Programme 2026

Keynote Speakers:  

• Professor Lisa Roberts, Vice Chancellor of the University of Exeter 

• Nigel Topping CMG, Chair of the Climate Change Committee 

• Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of Confederation of British Industry (CBI) 

• Professor Carlos Nobre FRS, Co-Chair of Science Panel for the Amazon 

• Professor Sir Ian Chapman, Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) 

Professor Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health in conversation with Professor Camille Bonneaud, Director of the Environment and Sustainability Institute at the University of Exeter (TBC)

Vulnerability of the Natural Carbon Sinks, a System Under Increasing Human Pressure 

• Professor Pierre Friedlingstein FRS, Chair in Mathematical Modelling of the Climate System, University of Exeter 

• Professor Carlos Nobre FRS, Co-Chair of Science Panel for the Amazon 

• Professor Richard Betts MBE, Chair in Climate Impacts, University of Exeter 

• Professor Angela Gallego-Sala, Biogeochemist in the Department of Geography, University of Exeter 

Advances in Weather and Climate Modelling 

• Professor Helene Hewitt OBE, Co-chair of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP), Met Office 

• Destination Earth (TBC) 

• Hybrid Modelling (TBC) 

The Health Impacts of Climate Change – and a Look into the Future 

• Professor Gesche Huebner, Director of the European Centre for Environment & Human Health (ECEHH) 

Speakers to include: 

• Professor Dann Mitchell (Professor of Climate Science and Deputy Head of School, University of Bristol) – leading the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment on Health and Wellbeing 

• Dr Emma Gillingham (Principal Climate Change Scientist, UK Health Security Agency – UKHSA) - mental health impacts of climate change. 

Developing a Resilience Sensing System for Sustainability and Security.

• Dr Steven R. Smith, Tipping Points Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. 

Speakers to include: 

• C40 Cities Representative (TBC) 

• Met Office Representative (TBC) 

• United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Representative (TBC)

Speakers to include: 

• Rebecca Hunt, National Landscapes Association 

• Professor Duncan Russell, Professor in Environmental Policy, University of Exeter 

• Dr Martina Egedusevic, Green Futures Solutions (TBC) 

• Dr Dan Bloomfield, Exeter Innovation (TBC) 

• Rachel Martin, Global Director Sustainability, Elsevier 

What Drives Businesses to Take Action on Climate Change? 

• Talwyn Whetter, Green Futures Solutions, University of Exeter. 

Speakers to include: 

• Gordon Bennett, Managing Director of Utility Markets and Global Head of Environmental Markets, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) 

• Tania Kumar, Energy Transition Director (CBI) 

• Professor Miranda Barker OBE, Chair (Redcat Group) 

• Fiona Duggan, Global Sustainability Senior Manager, Unilever (TBC) 

• Daniel Hanna, Group Head of Sustainable & Transition Finance, Barclays (TBC) 

Extreme Weather and Health Importance and Tools 

• London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (TBC) 

• Interactive session on EPSHH/MODI with Dr Bernd Eggen, Senior Environmental Public Health Scientist in Environmental Epidemiology at UKHSA 

Panel Session: The Amazon and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) TBC   

• Professor Carlos Nobre FRS, Co-Chair of Science Panel for the Amazon 

• Professor Tim Lenton OBE, Founding Director of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science, University of Exeter (TBC)

Speakers to include: 

• Civil servants from Australian Federal Dept of Climate Change (TBC) 

• Dr Sam Mugume Koojo, Co-Chair, Coalition of Finance Ministers 

• Tania Kumar, Energy Transition Director (CBI) 

• Professor Miranda Barker OBE, Chair (Redcat Group) 

• Stephen Davison, Executive Director of Cambridge Zero, University of Cambridge (TBC) 

• Professor Duncan Russell, Professor in Environmental Policy, University of Exeter 

• Dr Josh Ayers, Nature and Climate Impact Team, University of Exeter. 

Speakers to include: 

• Professor Mark Pelling, Professor of Disaster Risk Reduction, University College London 

• Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, Chief Scientist at Met Office in conversation with Professor Peter Cox CBE, Director of the Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter. 

• Dr Marina Romanello, Executive Director at Lancet Countdown introduced by Professor Gesche Huebner, Director of the European Centre for Environment & Human Health.

• Gordon Bennett, Managing Director of Utility Markets and Global Head of Environmental Markets, Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in conversation with Dr Mike O’Sullivan, University of Exeter. 

Master of Ceremonies:

• Professor Pierre Friedlingstein FRS, Chair in Mathematical Modelling of the Climate System, University of Exeter  

Keynote speakers to include: 

• Professor Steve Smith, Executive Director, Oxford Net Zero and CO2RE 

• Professor Corinne Le Quéré CBE FRS, Royal Society Research Professor of Climate Change Science, University of East Anglia 

• Dr Oliver Geden, Vice Chair, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 

In conversation: 

• Professor Miranda Barker OBE, Chair (Redcat Group) 

• Professor Carlos Nobre FRS, Co-Chair of Science Panel for the Amazon 

Translating Climate Risks for Business 

• Dr Matthew Priestley, University of Exeter 

Speakers to include: 

• Paul Young, Head of Science, JBA Risk Management Ltd 

• Sandra Hansen, Head of International Peril Advisory & Climate Lead, Guy Carpenter 

• Emily White, Chief Finance and Operations Officer, Centre for Disaster protection (TBC) 

Triple win Opportunities in Responding to Climate Change: Improving the Environment, Health and Health Equity. 

• Professor John Newton, Director of Health Improvement and Honorary Professor of Public Health and Epidemiology, University of Exeter 

Speakers to include: 

• Professor Tim Taylor, Director of the Centre for Net Positive Health and Climate Solutions, University of Exeter 

• Professor Conny Guell, Associate Professor in Anthropology of Health and Environment, University of Exeter’s European Centre for Environment and Human Health 

• Professor Rosie Hails MBE, Director of Nature & Science, The National Trust 

• Dr Helen Macintyre, Principal Climate Change Scientist, UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) 

• Dr Penny Marno, Senior Specialist (Health), Natural England 

Positive Tipping Points and Finance / Planetary Solvency

• Professor Tim Lenton OBE, Founding Director of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science, University of Exeter 

Speakers to include: 

• Sandy Trust, Sustainability Risk Director, Baillie Gifford  

• Jo Paisley, President, Global Association of Risk Professionals (GARP) 

• Sarah Kapnick, Global Head of Climate Advisory, JP Morgan

Positive Tipping Points Toolkit 

• Peter Lefort, Green Futures Network, University of Exeter. 

• Marco Serena, Chief Sustainable Impact Officer, PIDG (Private Infrastructure Development Group) 

• Dr Sam Mugume Koojo, Co-Chair, Coalition of Finance Ministers 

• Howden Insurance 

Positive Tipping Points for Cities: Where Low and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) Cities are Leading the Way.

• Dr Steven R. Smith, Tipping Points Research Fellow at the University of Exeter. 

Speakers to include: 

• Mark Aspey MBE, Chief Executive Officer, Civic NetZero 

• C40 Cities representative (TBC) 

• C40 Cities Mayor (TBC)

Poster session 

• Professor Robin May, Chief Scientific Officer (interim) and FSA Chief Scientific Adviser UK Health Security Agency 

• Professor Sarah Gurr, Chair in Food Security, University of Exeter 

• Baroness Natalie Bennett, Former Leader, Green Party 

• Professor Jemilah Mahmood, Executive Director of Sunway Centre for Planetary Health (TBC) 

How big is big: Co-producing Tail-Aware Climate & Nature Economic Scenarios for Ministries of Finance and Public Development Banks 

• Dr Sam Mugume Koojo, Ministry of Finance, Uganda / CFMCA / Country Platform Hub 

• Professor Jean-François Mercure, University of Exeter 

• Dr Etienne Espagne, Agence Française de Développement 

• Representative, HM Treasury (TBC) 

• Representative, Ministry of Finance of Brazil (TBC) 

• Representative from Turkey (TBC) 

Managing for the Long-Term Future of the Great Barrier Reef 

• Professor Peter Mumby, Professor of Coral Reef Ecology, University of Queensland  

 in conversation with Amanda Ellis, Arizona State University. 

Keynote from Professor Tim Lenton OBE: How do we drive Positive Tipping Points in the energy transition? 

Followed by a panel session, panellists to include: 

• Professor Tim Lenton OBE, Founding Director of the Global Systems Institute and Chair in Climate Change and Earth System Science, University of Exeter 

• Thomas Parsons, Commercial Director, Good Energy 

• Kirsten Dunlop, Chief Executive Officer at Climate KIC (TBC) 

• Professor Richard Betts MBE, University of Exeter 

Panel session: Understanding Climate Change and its Impacts/ adaptation.  

Panellists to include:   

• Professor Jennifer Catto, Professor in Weather and Climate, University of Exeter 

• Professor Sallie Bailey, Chief Scientist, Natural England 

• Professor Matt Lobley, Rural Social Scientist, University of Exeter 

• Professor Pete Falloon, Science Lead – Food Security, Met Office  

• Richard Deverell CBE, Director, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (TBC) 

Followed by a panel: What drives government action? Chaired by: 

• Lord Michael Barber, Former Head of the Prime Minister’s Delivery Unit and founder of Delivery Associates and The Chancellor to the University of Exeter. 

Panellists to include: 

• Professor Emily Shuckburgh CBE, Chief Scientific Adviser, DESNZ; Director, Cambridge Zero 

• Nigel Topping CMG, Chair of the Committee on Climate Change; UN High Level Champion COP26 

Closing keynote speaker: 

•  Professor Emily Shuckburgh CBE 

Tipping Points for Protecting Tropical Forests 

• Dr Tom Powell Research Impact Fellow in the Global Systems Institute (University of Exeter) 

• Co-convened with Dr Mike Barrett, Chief Scientific Advisor WWF-UK 

• Professor Matt Lobley, Rural Social Scientist, University of Exeter 

Speakers to include:   

• Dr Kerry Ann Brown, Senior Lecturer- public and planetary health related to nutrition and food security, University of Exeter 

• Professor Pete Falloon, Science Lead – Food Security, Met Office 

• Melanie Squires MBE, National Farmers’ Union 

• Dan Fairweather, Director – Food Systems and Nature, Howden Insurance 

• Harriet Bell, Riverford Regenerative Farming Lead 

• Dr Ian McFadzen, Chief Executive Officer of the Ocean Conservation Trust 

• Professor Peter Mumby, Professor of Coral Reef Ecology, University of Queensland 

• Rachel Delhaise, Chief Sustainability Officer, Convex Insurance Group 

• The Hon. Edward Fane Trefusis, Director and Partner, Clinton Devon Estates 

• Julien Calas, Research Officer on Biodiversity, Agence Française de Développement (AFD) 

• Emma Magee, Head of Communities and Nature on Dartmoor, Duchy of Cornwall 

• Dan Fairweather, Director – Food Systems and Nature, Howden (TBC) 

• Professor Sallie Bailey, Chief Scientist, Natural England 

• Professor Dan Charman, Provost, University of Exeter. 

Panellists to include: 

• Professor Martin Siegert, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Cornwall), University of Exeter 

• Joanna Chamberlain, Director of Sustainability, University of Exeter 

• Professor Peter Cox CBE, Professor of Climate System Dynamics in Mathematics and Director of the Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter 

• Sebastian Racisz, Guild President, Exeter Guild 

High Impact Weather – Preparedness and Early Warnings 

• Chris White, Co-chair of COST action ANTICIPATE (TBC) 

Workshop on Tipping Points for Protecting Tropical Forests 

• Dr Tom Powell Research Impact Fellow in the Global Systems Institute (University of Exeter) 

• Tatjana Baleta, Wikimedia Visiting Fellow for Climate at the Global Systems Institute, University of Exeter 

• Dr Femke Nijsse, Senior Lecturer in Innovation, Energy and Climate, University of Exeter 

• Dr Josh Ayers, Nature and Climate Impact Team, University of Exeter 

• Professor Matt Lobley, Rural Social Scientist, University of Exeter 

• Talwyn Whetter, Green Futures Solutions, University of Exeter (TBC) 

Panellists to include: 

• Dr Allan Hassaniyan, Senior Lecturer in Middle East Studies, Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, University of Exeter 

• Professor Martin Siegert, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Cornwall), University of Exeter 

Panellists to include: 

• Dr Helen Millman, Glaciologist and Ice Sheet Modeller, University of Exeter 

• Professor Rob DeConto, World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), University of Massachusetts 

• Dr Heidi Sevestre, Glaciologist at the University of St Andrews (Remote) 

Clinton Devon Estate