Paris 2015: Politics, Policies and Principles

A constituent event of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

20th November 2015, Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Innovation

The UN Climate Change Conference, taking place in Paris, France, from the 30th November until the 11th December 2015, is expected to be one of the biggest international politics events of the year.

This forum will allow academics, policy-makers, NGOs, journalists and students to discuss, inform, analyse and debate the issues under negotiation in Paris. The forum is being organised by the Political Studies Association (PSA) Specialist Groups on Environmental Politics and French Politics. The day will blend the voices of those working on French politics, environmental politics and environmental governance in a series of roundtable discussions and an afternoon networking reception.

Following the event, briefs created from the forum and its findings will be written for policy-makers and members of the press, ensuring that the event is both timely and highly relevant to stakeholders and academics alike.

Please visit the PSA website to book your free place. We’ll be tweeting in the run-up to the conference and during it using the hashtag #psaparis2015.

Programme

9:30-10:00 Coffee

10: 00 - 10:15 Welcome/Introduction

With a welcome from Sandra Boyack MSP, Labour Spokesperson for Environmental Justice

10:15-11:30 Roundtable 1: Domestic Politics and the CoP: A French/European Perspective

Chair and discussant: Professor Helen Drake (Loughborough), @FrancoBrit

Dr. Nick Startin (Bath), @NicholasStartin

Professor Robert Ladrech (Keele)

Dr. Ben Leruth (Kent), @BenLeruth

11:30—12:30 Roundtable 2: Policies and Principles in Paris: Governance and Justice Challenges

Chair: Dr. Louise Maythorne (Bath Spa)

Professor Neil Carter (York)

Dr. Sherilyn Macgregor (Keele)

Dr. Carl Death (Manchester), @drcdeath

Dr. Paul Tobin (York), @_Paul_Tobin_

12:30 - 1:45 Lunch (external to conference)

1:45-2:45: Roundtable 3: The Role of Civil Society

Chair: Professor Elizabeth Bomberg (Edinburgh)

Louisa Casson (E3G NGO), @LouisaCasson

Adrian Shaw (Eco-Congregation)

Mary Church (Friends of the Earth Scotland)

2:45-3:15 Break Out Sessions and Group work (panellists and audience): Identifying Obstacles and Opportunities

3:15-3:45 coffee

3:45-4:15: Feedback from Groups

4:15-4:45: Plenary Session All Invited speakers reconvene: what did we learn and how do we respond?

4:45-5:45pm Drinks reception, kindly sponsored by Taylor and Francis

*The 13th annual Festival of Social Science takes place from 7-14 November 2015 with over 200 free events nationwide. Run by the Economic and Social Research Council, the Festival provides an opportunity for anyone to meet with some of the country’s leading social scientists and discover, discuss and debate the role that research plays in everyday life. With a whole range of creative and engaging events there’s something for everyone including businesses, charities, schools and government agencies.

Please visit the PSA website to book your free place. We’ll be tweeting in the run-up to the conference and during it using the hashtag #psaparis2015.