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Juliet-davenport
Juliet Davenport
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Rupert Read
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Simon Sharpe
Gaia-vince
Gaia Vince
Stephenlaw
Stephen Law

Climate Breakdown: Habit, Fear, and Progress

Juliet Davenport, Rupert Read, Simon Sharpe and Gaia Vince Chaired by Stephen Law

Thursday, 30 March 2023

2:00pm

1 hour

Sheldonian Theatre

£7 - £12.50

Businesswoman Juliet Davenport, environmental activist Dr Rupert Read, economist Simon Sharpe and science journalist Gaia Vince ask what’s preventing us from acting on climate change and debate the practical steps businesses should take to counter it.

Climate change and the destruction of the Earth is arguably the most urgent issue of our time. We appear to be hurtling towards the end of civilisation as we know it. If we are to save ourselves and our planet, we need to act much faster. For example, we need to cut carbon intensity five times faster than we are just to prevent us exceeding 1.5C global warming. What’s preventing us from taking the necessary steps? As issues around climate change and the environment become more urgent, businesses and start-ups need to work harder than ever before to operate in greener, more sustainable ways, for the benefit of both themselves and the planet. But how, exactly, are they to do that? Our panel of experts offer both sharp analysis and hands-on, practical advice.

Davenport is a businesswoman and former chief executive of Good Energy, a renewable energy company. She also hosts The Great Green Podcast. Her latest book, The Green Start-Up, is an essential toolkit for the modern-day entrepreneur.

Read is associate professor of philosophy at the UEA. He is a former spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, an environmental activist, and a former Green Party councillor. His most recent book is Why Climate Breakdown Matters, a practical guide on how to be a radical, responsible climate activist.

Sharpe is director of economics for the UN Climate Champions, and a senior fellow at the World Resources Institute. He was previously deputy director of the UK government’s COP26 Unit, where he led international campaigns on energy, transport, land use, science and innovation. Sharpe is author of Five Times Faster: Rethinking the Science, Economics, and Diplomacy of Climate Change.

Vince is an award-winning science journalist, author, broadcaster and speaker. She is particularly interested in how human systems and Earth’s planetary systems interact. Her latest book is Nomad Century: How to Survive The Climate Upheaval.

Discussions are chaired by Dr Stephen Law, a philosopher and academic, author of bestselling introductions to philosophy for adults and children, editor of the Royal Institute of Philosophy Journal Think, and the festival’s major projects director.

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Other donors Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Founded 1884 Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine
 

The Oxford Literary Festival sponsors, donors & partners

The Telegraph Festival media partner University of Oxford European Union Supported by the Delegation of the European Union to the UK Cultural Relations Platform Supporter of the festival's Voices of Europe programme Bodleian Libraries Festival cultural partner Oxford Martin School Festival ideas partner Oxford Mathematics Spanish Embassy The Spanish Embassy: supporters of the programme of Spanish literature and culture Cervantes Institute, London The Cervantes Institute, London Blackwell’s Festival on-site and online bookseller Symington Wines of the Douro Valley Compassion in World Farming Pasture to Plate Oxford Business College Where learning meets opportunity: education partners of the festival Old Bank Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Old Parsonage Hotel Five-star hotel partners of The Oxford Collection Oxford Brookes University Oxford International Centre for Publishing Critchleys Accountants to the festival Confucius Institute Voltaire Foundation Felicity Bryan Associates Goldmoney Properties Princeton University Press Prestige publishing partner. Celebrating 25 years in Europe in 2024 Oxford University Department for Continuing Education Jewish Book Week Partner of Oxford Literary Festival Jim Mellon Miles Young Tim and Marion Stevenson Martin and Elise Becket Smith Ian and Carol Sellars David Isaac Mary and Cecil Quillen Supporters of the programme of American literature and culture Other donors Yale University Press London New College New College founded 1379 Exeter College Exeter College: college home of the festival. Founded 1314 Worcester College Worcester College founded 1714 Lincoln College Lincoln College founded 1427 Trinity College Trinity College founded 1555 Magdalen College Magdalen College founded 1458 Reuben College Reuben College founded in 2019 Pusey House Founded 1884 Brasenose College Brasenose College founded in 1512 New Dutch Writing Human Ecology Project MACROVegan Bear Ram Elk Festival Digital Strategy & Web Design Racalia Olive Oil Olive oil from Sicily Paul Bloomfield Ltd University of Oxford Alumni Office Alumni Office The Sheldonian Theatre Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies Oxford University Images Oxford University Images CAV Oxford The Litmus Partnership Schoolreaders Windrush Group The Oxford Times BBC Radio Oxford Local radio partner Conference Oxford Ox in a Box OX magazine