Newcastle Climate Forum and The Great Climate Debate
Date: Thursday 5 March 2026 | Time: 17:00 - 19:30 (GMT)
Location: The Great Hall, Sutherland Building, Northumbria University | Get directions
- Guest speakers
Join Newcastle's fifth Climate Change Forum hosted by Newcastle and Northumbria Universities in collaboration with Newcastle City Council.
This is an opportunity to share your thoughts about how we can create a greener Newcastle together, with a particular focus on greening the university campuses and biodiversity.
Through the Collaborative Newcastle Universities Agreement, both Newcastle and Northumbria University collaborate with other key stakeholders, including Newcastle City Council, on joint projects which benefit the city.
Discussions at this forum will help feed into the development of future university plans. Your voice matters! Don't miss out on this opportunity to be part of the solution.
Agenda
17:00 - 17:30: Open from Newcastle City Council - Councillor Juna Sathian and David Trousdale
17:30 - 17:45: Greening our Campuses - Dr Paul Steadman, Northumbria University
17:45 - 18:15: Biodiversity in urban environments - Dr Matt Pound and Dr Katherine Baldock
18:15 - 18:30: Break
18:30 - 19:30: One Planet, Many Plans: The Great Climate Debate
One Planet, Many Plans: The Great Climate Debate
In a world racing against time and in an age of climate pledges, greenwashing, and technological optimism, the question remains: are we truly on the path to saving our planet, or are we merely projecting a hopeful illusion?
From bold tech innovations to grassroots activism, radical policy shifts to global cooperation – what is the best course of action for us to take to ensure our future?
Whether you're a climate optimist, a sceptic, or somewhere in between, join this solutions-focused debate that will challenge your assumptions and inspire deeper thinking about the future of our planet. Be part of the conversation and part of the solution.
Host: Professor Jane Robinson (Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Business, Partnerships & Place, Newcastle University)
As Pro-Vice-Chancellor Jane leads the University’s Business, Partnerships and Place Strategy, focussing on building partnerships to enhance our contribution socially, economically and culturally. She is also the executive lead for sustainability and social justice. Previously, Jane was Durham University’s Chief Operating Officer with strategic oversight of operations and external engagement.
Before taking up her position at Durham, Jane was Chief Executive of Gateshead Council. Jane also played a leading role in the establishment of the North East Combined Authority and the Commission on Health and Social Care Integration. Jane has also held leadership positions in the cultural sector, including Director of External Relations at Arts Council England, where she led major corporate initiatives that included Local Government liaison, creative industries development and overseeing capital programmes.
Jane holds an MBA and Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in English Literature. She is Deputy Lord Lieutenant for Tyne & Wear and a Fellow of the RSA. Jane chairs the North East Confederation for British Industry (CBI) and Insights North East and holds a range of non-executive positions, including the Centre for Life and Centre for Cities.
Dr Katherine Baldock (Associate Professor in Ecology, Northumbria University)
Dr Katherine Baldock is an Associate Professor in Ecology based in the Department of Geography and Natural Sciences at Northumbria University. Katherine is a community ecologist with particular expertise in pollinators and pollination services. Her research examines how anthropogenic activities affect biodiversity, ecological communities and ecosystem services, encompassing a range of landscapes including urban, agricultural and natural ecosystems in both tropical and temperate environments.
Current projects include community-level studies of plant-pollinator interactions across urban landscapes in the UK and pollination of coffee crops in the Peruvian Amazon. Katherine and Northumbria University colleagues are working with partners on local urban biodiversity projects including the Newcastle's Nature Networks project.
Professor Richard Dawson (Dean of Research and Innovation, Newcastle University)
Professor Richard Dawson FREng is Dean of Research and Innovation at Newcastle University. Richard’s research focuses on understanding and managing climate and environmental risks to cities and infrastructure.
He served on the UK’s Committee on Climate Change from 2019-2025, was a Lead Author of the most recent IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) Assessment, and is currently a member of the Science and Technology Advisory Council for DESNZ (Department of Energy Security and Net Zero).
Dr Bonahis Oko (Newcastle University graduate - MSc Environmental Engineering, Class of 2007)
Dr Bonahis Oko is an expert in designing and delivering sustainability strategies and solutions across various industries. A Chartered Environmentalist, keynote speaker, and prominent sustainability thought leader, she has previously led sustainability initiatives in the energy, construction and technology sectors.
Since graduating from Newcastle University almost 20 years ago, Bonahis has dedicated her career to global sustainability projects, from contaminated land and water remediation to carbon accounting. Most recently, she has guest lectured at UCL on the topic of sustainable innovation and featured on a panel at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan, alongside her role as Sustainability Lead (UK&I) at leading technology and imaging company, Canon.
David Trousdale (Principal Advisor – Climate Change and Net Zero, Newcastle City Council)
David Trousdale is the Principal Advisor for Climate Change and Net Zero at Newcastle City Council. In his role he is responsible for delivering Newcastle’s Net Zero 2030 action plan. This involves working with council directorates and city partners to deliver projects in three thematic areas; energy and heat, transport and adaptation and sequestration. Underpinning all of this is delivering citywide engagement activity to work with our residents to become more sustainable. A key mechanism to achieve this is the Climate Change Forum. He has recently published a book for the Institute of Engineering and Technology focused specifically on the end to end process to deploy EV charging infrastructure.