Four sustainability events to attend in 2020… and why!

In November, the UK will be at the centre of the UN’s sustainability agenda. Boris Johnson, along with perennial TV favourite David Attenborough, held the official launch event for COP26 on February 4th. Glasgow will play host to the two-week event in November and will see thousands of delegates from around the world descend on the city as they come together to produce an international response to the climate emergency.

It is part of a larger conversation on sustainability that pervades every part of our life. The ‘Greta effect’ is a very real thing, as more of the younger generation become active in the fight against climate change. We all need to do more and that will no doubt be the key phrase at COP26.

But that is just one event dedicated to sustainability. The rest of 2020 will be bursting with sustainability events up and down the country. We have highlighted a few key ones we think are must-attend events to put in your calendar.

The Sustainability Summit – March 26th, London

The Sustainability Summit is the embodiment of what was said above: we aren’t doing enough. The goal of this event is to bring together industry leaders, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and researchers from around the world to discuss what businesses and governments can do to rise to the challenges we face.

They recognise that despite what we all see in the news – such as the catastrophic Australian wildfires – climate change is still an abstract concept to some. Others outright deny its existence. A day of talks is kicked off with a discussion on what this is all about: taking the conversation global.

With Hoesung Lee, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, joined by leading sustainability voices from some of the world’s biggest companies, this event is sure to broaden your mind on the topic of sustainability and challenge the way you think.

The Responsible Business Summit Europe 2020 – May 26th-28th, London

The Responsible Business Summit website holds no punches – they say it as it is, painting a picture of a stark reality that needs intervention. They claim to be “the only conference that will challenge all speakers to share how they’re changing strategies, investments, and technologies” which we are wholeheartedly in support of.

Over 750 industry leaders, CEOs, and ESG investors will head to London to challenge each other on what their companies are doing in the name of sustainability.

This includes representatives from the likes of Aviva, Innocent, Pepsico, Hilton, IKEA, and Unilever. Only by sharing our strategies and insights can we paint a complete picture of what we need to do.

This is the perfect sustainability event to share your ideas and learn from peers, all in the pursuit of a brighter future.

Mitigating the Climate Emergency – July 7th, Manchester

The ‘Mitigating the Climate Emergency – Building a Low Carbon Economy’ conference (to give it its full name) is a preface to the upcoming COP26, in a way. While not directly associated with the UN’s upcoming conference, this major sustainability event takes the opportunity to capitalise on its popularity and springboard its own much-needed conversation into the spotlight.

Like the ones above, it’s a forum for discussion, to guide those with questions about how they can change to start making a change. Backed up by real statistics and data, the event aims to paint a picture of a world without a low carbon economy – the one we are careening towards as we speak.

It will no doubt be a sober look at where we are now and an optimistic look at where we could be. It might not be the biggest or flashiest event on the list, but it brings the conversation to the North of England, which is something that can never be understated.

2020 UN Climate Change Conference – November 9th-20th, Glasgow

This is it: the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties. COP26. It will be the culmination of a series of events held in agreement with Italy. They are hosting preparatory events in the run-up to COP26, with the main attraction moving to Glasgow in November.

At the launch, Claire Perry, the UK’s nominated president for COP26, said: “In 2020, world leaders will come together to discuss how to tackle climate change on a global scale – and where better to do so than Glasgow, one of the UK’s most sustainable cities with a great track record for hosting high-profile international events.”

Much has already been said about this event, all of which highlights its importance. The largest summit ever held in the UK. 200 world leaders in attendance. A crossroads in the fight against climate change. Its significance can’t be understated.

Unfortunately, It most likely won’t be open to many of us as it is highly exclusive, but it will be something we should all pay attention to. This notable event could shape our future and change the course of sustainability as we know it.

This is just a taste of what is to come in 2020. Other notable sustainability events include the Sustainable and Social Investing Conference and the National Sustainability Expo. But they are all linked by that one phrase, by that ‘Greta effect’ ethos: we all need to do more. Could these events be the inspiration we all need?

You might have already started your sustainability journey and be making strides with your environmental initiatives. But it isn’t always simple to measure your impact. If you want to know exactly how your efforts are making a difference, come to Impact. If you would like to find out more, get in touch with us on 0161 532 4752.