LJMU welcomes Accelerator City status

LJMU’s new climate and sustainability research institute has welcomed the announcement that Liverpool has become the world’s first ‘Accelerator City’ for climate action.

The title, awarded under UN Climate Change’s Entertainment and Culture for Climate Action programme, recognises the city’s commitment to innovation and smart regulation to decarbonise the live music and TV/film production sectors.

The announcement, made during Global Goals Week, was welcomed at a meeting of the new Liverpool Research Institute for Climate and Sustainability (LiRICS), which brought together members of its advisory dialogue board.

Professor Tony Wall, co-lead of LiRICS, said: “It is fantastic news that Liverpool is now a UN Accelerator City. It will provide extra concerted efforts to share thought leadership and best practices, access awareness-raising campaigns, training, mentoring, employee engagement and development opportunities.

“It will also promote local and global networks, UN partners and experts, and help us really speed up the integration of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into businesses.”

About LiRICS

LJMU’s new research institute was approved earlier this month and aims to accelerate world-leading research around climate and sustainability.

The institute brings together staff and research activity from all faculties across LJMU, as well as partners on its advisory dialogue board.

Board member David Connor, chief executive of 2030hub said: “The global goals implicitly demand local actions which then get scaled.

“Global Goals Week: Liverpool is 2030hub’s drive to help every stakeholder in the city region, not just mayors or CEOs, understand why the SDGs are such a powerful multi-functional and interconnected framework for supercharging solutions. We are proud to work in collaboration with LiRICS to drive change locally which can hopefully be replicated around the world.”

Khan Odita, entrepreneur and environmental activist, who is an advisory dialogue board member, said: “It is welcome news to hear of Liverpool’s status as a UN Accelerator. Liverpool has always been a city at the forefront of innovation and adoption. I see no better people to embrace the SDGs in Britain than scousers.”

Becky Toal, Chief Executive at Crowberry Consulting Ltd, who is a member of the advisory dialogue board said: “I am delighted to join the LiRICS advisory board team. As an alumnus from Liverpool in environmental impact assessment and environmental management and a Liverpudlian, it is great to see the United Nations Accelerator programme being applied to this fabulous city. We hope to inspire the community to embrace the global goals, now and for the future.”

Professor Jason Kirby, co-lead of LiRICS, said: “This marks a monumental moment for the city of Liverpool and the region and LiRICS is a significant commitment from LJMU to support local development for us all, using world-leading research. LiRICS, like the liver birds, looks inwards to the development in Liverpool and its people, but also outwards to the global stage”. 

LiRICS launch

LiRICS’ official launch is on Friday 13 December and marks a strategic investment and commitment for LJMU as a key aspect of its own Climate Action Plan. 

It builds on LJMU's success in the People and Planet University League and the Times Higher Education SDG Impact Ranking. 

Pictured: Members of the LiRICS advisory board.