Climate Change Conference: Changing Perspectives

Climate change is not a simple issue with a simple solution. As countries meet to discuss how to tackle climate change, we ask what can we learn from Scotland’s past industries, how can we engage a variety of audiences in climate conversations and, finally, what can we do to make a difference?

Featuring a variety of experts from cultural, climate, scientific research, and arts organisations:

• Miles Oglethorpe (Historic Environment Scotland) – Title of talk: Below the surface of the coal industry
• Karen Rossell (Applied Negative Emissions Centre) – Title: Climate Saving Technologies: An Introduction to Carbon Removal
• Lewis Coenen-Rowe (Creative Carbon Scotland) – Title: A Crisis of Imagination: How culture in Scotland can play a role in addressing climate change beyond COP26
• Bridget McKenzie (Climate Museum UK) – Title: Code Red: Climate Museum UK as an emergency responder
• Craig Sinclair (Sincy Science, Freelancer): Title: Powering Up: Using energy of the past to learn about energy of the future
• Lucy Neville (National Museum of Scotland) – Title: Climate emergency and climate solutions: Engaging teenagers and families through museum collections
• Neil Kitching (Carbon Choices UK) – Title: Carbon and Rewilding
• Kirstie Blair (University of Strathclyde) – Mining Heritage and New Energy Solutions
• Nicole Manley (Artist, British Geological Survey and Midlothian Climate Beacon) – Title: Art and the subjective space to create possibility in the presence of climate change
• Alan MacDonald (British Geological Survey) - Title: Reliable water supplies in an uncertain climate (international focus)
• Keep Scotland Beautiful - Title: Keep Scotland Beautiful – Supporting Action on Climate Change

The Midlothian Climate Beacon is one of the Climate Beacons, supported by Creative Carbon Scotland and partmners including ECCI - seven hubs of activities taking form in Argyll, Caithness & East Sutherland, Fife, Inverclyde, the Outer Hebrides, and Tayside. Bringing together shared resources and knowledge from cultural and climate organisations.

A collaboration between the National Mining Museum Scotland and the British Geological Survey, the Midlothian Beacon will create a transformative journey through the carbon cycle, from Scotland’s past legacy of fossil fuels towards a future of decarbonisation, connecting local and international cultures through art and science and will provide a welcoming physical and virtual space for the public, artists and cultural sector professionals, environmental NGOs, scientists and policymakers to discuss and debate COP26 themes and climate action specific to each local area.