15 December 2006
Al Gore to address global climate change conference in Sheffield
Former US Vice President Al Gore is to make the keynote address at a global climate change conference being held at the University of Sheffield next year.
In a major coup for the UK´s "greenest city", the `Cooling The Planet´ conference will, for the first time, bring leaders of regional, national and international business together to address the major climate change challenges that threaten economic sustainability.
Nearly 1,000 delegates from around the world are expected in Sheffield on Wednesday 7 February 2007 for the groundbreaking event which is being organised and hosted by the Sheffield office of global law firm DLA Piper.
Professor Bob Boucher, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, said: "It is a great honour for the University to stage such a prestigious and topical conference and to welcome those speakers who have been so influential in driving forward the important issue of climate change."
He added: "It is particularly fitting that the conference is being held at the University, where our cutting-edge environmental research on the carbon cycle, biodiversity, arctic ecosystems, sustainable urban environments and water, contribute extensively to the global change research agenda."
Paul Firth, office managing partner for DLA Piper Sheffield, has been a major driver in bringing the prestigious climate change conference to the city. He said: "This is undoubtedly one of the most important environmental conferences being held in the world over the next 12 months.
"It is a real coup for Sheffield to host such a prestigious event and to attract such high-calibre speakers and delegates to address the major environmental and economic challenges presented by climate change and what we can all do to cool the planet."
Al Gore was inaugurated the 45th Vice President of the United States in 1993 and became a central member of President Clinton´s economic team. Having lost to George Bush in the closest ever presidential election race in 2000, Al Gore has focused his life on an environmental crusade to save the planet from irrevocable change.
His thought-provoking documentary film and book `An Inconvenient Truth´ brings home the persuasive argument that global warming is no longer just a political issue, but one of the biggest moral challenges facing our global civilization.
Mr Gore, who is now an environmental adviser to the UK Government, will present his visually stunning multimedia presentation of `An Inconvenient Truth´ to the Sheffield conference which is being held at the University of Sheffield´s Octagon Centre.
Senator George Mitchell, chairman of the global board of DLA Piper, will provide the opening address and chair the conference. During his 14 years in the US Senate, he led the successful 1990 re-authorisation of the Clean Air Act, including new controls on acid rain toxins, and was the author of the first national oil spill prevention and clean-up law.
Senator Mitchell subsequently chaired the peace negotiations in Northern Ireland and received numerous awards in recognition of his outstanding service, including the Presidential Liberty Medal of Freedom – the highest civilian honour the US government can give.
The `Cooling the Planet´ conference is also being sponsored by the University of Sheffield, Yorkshire Forward and Renaissance South Yorkshire and has the backing of Sheffield City Council.
It will be the focal point of a week-long programme of events in Sheffield promoting city environmental initiatives, emission reduction projects, renewable energy ventures and carbon trading platforms.
Other speakers will include Teresa Hitchcock, UK national head of DLA Piper´s Safety, Health and Environmental team who has devoted her 30-year career to promoting sustainable development. Teresa is an internationally recognized expert in the field with unrivalled links with global and national business leaders.
She will be joined on the platform by Tom Riordan, Chief Executive of Yorkshire Forward, who said: "We have no doubt that taking positive action to mitigate the adverse impact of climate change is an absolute priority if the region´s economy is to survive and grow for future generations.
"The regional economic strategy clearly identifies the need for us all to work towards a low carbon economy and take action to reduce CO2 emissions. Yorkshire Forward is the only regional development agency with a specific CO2 emission reduction target."
Notes for Editors: With over 24,000 students from 116 countries, the University of Sheffield has a reputation for world-class teaching and research excellence across a wide range of disciplines. Recent surveys (Newsweek, Shanghai Jiao Tong) rank Sheffield among Britain´s top 10 universities and the top 70 universities globally. For further information, please visit www.sheffield.ac.uk
Globally, DLA Piper has offices across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the US. Over 3,200 lawyers across 62 offices and 24 countries provide a broad range of legal services through its core practice groups. It is relationship driven and committed to meeting the ongoing legal needs of its clients, wherever they choose to do business.
For further information please contact: Lindsey Bird, Media Relations Officer on 0114 2225338 or email l.bird@shef.ac.uk
« Return to news releases
|
