A researcher from the Priestley International Centre for Climate at the University of Leeds has been awarded a Fellowship to engage with the international climate negotiations in the run up to the 26th Conference of the Parties of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP26).

Harriet Thew, a postgraduate researcher and graduate teaching associate in the School of Earth and Environment at Leeds, is one of four UK researchers to receive the Fellowship.

Open Source Arts  with support from  SAIL are delivering a pioneering leadership training for young adults aged 16-18  who wish to grow their capacity to become inspiring leaders in climate action. 

The programme will teach skills in leadership through emergence, relationship building, conversation practice, facilitation, deep listening and emotional empathy across difference. 

A YouGov poll of residents in Leeds reveals overwhelming support for measures to protect health by tackling air pollution emissions from cars. Nearly four in five (79%) are in favour of measures to reduce car emissions and use with just 11% rejecting action. A similarly high level of support is observed between men and women, and among different age and income groups. The survey, with supporting analysis by transport think-tank Transport & Environment, finds that reallocating road space (as one of the measure to control air pollution) to create more room for pedestrians is supported by 73% of respondents (just 10% opposed).

Senior councillors have approved plans to cut the council’s carbon footprint by more than half following the local authority’s climate emergency declaration in March. 

The new proposals mean that Leeds City Council will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from 70,000 to 31,000 tonnes by 2025, in line with science-based carbon reduction targets.