RESEARCHER’S from the University of Glasgow and the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) have organised a competition calling for climate change researchers across the globe to take part.
They are being encouraged to create video content based on their environmental concerns and potential solutions ahead of the upcoming COP26 conference in November.
The competition is called ‘If We Don’t Act Now’ and entrants will have the opportunity to see their videos displayed for delegates at COP26.
The competition is also supported by the National Environmental Isotope Facility (NEIF), the British Ocean Sediment Core Research Facility (BOSCORF) and the Natural Environmental Research Council (NERC).
The competition urges climate researchers to create three minute long videos which can be shared on Twitter with the hashtags #IfWeDontActNow and #NEIFBOSCORFCOP26.
The first 30-second video must begin with an introduction saying ‘if we don’t act now’ and the entrant must further discuss their concerns on a specific element of climate change.
The second, two-minute video should explore the scientific evidence for their concern in non-technical terms.
The final 30-second video will outline a solution – a personal or professional contribution to tackling the problem.
An impressing panel of experts including Professor Julie Fitzpatrick, Chief Scientific Adviser to the Scottish Government, and Professor Chris Jackson of Imperial College London, as well as the heads of the supporting organisations will be judging the competition.
The winning entries will be on display in the COP26 Green Zone during the COP26 conference at UK Research and Innovation’s stand.
The entry judged to be the best overall will grant the winner two days’ access to NERC-funded analytical facilities run by NEIF or BOSCORF and the prize can be used for a project of the winner’s choice.
The competition was developed by Professor Darren Mark and Dr Millie Bompard of SUERC who use analytical techniques to help researchers around the world understand the historical and current impacts of climate change.
Dr Bompard said: “The recent publication of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s latest assessment of the impacts of global heating has provided a stark warning of the challenges facing the planet in the coming decades.”
Professor Mark added: “We hope that the competition will provide a valuable platform for researchers to explain their concerns, their work, and their solutions to a general audience, as well as to COP26 policymakers and politicians who could have the power to make their suggestions happen.”
If We Don’t Act Now is open to active researchers, at first-year PhD level and above, from any institute, in any country. Entries can be submitted from Wednesday 1st September until Friday 1st October.
