The programme consists of plenary sessions, including over 30 keynote presentations from leaders in research, communication and policy. There is also a poster session and opportunities to network and engage with others in more informal spaces.
Wednesday 2 July, 2025 Day One
Time Activity
Location
12:00-13:15 Welcome lunch and registration XFI Study Space
13:15-13:30 Welcome and opening address Peter Cox, Rowan Sutton
13:30-16:30
Refreshment break:
14:45-15:15 Plenary 1 – Communicating with the Public, Policy Makers and Climate.
What are the major challenges and opportunities for engaging different audiences about climate change? The session will be split into sections to cover the latest understanding around climate communication, policy and climate services and suggest ways forward for research, policy and practice.
13:30-13:40 Jason Lowe (Met Office) Introduction to the session
13:40-14:00 Lord Deben (Former CCC Chair, Member of the House of Lords) Climate Communication, Policy and Politics
14:00-14:20 Lorraine Whitmarsh (University of Bath) Engaging the Public with Climate Change
14:20-14:45 Panel discussion and Q&A chaired by Jason Lowe (Met Office)
14:45-15:15 Refreshment break
15:15-15:27 Ashley Lime (BBC) Covering Climate Change in the News Media: A Journalist’s Perspective
15:27-15:39 Laura DeVito (University of West of England) Mobilising Academic Research for Evidence Informed Policymaking on Climate Change
15:39-15:51 Suraje Dessai (University of Leeds) Climate Services: How Did We Get Here and Where Are We Heading?
15:51-16:03 Nicola Golding (Met Office)
The Effective Communication and Translation of Climate Information in a Decision-Making Context
16:03-16:30 Panel Discussion and Q&A chaired by Saffron O’Neill (University of Exeter)
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
Exeter Climate Research Conference Programme
Time Activity
16:30-16:45 Closing remarks: Day one Peter Cox, Rowan Sutton
16:45-17:00 Break
17:00-18:00 Exeter Climate Forum and Global Systems Institute Event Film screening by Cornwall Climate Care with an Introduction from Claire Wallerstein
18:00-21:00 Poster Presentations
An opportunity to view the latest climate change research on display, network with fellow delegates and enjoy some refreshments
Location
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
The Great Hall
18:00-21:00 Street Food with impromptu performance from Gaia Kwia Great Hall Piazza
20:00-21:00 Panel discussion
What is the Role of Scientists in the Post-1.5C, Post-Truth Era?
Panellists: Dr Genevieve Guenther, Dr Abi Perrin, Dr Anna Turns
Moderated by Dr Michelle Bieger
We’ve crossed 1.5C: Humanity is out of the safe zone. Climate scientists have been raising the alarm for over 50 years, presenting policy and decision-makers with increasingly compelling facts and figures. And yet it feels like no-one is listening. The world is increasingly ruled by populists craving our attention at all costs – including that of the truth. Societies, cultures and economies are not changing nearly as fast as they need to. It’s time for scientists to stop simply throwing knowledge at people – it’s just not working. It’s time to cocreate new narratives and new policies together. How can we foster a constructive dialogue between climate scientists, academics of all disciplines, journalists, policy makers and the public? What is the role of academics in steering political debate on climate towards the real issues that people face? What is the role of scientists in the 21st century?
Alumni Auditorium, The Forum
Exeter Climate Research Conference Programme
Thursday 3 July, 2025
Time Activity
09:00-09:30 Refreshments
09:30-09:40 Welcome Peter Cox
09:40-12:00 Plenary 2 – The Carbon Cycle and Future Climate Pathways.
CO2 is the primary driver of climate change. How we quantify the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere and measure how the land and oceans respond is important for guiding policy decisions around emissions pathways.
09:45-09:50 Stephen Sitch (University of Exeter) Introduction to the session
09:50-10:20 Pierre Friedlingstein (University of Exeter) Trends and Variability of the Global Carbon Budget Over the Last 60 Years
10:20-10:40 Luiz Aragão (National Institute for Space Research INPE, Brazil) Amazonia and the Climate Crisis
The Ocean Carbon Sink: The Role of Biogeochemistry and Ecosystems
11:00-11:20 Tatiana Ilyina (University of Hamburg) Quantifying Carbon-Climate Feedbacks in a Changing Climate
11:20-11:50 Myles Allen (University of Oxford) Geological Net Zero and the Future of Fossil Fuels
11:50-12:00 Q&A
Day Two
Location
XFI Study Space
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
12:00-13:00 Lunch and networking XFI Study Space
Exeter Climate Research Conference Programme
Time Activity
13:00-15:00 Plenary 3 – Climate Extremes, Impacts and Adaptation.
What do we know about the current and future changes in the likelihood, frequency and severity of weather and climate extremes and the impacts. Will some of the future changes extend beyond what can be adapted to?
13:00-13:05 Richard Betts (University of Exeter, Met Office) Introduction to the session
Jennifer Catto (University of Exeter), Chair for the presentations.
13:05-13:25 Doug Kelley (UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology)
Changes in Fire Weather due to Human-Caused Climate Change
13:25-13:45 Lizzie Kendon (Met Office and University of Bristol)
Future Changes in Local Weather Extremes: Implications for Flooding and Adaptation Planning
13:45-14:05 Wim Thierry (VU Brussels)
Global Emergence of Unprecedented Lifetime Exposure to Climate Extremes
14:05-14:25 Swenja Surminski (London School of Economics, Climate Change Committee)
Moving from ‘Understanding Risks’ to ‘Quantifying Impacts’ to ‘Implementing Adaptation’
14:25-15:00 Panel discussion and Q&A chaired by Richard Betts (University of Exeter, Met Office)
Location
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
15:00-15:30 Refreshments XFI Study Space
Exeter Climate Research Conference Programme
Time Activity
15:30-17:30 Plenary 4 – Understanding Energy Transitions to Accelerate Decarbonisation.
What is the current status of the global energy transition? What are the challenges that must be overcome that will help us map a path to success?
15:30-15:35 Femke Nijsse (University of Exeter)
Introduction to the session
15:35-16:15 Nadia Ameli (UCL) + questions
Rethinking Risk: Unlocking Climate Finance for a Global Transition
16:15-16:25 Etienne Espagne (World Bank) Closing the Global Climate Financing Gap
16:25-16:35 Amaro Pereira (COPPE/UFRJ)
Decarbonization Perspectives of Brazil Energy Sector
16:35-16:45 David Brayshaw (University of Reading) Addressing Areas of “Disconnect” Between Energyand Climate- Science to Enable Deeper Exchanges of Ideas, Data and Know-How
16:45-16:55 Merryn Thomas (University of Exeter) Involving Publics with Underground Heat Storage: The PUSH-IT Project
17:30-17:45 Closing session day 2
18:30 Additional Global Systems Institute event (all welcome)
Screening of Global Systems Institute (University of Exeter) documentary: Heatwaves in Chile
More details on the Exeter Climate Forum website.
Location
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
The Phoenix Theatre, Exeter City Centre
Exeter Climate Research Conference Programme
Friday 4 July, 2025
Time
09:00-10:00 Refreshments
10:00-10:10 Welcome
Peter Cox, Rowan Sutton
10:10-12:30 Plenary 5 – Geoengineering and the Concept of Responsible Climate Intervention.
What options do we have for engineering our climate through CO2 removal or direct climate intervention? What risks and opportunities do these approaches present?
10:10-10:15 Andy Wiltshire (Met Office, University of Exeter) Introduction to the session
10:15-10:50 Stephen Gardiner (University of Washington) Climate Desperation, Ethics and Geoengineering
10:50-11:00 Paul Halloran (University of Exeter) Engineered Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal. Theory Meets Reality in the SeaCURE Pilot Plant
11:00-11:10 Jim Haywood (University of Exeter)
Solar Radiation Modelling: Latest Scientific Results and Funding Landscape
11:10-11:20 Fiona O’Connor (Met Office, University of Exeter)
Methane Removal Technologies: Opportunities, Risks, and Climate Policy Implications
11:20-11:45 Q&A session
11:45-12:30 Panel discussion chaired by Catriona McKinnon (University of Exeter)
12:30-13:00 Closing remarks
Peter Cox, Rowan Sutton
Location
XFI Study Space
Day Three
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
Henderson Lecture Theatre, Business School
13:00 Closing lunch XFI Study Space
15:00 Additional Global Systems Institute event (all welcome)
Film screening: Ocean with David Attenborough
This is a free event for registered delegates. More details on the Exeter Climate Forum website.
