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Businesses and voluntary community sector organisations from across County Durham are invited to come together and learn from one another to help the county achieve its ambitious carbon neutrality target by 2045 at a free event on Friday 14 October.

The ‘COP26+1: The Countdown to 2030’ event will allow participants to discuss climate change and put their questions to experts from academia, business and local government.

The conference will bring together climate change researchers from Durham University, specialists from Durham County Council and other public sector agencies and feature as keynote speaker James Close, Head of Climate Change at NatWest Group and a Durham University graduate.

The event will be held at County Hall, Durham, on Friday 14 October.

Expert speakers

As well as Mr Close, the speakers’ list includes Alan Patrickson, Corporate Director of Neighbourhoods and Climate Change at Durham County Council; Professor Claire O’Malley, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global) at Durham University; Professor Jon Gluyas, Executive Director of the Durham Energy Institute at Durham University; Professor Petra Minnerop, Director of the Centre for Sustainable Development Law and Policy at Durham University; and Andrew Clark, Regional Lead (Energy) for the Net Zero Hub.

Kate Welch, Chief Executive of the Social Enterprise Acumen, a Houghton-le-Spring-based community interest company that helps social entrepreneurs, will talk about local climate action.

In the afternoon there will be the chance to chat with speakers and experts about climate change and what actions and support are available.

The conference begins at 8.30am with refreshments. To register for a free place, please click here.