LJMU hosts climate summit for businesses

How businesses and students can help the Liverpool City Region become carbon net zero was the key theme of a summit hosted by LJMU.

The Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, business leaders and LJMU students were among those discussing how we are collectively tackling the climate emergency and what more needs to be done.

LJMU Vice-Chancellor, Mark Power, opened the event by setting out the university’s commitment to sustainability and the environment, such as obtaining all our electricity from renewable sources and becoming the first UK university to offer a BSc (Hons) Climate Change.

Mark stressed the importance of working together: “For me, it’s about more than just having those conversations, it’s about the action we take as a result. As a university, I’m very keen that we bring our partners together to work collaboratively on what is clearly a very significant agenda.

“I would absolutely encourage our students to be as active as they possibly can be, challenge us as an institution and challenge other organisations in and around the Liverpool City Region.”

Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram gave an overview of the progress made across the city region and the major environmental projects and pledges being rolled out, such as the introduction of hydrogen buses and plans for a discharge-free River Mersey.

Steve said: “This is absolutely at the very top of our list of priorities. I want the next generation to think what we have done so far is not enough; I want them to push us.

“Skills are the building block for everything else. We need to build a world class workforce and the green revolution should play a big part in that.”

The Metro Mayor took questions from LJMU students and business leaders as part of a session chaired by Alison Lobb, Managing Director of Morecroft Solicitors and Chair of Business and Policy Committee at Liverpool Chamber of Commerce.

Alison said: “We discussed climate change, the effects of COP26 and what the Liverpool City Region can do about that and how businesses and students can contribute to bringing our region to net zero.

“A lot of this has to be driven by the younger generation coming through. Enabling younger voices to come through and push this whole agenda forward is essential.”

Find out more about LJMU’s climate action.

Pictured: LJMU Vice-Chancellor, Mark Power, and Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram.