As a knowledge partner of the Climate Governance Initiative, the CCE policy team wrote a briefing for board directors called What to expect at COP29.

Emily Farnworth contributed to the conversation by taking part in the Climate Governance Initiative’s webinar, COP29 Debrief: What’s Next for Businesses?’ on 5 December. Additionally, we published a post-COP Policy Briefing tailored for board directors called COP29 Outcomes: Implications for board directors. Read a summary of the key messages.

The CCE supported the COP29 High-Level Climate Champions’ campaign to climate-proof SMEs. Head of Academic Engagement, Dr Eldrid Herrington, spoke at an event on 16 November in Baku to present a report and to call on academics for collaboration and evidence.

Also taking part at the conference was Associate Professor Dr Markus Gehring, who serves on our new CCE Advisory Group and is a Fellow and Director of Studies in Law at Hughes Hall. He wrote for the CCE about his reflections from COP29 on climate law and governance.

The CCE policy team reflected on the ways that decisions made at COP29 could affect our local project creating a framework to measure locally determined contributions (LDCs). Senior Researcher, Dr Karen Barrass, wrote a post-COP briefing on local policy implications.

As a partner of the Cambridge Zero Policy Forum, the Centre for Climate Engagement was pleased to support the launch of a new report: Is reaching net zero a growth and prosperity plan? Economics, tools and actions for a rapidly changing world. With a focus on the fundamental importance of policy in activating the green transition, the report explores how the UK’s current models for economic growth and development can, and must, be transformed to ensure the delivery of a competitive and coordinated green investment strategy.

As a knowledge partner of Chapter Zero, the Centre for Climate Engagement wrote a briefing for board directors highlighting key climate policy updates from October and November 2024, including the UK International Investment Summit, Autumn Budget, COP29, and the Chancellor’s Mansion House speech. This was published by Chapter Zero, a network for non-executive directors and chairs in the UK who are integrating climate action into business strategy.

Shell’s ongoing legal battle over climate accountability reached a pivotal moment on 12 November 2024, as the Hague Court of Appeal delivered its verdict on the company’s appeal. This case has drawn global attention since the initial 2021 ruling, which ordered Shell to cut its emissions drastically by 2030. Read a blog by Professor Harro van Asselt and Professor Annalisa Savaresi on how this affects the ongoing debate over corporate responsibility in addressing the climate crisis.

As part of our spotlight interview series, we asked Dr Jellie Molino to share her research and experience as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the Centre for Climate Engagement (CCE) at Hughes Hall. Her research focuses on private law, procurement, and climate change, and she teaches at the Faculty of Law.

The Cambridge Seminar Series on Law and the Climate Crisis was launched in October 2024, offering unique insights into the role of law and legal systems in response to the urgent issue of climate change. It is co-hosted by the CCE, Cambridge Zero, the Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (C-EENRG) at the Department of Land Economy, the Cambridge Climate Society, the Lauterpacht Centre for International Law, and the Cambridge University Law Society. The series will continue in Lent Term, and all are welcome to attend (details and free registration here). Read a summary by Sofie Surraco and Nick Scott of the four events this term.

On 27 September, the Centre for Climate Engagement (CCE) at Hughes Hall hosted an event focused on the growing awareness of climate change and the responses from societies, governments, and businesses. Part of the University of Cambridge Alumni Festival, this session was led by Emily Farnworth, Director of the CCE, in discussion with John Elkington, a best-selling author and renowned “green business guru."

We are seeking to recruit an Interim Director to lead us in our next phase of development. Reporting to College Council and benefitting from the expert guidance of a recently appointed Advisory Group, the Interim Director will provide leadership, strategic direction and operational oversight to the team, working closely with international stakeholders, and continue to strengthen our role within the wider University of Cambridge climate ecosystem.