Blake Lapthorn launches autumn 2011 series of 'green
breakfasts' in Oxford
Blake Lapthorn is pleased to announce its
autumn 2011 series of Green Breakfast seminars.
The firm has been running these Green
Breakfasts now for three years and they regularly attract
audiences in excess of 60 people including representatives from the
academic community, local Government, professionals, business
owners and charities. The purpose of the events is to
bring together people with an interest in the environment to be
informed in a relaxed setting about key subjects linked to the
issues posed by climate change and climate variability
To kick start its autumn series of Green
Breakfasts, on Wednesday 12 October, Blake Lapthorn was joined by
Andrew Mitchell, founder and executive director of the Global
Canopy Programme, founder of Earthwatch Europe and special adviser
to the Prince of Wales Rainforest Project. Andrew looked at
the role that this Oxford-based organisation has played in the
international arena and also carbon and emerging financing
mechanisms for forests.
The remaining topics and speakers for the
autumn 2011 series are as follows:
Wednesday 19 October: ECI: Does the 'I' stand for
International?
Speaker: Ian Curtis of the Environmental Change Institute
Ian Curtis will discuss the role that this
part of Oxford University plays on the global climate change
stage. Whether academic to academic collaborations, academic
to industry research, work with NGOs or the international draw of
the graduate programme, the ECI is an Oxford institution with a
truly global reach and influence in this challenging field.
Wednesday 2 November: caring carbon?
Speaker: Edward Hanrahan, CEO of Climate
Care
From its base in Oxford, Climate Care
originates and sources carbon credits on behalf of businesses, NGOs
and Sovereign States and runs many of the world's largest corporate
carbon offset programmes. Climate Care has developed a range
of new models to complement the aid sector by delivering private
sector finance to achieve Millennium Development Goals and
development outcomes using funds and innovative bond
structures.
Wednesday 23 November: is the green deal a big deal?
Speaker: George Martin, head of Sustainability
at Willmott Dixon Construction
George is a recognised UK expert in
sustainable construction with over 25 years' experience in
geological, environmental and construction consultancy followed by
nine years in sustainable development. Currently head of
Sustainability with Willmott Dixon, Construction's Re-Thinking
business unit, he is also a member of the Sustainability Strategic
Team.
Previously Director of Environment at Tarmac,
George then further developed his expertise working with Jonathan
Porritt at the UK's leading sustainable development charity Forum
for Future and has remained an Associate Director. While working
with BRE George led the role in the development of a new Code for
Sustainable Buildings and became a member of The Sustainability
Forum and the Sustainable Procurement Task Force.
George is also a non-executive director of The
Academy for Sustainable Communities (ASC). Furthermore, he is Chair
of the Sustainability Development Foundation, a not-for-profit
organisation, which aims to accelerate the implementation of
sustainable practices in the built environment.
Wednesday 7 December: footprints in the forest
Speaker: James Hulse, Director, of the
Oxford-based Forest Footprint Disclosure (FDD) project
FDD engages with private sector companies such
as L'Oreal, Marks & Spencer and Drax Power to ask them to
disclose their 'forest footprint' based on exposure to five key
commodities – soy, palm oil, timber, cattle products or biofuels –
in their operations and/or their supply chains.
All these commodities have the potential to be
sourced from recently deforested land. For the corporate
sector, FDD offers a place to collaborate with others to understand
the reality and the options in global supply chains as well as the
opportunities that arise from improved business practices.
Wednesday 13 December: a little bit of winter sun
Speakers: Mike Mason and Mark Lynas, energy
and climate change advisers respectively to the President of the
Maldives
Mike Mason and Mark Lynas will are join Blake
Lapthorn to help explain how two men from Oxford are helping a
group of islands in the Indian Ocean to face and mitigate the
challenges posed by the impact of a changing climate.
The Green Breakfasts each start from 7.30 am
at the firm's Oxford office, with the speakers presenting at 8.00
am. View details of the seminar programme.
