With COP26, the UN climate change conference, on the horizon this autumn, OxLEP has been showcasing how the county is leading the way towards a zero-carbon future.
Earlier this year, OxLEP brought together partners from the county’s academic and business communities to submit ideas for demonstrating Oxfordshire’s expertise at this vital global summit.
Representing Oxfordshire, OxLEP has put forward four expressions of interest (EOIs) that could see the county taking an active part in the conference, which runs from 1 to 12 November in Glasgow.
Rob Panting, OxLEP's Communications Manager, said: "The conference organisers put out a call for EOIs to demonstrate the technology and innovations that could have a positive effect on climate change.
"With so many active projects going on within this county to actively address the world’s most important challenges, we saw a great opportunity to bring to Oxfordshire’s unique expertise to the attention of the world.”
The Oxfordshire proposals range from lively debates to immersive visual experiences:
- Live Challenge: A debate that will call upon leading thinkers and globally diverse voices to propose and discuss 10 climate change challenges and solutions.
- Blowing Hot and Cold: A planetarium event to show Oxfordshire’s ability to push the boundaries of science and knowledge to their limits. The county’s 1,000 square miles are home to the hottest, coldest, and brightest spots on earth, via the Culham Centre for Fusion Energy; the Cryogenics Cluster at Harwell Campus; and the Diamond Light Source, the UK’s synchrotron facility. The audience will be taken on a dramatic virtual journey of these and other landmarks, voiced by young people expressing the hopes of a generation.
- The Billion Tonne Drop: A 10-minute film and 30-minute interactive discussion in the IMAX showcasing a rapid-fire series of 50 investment-ready projects that, combined, will save a billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per annum. All those projects come from Oxfordshire, home to 500 high-tech companies brimming with ideas. This film will also feature the diverse talent within its schools, universities, local authorities and non-profit sectors.
- Touch It, Feel It: An interactive display to bring visitors – either physically or virtually – within touching distance of the latest technology created in Oxfordshire. This will include world-beating solar panel technology from Oxford PV, a demonstration of green jet fuel, a virtual trip in one of the autonomous vehicles being developed by companies such as Oxbotica, an explanation of green energy storage and new energy sources by the Faraday Institution Battery Lab and the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. The display will also reference the county’s community wind, hydro and solar projects.
Rob Panting added: “There is no guarantee that any of our EOIs will be accepted, but the experience of putting these bids together has been an inspiring exercise in understanding the depth of the global expertise that is held within the boundaries of our county.
“Our partners include two universities with their leading climate change academics and 30 cleantech spinouts, private sector companies and low carbon social enterprises. Oxfordshire is on track to become a top three global innovation ecosystem by 2040 and is uniquely positioned to coordinate thinking on global efforts to combat climate change.”
A decision by the COP26 conference organisers as to whether OxLEP’s creative EOI proposals will be accepted is expected later this month.
Find out more on the Oxfordshire Energy Strategy
Find out more on OxLEP's EP:50 project, championing Oxfordshire green initiatives
