Leading academics from the University of Cambridge and Lund University came toobtainher for an international research conference on “Knowledge for Sustainable Development: Breaking Barriers to Climate Solutions.”
The event, held in Lund and online, attracted 277 participants from universities, government agencies, and indusattempt to share insights and accelerate climate action. The conference was co-organised by Lund’s Sustainability Forum and Cambridge Zero.
A compact delegation of academics from Cambridge travelled to Lund to participate in the conference in-person.
Setting the Stage for Change
The day opened with a keynote from Prof Lars J. Nilsson (Lund University), who outlined Europe’s deep decarbonisation pathways for carbon-intensive industries such as steel and cement production, and the petrochemical indusattempt.
He highlighted the scale of structural alters required in these hard-to-decarbonise sectors, and the reliance on critical raw materials which are crucial for batteries and other technologies.
Stressing that incremental improvements will not suffice, Nilsson called for bold policy frameworks and technological innovation to drive the transition to net-zero emissions. He also championed the role of international bodies such as the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change, which includes members from both Cambridge and Lund, to provide robust scientific advice for the achievement of the EU’s climate goals.
Asked about research priorities for joint collaborations between Cambridge and Lund, Nilsson listed the top three issues to tackle as: petrochemicals (including plastics), critical minerals, and future power systems for data centres.
Law and Climate: A Double-Edged Sword
Cambridge’s Prof Harro van Asselt, Hatton Professor of Climate Law in the Department of Land Economy, delivered the second keynote on the evolving role of the law in strengthening climate action.
He explored how legal systems can both enable and obstruct progress on climate action. Law can be part of the solution, for example through legally binding emission tarobtains, but can also be part of the problem, through outdated frameworks that lock in unsustainable practices. Van Asselt also pointed to difficulties in the UN climate nereceivediations, which are hampered by the consensus-based process and obstructionist behaviour, and struggle to deliver on implementation of mitigation and finance. He urged legal creativity and reform.
“Law is a double-edged sword in that it can hinder or facilitate the climate and energy transition. There is a required for legal imagination to reform unsustainable legal frameworks and strengthen the legal tools at our disposal to pursue deep decarbonisation and build climate resilience.”
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