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.

Free places

We’re offering free places on this course to help support those that would be otherwise unable to attend. Please apply via this form.

Key information

• Duration: various sessions over two days
• Upcoming dates:
  • 29 – 30 April 2021
• Start and finish times: Day 1 – 09:30 (meeting open from 09:15) to 17:00; Day 2 – 09:30 to 17:00 + an optional panel discussion from 17:00 to 17.30
• Fees: waged £75; low waged/Concession price – £50
• 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.

Andrew Simms

Andrew is an author, political economist and campaigner. He is co-director of the NewWeather Institute, coordinator of the Rapid Transition Alliance, assistant director of Scientists for Global Responsibility, a research associate at the University of Sussex, and a fellow of the New Economics Foundation where he was policy director for many years. His books include Cancel the Apocalypse, Ecological Debt, and recently Economics: A Crash Course. He tweets from @AndrewSimms_uk

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.

Rob Hopkins

Rob is the founder of the Transition movement, presenter of the podcast From What If to What Next and author of several books, most recently From What Is to What If. He is also a gardener, in-demand public speaker and founder of a 100% community-owned brewery. He tweets from @robintransition

Jill Chapman

Jill is a Chartered Occupational Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience in people change and development.  She includes psychology, neuroscience, mindfulness, body-based practices and the outdoors as her toolkit for enabling people, teams and organisations to achieve sustainable change.  As a Founder of Create Network, Create Community and Create Flow she designs, facilitates and delivers programmes, workshops and coaching with people and teams across industries and across society so that they can achieve their full potential.

Jill will be facilitating a session on the ACT informed approach to Action Planning. This is an opportunity to get familiar with a tool for behavioural change that you can use beyond the course, as well as creating your own plan of action to ACTivate back in your own world and context.