COP27: Reading providing vital climate science in Egypt

Reading science will be represented at the COP27 global climate change conference this month, as the Walker Institute leads the University’s involvement.

Heads of State, ministers and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives and CEOs, are all set to meet in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, 6-18 November for the United Nations event aimed at progressing work to reduce human-caused climate change.

Walker Institute representatives will present at a major side event on its collaborative research on water security risks, while PhD students will also be in Egypt or participate remotely through Walker’s COP Climate Action Studio.

The University’s principal role at COP27 is as an accredited official observer, with senior scientists and PhD researchers attending events, screening videos on their research, carrying out interviews and reporting on their experience in Egypt.

University representatives will participate in activities in the Blue Zone, the official space for negotiations and side events, informing UK Government representatives involved in the negotiations by providing impartial scientific and technical advice.

They will also explore potential research partnerships and funding opportunities and build awareness of Reading’s world leading climate research.

Professor Rosalind Cornforth, Director of the Walker Institute, said: “Our presence at COP27 continues the Walker Institute’s longstanding engagement with the biggest climate change conference on Earth.

“The agreements and actions that come out of COP are vitally important to efforts to reduce the impact of human actions on the planet. These agreements must be informed by strong evidence, so we are proud to be at the forefront of providing the latest science on climate change and resilience.”

COP stands for Conference of the Parties and is the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. It is held to review progress against the aims of the Convention, an international treaty that has the ultimate goal of limiting human impact on our climate system.

The Walker Institute is the University’s Interdisciplinary Climate Research Institute and one of eight ‘My Climate Risk’ Regional Hubs under the World Climate Research Programme. It has led the University’s involvement at COP for almost a decade.

Side events involving University representatives

There are a number of side events running at COP, many of which will be streamed online.