for Local Authorities - Sarah Legge

Air quality and climate change are hugely interconnected issues, with many opportunities for better solutions but major risks from unintended consequences. This talk will discuss the importance of integrated policy on air quality and climate change and the work of the Environmental Policy Implementation Community (EPIC) in developing practical guidance for local authorities and others on how to take effective integrated action.

This free online event is open to everyone.

This event has been organised by the Climate Action Community. Find out more about their work and how you can get involved.

Our speakers

Guy Finkill

Guy Finkill is a PhD Researcher in Environmental Engineering at the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering (MACE) at the University of Manchester. His PhD is titled 'Governing Industrial Emissions: An analysis of the UK’s Cluster Sequencing for Carbon Capture, Usage and Storage (CCUS) Deployment'. Guy is a consultant researcher at both UNCTAD and Lund University. Working on projects that map finance flows and the use of bonds in the petrochemical industry as well as the rise of the hydrogen economy across the Nordics. Guy has also worked at Lund University’s Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) and their department of Political Science (SVET). Prior to that, Guy worked at Uppsala University’s Centre for Environment and Development Studies (CEMUS) and is still affiliated now as a frequent lecturer.

Emma Knight-Strong

Emma is a Chartered Environmentalist and Fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. As a sustainability professional with over 15 years’ experience in the environmental consultancy and sustainable finance sectors, Emma specialises in sustainability governance, strategic sustainability and integration of sustainability and ESG considerations into business as usual. Emma founded Green Arch Consulting in 2018 and has supported a broad range of clients, across multiple sectors, disciplines and geographies, in developing and evolving their approaches to sustainability and climate change. 

Sarah Legge

Sarah is an Associate Director of the Air Quality team at ARUP, working on air quality policy, strategy and cities, and the intersection of air pollution and climate. She is an air quality specialist, with a particular interest in the overlap of air quality and other issues, particularly climate change and health.

Sarah is on the Steering Committee for EPIC (Environmental Policy Implementation Community) and Chair of the Task Group on Air Quality and Climate Change Guidance. Previously, as Chair of the Air Quality Committee at Environmental Protection UK, she was heavily involved in lobbying the government for strong and effective legislation, policy and action on air pollution and the environment.

Sarah has worked in both the public sector and in consultancy. She founded SLH Environmental Ltd in 2010 and ran it as an independent consultant, specialising in air quality issues and sustainable transport solutions (including both climate change and air pollution impacts) for a wide range of organisations.