A full-time residential course for PhD students and early career researchers with an interest in Environment and Climate Change, run by the NERC School for Environmental Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The Mayor’s Office in London continues to challenge the public and private sectors to develop innovative ideas for a more sustainable future through its advanced strategies, policies and actions that guide environmental business activity in the capital. Areas of focus for London’s Climate Change Mitigation and Energy Strategy include Greening London, Cleaning London’s Air, Retrofitting London to Maximising Low Carbon Growth and Creating Carbon Efficiency in Waste Management. In conjunction with national and international market drivers and national stimulus programmes, the focus on sustainability culminates in the development of innovative projects enabled by new technologies, big data, smart design, smart user interfaces and citizen engagement, all to the benefit of climate change, equality, health and wellbeing of London’s citizens.
Throughout the London Environmental Challenge you will learn about the city’s main areas of focus and compare this with environmental projects in other cities around the world. You will meet with experts from government and business, as well as entrepreneurs, to view progress in:
- Greening (green grids, improvements to parks and open spaces)
- Energy Production and Use (electric vehicles, green enterprise district, decentralised energy supply, smart metering)
- Buildings (retrofitting commercial, residential and public sector buildings)
- Water and Waste Adaption (circular economy)
- Transportation (further use of low carbon vehicles, use of alternative transport modes, new hybrid/electrical transport modes).
Building on insights gained from these experts, you will develop your own novel ideas to meet these challenges and formulate concrete plans for the city of London and its key partners. The course concludes with a presentation of your ideas to a panel of London’s environment and sustainability experts, who will evaluate these, recommending next steps.
Why join?
- Meet with experts in Government, Large Corporations and Entrepreneurs in various industries and learn about London’s challenges, working closely with stakeholders in the city of London to develop your ideas and plans
- Receive coaching from experts in Future Cities Innovation, the Imperial Business School and Climate-KIC, a European Knowledge and Innovation Centre
- Apply your own background and learn from peers as you work in multidisciplinary teams to identify opportunities for innovative and entrepreneurial projects that contribute to a sustainable future for London
- Acquire the skills to turn ideas into concrete novel plans ready to pitch to an expert panel
- Gain insight in how to take your plans to the next level.
Eligibility and registration
Registration is now closed. For any further information, please contact Judith Altman (j.altman@imperial.ac.uk)
The London Environmental Challenge is open to PhD students and early career researchers who are able to join a full-time residential programme* in London from April 13 to April 24. Imperial College London Science and Solutions for Changing Planet DTP students will be compensated for their time. We encourage all interested candidates to check their availability with their Department/Supervisors before registering.
* Accommodation during the two weeks is included in the programme; travel to London needs to be arranged by students via their university