On Tuesday, 10 June, Mishcon de Reya partnered with Oxfordshire Greentech for the "Climate Solutions Conference: Ashes to Action".
The event, held at the Museum of Natural History in Oxford, brought together hundreds of participants to discuss sustainable futures. Attendees included company founders, university representatives, investors, lawyers, accountants, advisers, local government, media, and citizens, all united by a commitment to innovation and collaboration.
Keynote speaker Mike Berners-Lee opened with a warning about the need to act swiftly if we are to avoid the most serious consequences of climate change but emphasised that we can achieve this change if we act bravely now.
Conference highlights included discussion of:
- 1Energy's £20 million Government grant for a low carbon heat network in Oxford
- The global application of the Tort Law concept of "neighbour" in environmental impact
- Adoption of ISO 14001 standards by local companies
- Oxford City Council's report on a 50% improvement in air quality since 2013 and plans to achieve net zero by 2040
- Growth in renewable energy start-ups
- The impact of individual actions on climate solutions
Mishcon de Reya partner Emily Nicholson, was part of a panel session titled "Litigate, Innovate, Economise, or Pray?" discussing the effectiveness of different approaches that could be adopted to combat the climate crisis.