Gearing up for COP26

Introduction

Each year BIEE convenes a series of seminars on aspects of UK Energy and Climate Policy. These take place in February, April, June and November.  Each seminar focuses on a current controversial topic related to energy and climate change. The seminars feature speaker presentations as well as an opportunity for audience members to participate in extended Q&A and contribute to the discussion.

Later this year, the UK will host the UN Climate Change Conference COP26 in Glasgow, the first time the UK has hosted a COP. The 2020 BIEE Energy Seminar Series will provide a lead-in to this major event by featuring seminars focused on international climate change issues.

We are very pleased to welcome Pete Betts as speaker for the first seminar. Pete was Director for International Climate and Energy in the UK government for a decade and lead negotiator for the EU and the UK on climate. He will share his perspectives on the history and status of the UN climate change negotiations and the importance of COP26.

Speaker: Pete Betts

Pete Betts was a UK civil servant for nearly 35 years, working in a wide range of government departments. From 2008 until 2018 he was the director responsible for international climate policy, leading on the UNFCCC negotiations (where he was EU lead negotiator for six years up to 2016) and bilateral engagement, and was responsible for an official development assistance programme worth around £3bn. From 2016 he was also responsible for international energy.

Currently Pete holds a variety of senior appointments in industry and academia, including Strategic Advisor at the European Climate Foundation and Associate Fellow of Chatham House.

Resources