Online Zero Carbon Britain course exploring climate solutions – the science says we must, the technology says we can, time to say we will!

Working with a range of local Councils, we have developed a two day, interactive, online course offering an in-depth look at CAT’s flagship research project, Zero Carbon Britain. Connect with a network of others working and studying in the field and explore the radical changes needed to rise to the climate challenge.

Key information

• Duration: various sessions over two days
• Upcoming dates:
  • 14 & 15 March 2023
• Start and finish times: Day 1 – 09:30 (meeting open from 09:15) to 17:00 (offline task from 13.00 to 16.00), Day 2 – 09:30 to 17:00
• Fees: £75
• Includes: tuition, question and answer sessions, online course materials
• Terms and conditions
  • You must be 16 years or over to attend this course
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here

What you will learn

CAT’s Zero Carbon Britain project offers the hard data and confidence required for visualising a future where we have risen to the demands of climate science. It helps to reduce fear and misunderstandings and open new, positive, solutions-focused conversations.

The new report published in 2019, Zero Carbon Britain: Rising to the Climate Emergency, incorporates the very latest developments in science and technology to show that we can create a zero carbon Britain using only proven technology.

During this two day course you will explore all aspects of climate solutions and scenarios presented in the research. Live lectures will cover a range of topics from renewable energy and energy efficiency to diets and land-use, looking at how these can work together to help us build a zero carbon future. Online workshops will enable discussion and debate among participants on catalysing action across all areas of society.

Some of the topics covered include:

• How we can provide a reliable energy supply for the UK with 100% renewable energy sources and flexible carbon neutral back up – without fossil fuels, nuclear power, or gambling on the promise of future technology.
• How we can grow the vast majority of the food we need for a healthy, low carbon diet, and manage our land to capture carbon, nurture biodiversity and increase the health and resilience of our ecosystems.
• How we can deliver a modern lifestyle, create employment, improve our wellbeing, and ensure that the future we leave for our children and generations to come is safe and sustainable.
• Understanding key barriers to change, and how we can overcome them – offering a range of other benefits in the process.
• How research can be used to support councils in developing climate emergency action plans.

The live, interactive nature of this course will offer a rich online learning experience. To get the most out of the course, we suggest you:

1. Download the Zero Carbon Britain; Rising to the climate emergency, and read (at least) the 8-page executive summary and explore chapters relevant to your areas of work / expertise.
2. Make a note of key questions, reflections and ideas for going forwards.

Meet your tutors

Paul Allen

Paul is Knowledge and Outreach Coordinator for Zero Carbon Britain. He has been a member of the Wales Science Advisory Council (2010), board member of the International Forum for Sustainable Energy (2008) and a Climate Change Commissioner for Wales (2007). He holds an Honours degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and has been at CAT since 1988.

Amanda Smith

Amanda is the Training Manager in our Zero Carbon Britain team. She has over 20 years experience in teaching, school leadership, adult training and organisational improvement. Amanda is a highly qualified, competent and experienced educator, with Qualified Teacher status, National Professional Qualification for Head Teachers and a Specialist Leader of Education.

Prior to joining the Centre for Alternative Technology Amanda was a Head Teacher, she also worked in an advisory capacity for the Local Education Authority from 2003, working with schools and other organisations in challenging circumstances to enable them to develop effective action plans and bring organisational change and improvement as a result.

John Anderson

John holds degrees in international relations, law and international security.  He has a background in decision support consultancy, training, research, facilitation and project management in the private sector.  He is currently researching climate change adaptation with CAT, and is an outdoors enthusiast and a keen piper.

Roy Kareem

Roy Kareem is a former Black and Green Ambassador for Bristol and the current Director of Bright Green Future, an environmental leadership programme for young people from around the UK that aims to help diversify those choosing careers with a positive environmental impact.

Roy will be presenting on the origins of the Black and Green Ambassador programme and why it was needed, along with a larger scale look at how progress towards net-zero can only be pursued in a fair and just way by looking beyond just the concentration of C02 in the atmosphere, and embracing the intersection of multiple factors including ethnicity and social justice.

Sonya Bedford

Sonya graduated from CAT’s renewable energy MSc in 2018 and is currently Head of Energy at Stephens Scown LLP. Sonya leads a team of solicitors specialising in energy policy and law. She advises industry on legal requirements for large scale renewable energy developments, including grid, infrastructure, policy, licensing and supply issues. She was awarded an MBE for services to community energy, along with a number of other environmental awards.

In 2020 Sonya was appointed to the CAT Board of trustees. She also sits on the board of five community energy groups and is one of the founders of the innovative and ambitious Zero Carbon Wedmore group.

Mark Chivers

Mark is the Co-founder and Project Lead for Zero Carbon Dorset. Inspired by the Zero Carbon Britain reports, Zero Carbon Dorset is a community led project, focused on drawing together local community groups, activists, businesses, councils and the local university to take action towards a zero carbon future.

In his presentation, Mark will be exploring how a whole county can work together to achieve net zero.

Dr Anna Bullen

Anna is the Innovation Lab Manager at the Centre for Alternative technology.

Anna has an academic background, with a degree in Environmental Management and Resource Development, an MA in Space, Place and Politics and a PhD in Sustainable Citizenship and is particularly experienced in facilitating processes that bring together a wide range of stakeholders with diverse views and supporting them to move forward in developing solutions.