Projects and research spearheaded by the University of Portsmouth will be showcased at the UN Climate Conference COP26, being held in Glasgow over the coming weeks.
The University of Portsmouth is engaged in a number of high-profile activities and research projects locally, nationally and internationally to help fight the climate crisis and mitigate climate change. You can find out more here.
Among the upcoming COP26 activities include:
Launch of our new Global Plastics Policy Centre
Professor Steve Fletcher and Dr Cressida Bowyer will be in Glasgow from 3-7 November to launch the Global Plastics Policy Centre and highlight the damaging impact plastic pollution has on climate change. They will be hosting a roundtable event with politicians, policy makers and opinion formers in Glasgow on 4 November.
Sharing ways of reducing plastic pollution in the global south
On 5 November, Dr Cressida Bowyer and Dr Erika Hughes will present in the GreenZone of the exhibition centre on the COP26 UK Universities Network exhibition stand. They will showcase their success in using creative methodologies to reduce plastic pollution in the global south through the STEPP project.
The university has also been involved in other projects sharing our expertise and research:
Using creativity to tackle plastic waste and climate change
The Plastics, climate and the art of making change event brought together Portsmouth researchers and collaborators to discuss the links between plastic waste and climate and give examples from the STEPP project to show how creative methods are being used to tackle the impact of plastic waste in the Global South. The event highlighted the connections between plastics and climate change and how addressing plastic pollution goes hand-in-hand with climate action.
Raising awareness through music
A music video created as part of the STEPP project is featured as part of the UKRI COP26 Virtual Platform. Put together by Kenya-based artists Eleanor, Igwe Ke, Nelmo Newsong and Fralee Bolo, the video raises awareness about plastic pollution.
Showcasing our plastic eating enzyme research
Professor John McGeehan’s pionering plastic eating enzyme research is forming part of the Universities Network’s Climate Innovation Showcase which aims to demonstrate the role of universities in tackling the climate emergency. The exhibition of Images of Climate Innovation and a programme of events will be held on the University of Strathclyde campus in the Ramshorn Theatre in the centre of Glasgow.
Protecting Colombia rainforest rivers from illegal mining
Our UK Space Agency and ESRC-funded research into uses of satellite radar imagery to detect and monitor illegal gold mining in Colombia rainforests - assisting policing activities and giving local environmentalists evidence to use in court cases - forms part of a display at COP26.