Updates on Imperial's activity at the United Nations Framework Climate Change Conference

The 18th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC opened in Doha on Monday, 26 November. The talks bring together representatives from over 200 governments to discuss global measures to cut greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the impact of climate change

Imperial College London will have a stand in the exhibition space for the duration of the conference located in booth 114. At the stand will be information on the latest research efforts by the Grantham Institute and Energy Futures Lab demonstrating how we can be technically capable of mitigating climate change whilst providing secure energy supplies and ensuring growth.

Dr Iain MacDonald, Programme Manager for the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre at Imperial College London, is in Doha and will be sending us regular updates on how the conference is progressing.

The Climate Policy journal, which is supported by the Grantham Institute, is also involved in a number of side events at the conference, including a talk by the editor Professor Michael Grubb. Further information about the events can be found on the Climate Strategies website.

Update from Doha - 5 December 2012

The QCCSRC "CCS elevator" experience was on display at the opening of the Sustainability Village associated with UNFCCC COP 18. Imperial College and its Qatari partners showcased  the ongoing CCS work being conducted within the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre. The use of this novel "elevator" experience takes the viewer from the source of CO2 up into the atmosphere where the problem exists and then deep down into reservoirs where part the solution exists. It is complimented with a touch screen with a wealth  of information concerning CCS studies. Outside the "elevator" booth from left to right, Dr Paul Fennell Director or IC4S, Dr Branko Bijeljic, Prof Martin Trusler, Ali Al-Menhali (PhD student), Ibrahim Daher (PhD student), Prof Geoffrey Maitland, Professor Martin Blunt, Dr Iain Macdonald.

From left to right, Mr Wael Sawan (Shell Qatar Chairman), HE Dr  Mohammed Saleh Al-Sada (Minister of Energy and Industry), Christiana Figueres (UNFCCC Executive Secretary), Dr Sabeur Mansar (Shell Qatar VP and QCCSRC Management team Member), HE Abdullah bin Hamad Al-Attiyah (COP18 President), , HE Abdullah bin Mubarak bin Iabboud Al Moudadi (Minister of Environment).

Update from Doha - 27 November 2012

 We have arrived in Doha, Qatar, for the start of the United Nations Framework Climate Change Conference that runs from the Monday 26th for two weeks. Imperial College for the first time has a booth at this globally important event. In addition, and also for the first time Imperial College will host a side event “Innovating Climate Mitigation Technologies Post-2012: Integrating Engineering, Science and Policy”.

 During this a discussion of how will we be technically capable of mitigating climate change whilst providing energy security and enabling restorative growth. The event spotlights a few exciting recent developments in cutting-edge research and innovation, including the Artificial Leaf and Energy Storage and the Sahara Forest Project Pilot Concentrated Solar Power Plant. We identify the greatest challenges remaining and present solutions that put together existing environmental technologies in a new way, exploring the synergies that are developed between them.

Furthermore Imperial College along with its partners Qatar Petroleum, Shell, Qatar Science and Technology Park will showcase the CCS research being conducted within the Qatar Carbonates and Carbon Storage Research Centre. A novel "elevator" experience will explore from the atmosphere to the storage reservoirs. This is within the sustainability village that opened late on the 26th.