Universities are increasingly being challenged to show leadership in responding to and addressing climate change. Staff, students and the wider UEA community are already attempting to address some of these challenges on their own terms. However, universities have wider untapped potential to move beyond a siloed approach to decision-making and address the many social and environmental challenges we face today. What if everyone at UEA had more of a say on how the university is run and what it stands for?
The UK Energy Research Centre’s (UKERC) Public Engagement Observatory (based in the 3S Research Group) have teamed-up with UEA’s Biodiversity and Climate Action Network (BCAN) and Faculty for a Future (F4F) to hold a People’s Assembly that aims to create a vision, provide recommendation, and catalyse action to help make UEA fit for a climate-changed future.
ENV’s Professor Jason Chilvers, chair of the 3S Research Group and lead of the Public Engagement Observatory, said:
“Citizens’ assemblies are now happening throughout the world, empowering citizens to learn about, deliberate and have a say on how we should address pressing issues, such as climate change. We in the Public Engagement Observatory are delighted to collaborate with F4F and BCAN to explore what difference these democratic innovations can make at UEA. Our work shows that people are already engaged with climate change in so many different ways, but this is rarely recognised or listened to by those in power. I hope the people of UEA will take this opportunity to get involved, that the recommendations of the assembly are listened to, and it helps catalyse changes we so urgently need.”
The first assembly session, Exploring Our Current Engagements With Climate Change (Thursday 22nd February 2024, C.Hall 0.17, 16:00 – 18:00), will focus on mapping the multiple and diverse ways in which the UEA is already engaging with and addressing the challenges and opportunities of climate change.
The second session, Re-imagining the University for a Climate-Changed World (Thursday 29th February 2024, C.Hall 0.17, 16:00 – 19:00), will start exploring how we can build solidarities and capitalise on existing engagements and action around climate change and forge action plans on what UEA should and could be doing in the near future.
Free vegan and vegetarian food and refreshments will be available to all participants in both sessions. Participation in both sessions is recommended, but NOT essential.
Advanced registration via Eventbrite is recommended: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/uea-in-a-climate-changing-world-tickets-816562017977?aff=oddtdtcreator
