The world we have created over the lifetime of our Institution, and its unprecedented standard of living, is based around energy derived from fossil fuels – coal, oil and natural gas - which we currently consume at a rate of some 15Bt p.a. and which, in the process, create climate-changing greenhouse gases. We need by 2050 to switch to low carbon and sustainable sources of energy such as wind, nuclear, solar and bioresources.

This is arguably the biggest engineering project ever undertaken by mankind.

During this lecture, we will discuss the latest climate change data and scenarios, the urgent need for action and the role of engineering in solving some of these challenges. Additionally, we will be launching our new report ‘Engineering a Net Zero Energy System’.

Professor Emily Shuckburgh
Professor of Environmental Data Science
Director of Cambridge Zero
University of Cambridge