"This is climate chaos and it’s time to wake up": 43rd TB Macaulay Lecture by Christiana Figueres

“Christiana Figueres will focus on the urgent need to shift from rhetoric to action in a bid to survive the climate crisis and shape the approach to our shared future. We expect an empowering, challenging and committed debate to follow.”

The Macaulay Development Trust with the James Hutton Institute are delighted to host the 43rd TB Macaulay Lecture, live and online on Tuesday 2nd November 2021 at 19:00 GMT, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. Hosted by acclaimed broadcast journalist Laura Goodwin in front of a live studio audience, this COP26 adjacent lecture promises to address the subject of climate change in Scotland via the lecture’s key pillars: Acknowledge, Assess and Act.

Christiana Figueres, internationally recognised leader on global climate change and considered as main architect of the Paris Accord in 2015, will be joining Ms Goodwin in conversation live on stage this year. The lecture will be Ms Figueres only public speaking appearance during COP26, where she will be joining the event to discuss contemporary environmental issues in Scotland, as per the vision of Dr T B Macaulay.

Ms Figueres has previously praised Scotland’s efforts in leading the way against climate change. “Just because it’s a small country doesn’t mean that the impact is not small. The fact is that every country counts, every role modelling counts, and every leadership counts. Everything counts here.”

Fran van Dijk, Macaulay Development Trust chair, said: “Science shows us that we are standing at the edge of a precipice, and we have the rest of this decade to avert climate catastrophe. If there’s one person who can help us work together to build momentum for the systemic change we need, it’s Christiana Figueres.”

Professor Colin Campbell, Chief Executive of the James Hutton Institute, commented: “Christiana Figueres will focus on the urgent need to shift from rhetoric to action in a bid to survive the climate crisis and shape the approach to our shared future. We expect an empowering, challenging and committed debate to follow.”

Ms Figueres, former head of the UN’s climate change arm, added: “This is not climate change anymore, this is climate chaos… we are literally holding the pen of history in our hands and it’s time to wake up!”

To register to watch the event online please visit www.tbmacaulaylecture.co.uk. Follow the Macaulay Development Trust @MacaulayDvTrust and the James Hutton Institute @JamesHuttonInst on Twitter for more information about the lecture – please also use and follow the hashtag #TBMacLecture.