Former president to address major UCC climate event

FORMER president of Ireland and United Nations high commissioner for human rights, Mary Robinson, is among a prominent list of people due to speak at a major new UCC climate conference later this month.

Ms Robinson will be the keynote guest at the first Sustainable Futures Forum, to be held in UCC’s Glucksman Gallery on November 27.

RTÉ presenter Miriam O’Callaghan will chair the event, which will examine some of the key challenges facing Ireland as it seeks to meet ambitious targets set out in the Climate Action Plan.

Speakers and contributors on the day will include Julie Newman, director of sustainability at Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Roberto Estevez, energy analyst, World Bank; Tom Fitzpatrick, editor of the Irish Examiner; Caroline O’Doherty, environment correspondent with the Irish Independent; and Kevin O’Sullivan, environment and science editor of The Irish Times.

The CEO of Ibec, Danny McCoy; Kevin Marshall, head of education and skills at Microsoft; Robert O’Mahony, head of sustainability, global operations, Logitech; and Vivienne Patterson, head of skills, engagement and statistics at the Higher Education Authority are also among the contributors.

The event is free to attend, but spaces are limited.

The day’s keynotes and panel discussions will be live-streamed, and information will be available through the Sustainable Futures website.

• For more information, see the Sustainable Futures website: www.ucc.ie/en/sustainable-futures