Learn to live more sustainably at inaugural Birkbeck Climate Festival – 18 to 22 March

05 March 2024

The new festival, open to the public, is taking place from 18 to 22 March, with interactive and participatory online and in-person events that will inform and inspire.

The front of Birkbeck's Malet Street building — Birkbeck's Malet Street building

Put on a virtual reality headset, play climate board games, and listen to world-leading climate speakers at the inaugural ‘Birkbeck Climate Festival – The Sustainable Now’.

The festival, which is being held from Monday 18 to Friday 22 March, will provide a platform for new ideas and an exploration into the difference people can make both locally and globally, through a series of events.

As well as talks and workshops by Birkbeck academics, there will be speakers from Legal & General, PA Consulting, The Vegan Society, People and Planet, Little Green Footprint, and professionals, including Birkbeck alumni, who are working in environmental and sustainability related careers. See the full schedule.

The events and activities include viewing films about the climate crisis through virtual reality headsets; a talk on neuroscience and climate change by Professor Michael Thomas, Director of Birkbeck’s Centre for Educational Neuroscience; a panel of sustainability professionals discussing environmental careers and the opportunities available; and an educational and networking event that explores environmental sustainability in the food sector.

For a more hands-on experience, there is a Climate Board Games Night (supported by the Open Society University Network) with games that mirror real-world sustainability challenges; an interactive data workshop with Legal & General exploring how to transition to renewable energy sources; and a climate justice writing workshop with Dr Imke Henkel, who leads Birkbeck's MA Journalism course, combining theoretical and practical elements to develop communication techniques for climate justice.

Professor Joanne Leal, Pro Vice Chancellor – Academic Projects at Birkbeck, commented: “The Birkbeck Climate Festival aims to stimulate discussion and thought about the environment and sustainability. It will provide an incubator for new ideas and exploration into how we can all make a difference both locally and globally.”

The festival will culminate in a roundtable on sustainability leadership with panellists, including Birkbeck’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sally Wheeler, sharing their thoughts on the strategic initiatives and innovative approaches that will drive sustainability and environmental awareness within Birkbeck, and beyond.

Aligned with the Open Society University Network’s Worldwide Climate and Justice Education Week, the Festival has been organised by Birkbeck’s new Environment and Sustainability Education Team to connect to its work of embedding environment and sustainability throughout the College’s curriculum.

Festival schedule

Monday

Sustainability Industry and Alumni Panel with Careers Services

Digital Education for Climate Justice (online)

Tuesday

Neuroscience and Climate Change (online)

Wednesday

The Grand Challenges of a Just Transition: An Interactive Data Workshop with Legal & General

Will You Breathe? A Climate Justice Writing Workshop

Explore Climate Careers with the Birkbeck Research Centre for Environment and Sustainability