Event overview
Whether it is Trump in the US or leading polls by Reform in the UK or the AfD in Germany, fascism is on the rise and poses an immediate threat to policies to redress climate catastrophe. As Trump announces the US is leaving the Paris agreement and declares that greenhouse gases are no longer harmful to public health and welfare against overwhelming scientific evidence, this seminar looks to more hopeful examples of citizen's initiatives on climate policies. From the “Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid” (“Hamburg’s decision for the future”) that won a referendum on climate policies in October 2025, forcing the city and state of Hamburg to adjust its climate policies to reach net zero by 2040; to the University of Westminster's first university-based citizens’ assembly on climate, bringing together a representative group from its community to agree on the future direction of the University’s climate action - we will consider whether methods of participatory democracy can tackle climate injustices where politicians have failed?
Speakers:
Patsy Islam-Parsons (and Lou Töllner), citizens' initiative Hamburger Zukunftsentscheid
Prof. Annela Anger-Kraavi, Director Climate Policy Change Group of the Centre for Atmospheric Science at the University of Cambridge
Dr. Ro Spankie (and Yasmin Kulasi), Principal Lecturer in Architecture and Cities and Organiser of the Climate Assembly at the University of Westminster
Dates & times
| Date | Time | Add to calendar |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Mar 2026 | 5:30pm - 7:00pm |
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