Grantham Centre at Festival of Debate 2024

The Festival of Debate is back! And with it comes a series of talks organised by our Grantham Scholars that cover a range of interesting sustainability related topics.

Every year the Grantham Scholars put on free sustainability events that are a part of Festival of Debate (the largest annual politics festival in the UK). This year we will have the opportunity to hear experts talk about issues connected to air pollution, food waste, industrial decarbonisation, city infrastructures and climate change in our region. Read on for more information about each event and the registration links!

Air Pollution: Are Clean Air Zones the answer?

Tuesday 23 April, 12:00 – 13:30 BST, online. 

Sheffield City Council has implemented a Clean Air Zone, which charges commercial vehicles driving in the city centre, to incentivise frequent road users to transition to cleaner alternatives.

This debate invites speakers with diverse perspectives to discuss how different groups are affected by the Sheffield Clean Air Zone, and explore the impacts, effectiveness and possible alternatives to the system.

Organised by: Alana Barlow, Marcin Pokora, Lucas Joel, Liang Kong, Katie Rees and Rob Matthews.

Food Waste: Whose responsibility is it?

Thursday 2 May, 14:00 – 15:30 BST, online. Register on Eventbrite!

As climate change is beginning to threaten crop yields, reducing our food waste presents a potential way to help mitigate this threat to global food security. To determine if reducing food waste is a realistic solution we must understand where the burden of responsibility lies. With the food producers themselves, with packagers and sellers, or with consumers?

Organised by: Georgie Moss, Tom Jackson, Abigail Catterall, Tanya Wilson and Ollie Chesworth.

The Green Giants: Industry in 2050

Thursday 16 May, 14:00 – 15:30 BST, online. Register on Eventbrite!

Discover the future of industry as we explore the challenges and pathways for decarbonization and how we can navigate the polycrisis through systemic industrial change.

Organised by: Mahdi Ahmed, Charley Nevin, Ava Sjoberg, Joe Hammond and Luke Richardson.

Living in a Future City

Tuesday 21 May, 14:00 – 15:30 BST, online. Register on Eventbrite!

What does “sustainable urban living” actually look like? We will explore what makes a city sustainable, from the perspectives of its residents, administrators and surroundings.

Organised by: Jake Allcock, Cameron Colclough, Monica Martin Grau, Fiona McBride, Ewan Norris and Luthfi Dahriyanto.

How to stop climate change

Tuesday 21 May, 18:00 – 19:30 BST, in person, Lecture Theatre 2, The Diamond. Register on Eventbrite!

If climate warming continues, our region will change completely, forever. What is being done to protect the beautiful and biodiverse landscape of South Yorkshire? What can ordinary people in our region do about the climate crisis?

Organised by: Meg Meredith and the South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre