“What role for science in achieving Net Zero?” with Prof Paul Monks

Past Event

Date
 17 March 2022, 5:00pm - 6:00pm

Location
 Oxford Martin School & Online
34 Broad Street (corner of Holywell and Catte Streets), Oxford, OX1 3BD

Event Recording:

Under the Paris Agreement, 197 countries have agreed to limit global warming to well below 2 °C and make efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C. and on 13 November 2021, COP26 concluded in Glasgow with all countries agreeing the Glasgow Climate Pact to keep 1.5C alive and finalise the outstanding elements of the Paris Agreement. A key part of keeping 1.5 alive will be reaching Net Zero carbon emissions, meaning that emissions are reduced as far as possible and what can't be reduced is balanced by carbon sequestration, by mid-century. But what are the scientific challenges to achieving Net Zero?

Professor Paul Monks, Chief Scientific Adviser for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, will talk about the role of science in helping the UK (and other nations) achieve their net zero goals.

This talk is organised by the Oxford Martin School and The Agile Initiative at the Oxford Martin School

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Professor Paul Monks
Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Professor Paul Monks is Chief Scientific Adviser of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Prior to joining the department, he was Pro-Vice Chancellor and Head of College of Science and Engineering at the University of Leicester, where he remains a Professor in Atmospheric Chemistry and Earth Observation Science.

His research experience covers the broad areas of air quality, atmospheric composition and climate change that has provided a platform for translation into diverse areas including forensic science, CBRN, microbiology and food safety, natural resource management and breathomics (breath analysis as a medical diagnostic).

Paul was the Chair for 10 years of the Defra Air Quality Expert Group (AQEG) and Deputy Chair of the Defra Science Advisory Council, alongside roles in the UKRI-NERC advice structures. He has worked internationally as the European representative on the Environmental Pollution and Atmospheric Chemistry Scientific Steering Committee (EPAC SSC) of the World Meteorological Organisation and ICACGP (International Commission on Atmospheric Chemistry and Global Pollution).