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Inside SCOPE—our eyes on COP26

November 02, 2021

By Alicia de Haldevang and Claire Miller

Introducing our Inside SCOPE special publication covering COP26 themes

The importance of changing our relationship with the natural world is stark. Do you feel the urgency? We do. Each time storm surges batter our coastlines, wildfires engulf critical ecosystems, heat domes overwhelm our citizens, floods sweep away homes and businesses, and droughts disrupt food and water supplies.

COP26 is the opportunity for world leaders to come together at this critical point for humanity, to step outside national politics and set into motion a global response to the climate crisis. It’s been described as “humanity’s last chance to prevent catastrophic climate change.” As world leaders, delegates, organisations, activists, and individuals are gathered in Glasgow, all eyes are on the world’s most important climate conference. The agenda of discussions covering finance, energy, youth empowerment, gender, science, nature, transport, and our built environment has a tall and urgent order to deliver.

We recognise that to fulfil our promise to design with community in mind, we need to consider climate change in our project work. As such, we are closely monitoring the COP26 talks in Glasgow—from the discussions of world leaders to the plethora of fringe events happening throughout the city.

Introducing the Inside SCOPE

We are publishing a COP26 special, the Inside SCOPE, in the form of two online publications over the next two weeks. Freely available via our website, and social media, the Inside SCOPE will summarise the previous week’s events at COP.

Each issue will be dedicated to the COP presidency themes and will include analysis and commentary from multi-disciplinary professionals. These will relate to the decisions and discussions made at COP26, how they could impact our business, clients and various industries, and how we must all adapt and act for the sake of the planet. 

Issue 1 will focus on the World Leaders Summit, Finance, Energy, Youth & Public Empowerment – to be published on 8 November. 

Issue 2 will feature Nature, Adaptation, loss and damage, Gender, Science & Technology, Transport, and Cities, regions, and the built environment – to be published on 15 November.  

Our Inside SCOPE publication will monitor the COP26 talks in Glasgow and produce summaries from our subject matter experts. 

Stantec and climate change

Stantec has been providing services related to climate change planning, mitigation, and adaptation for decades. Through this experience, we have learned that our greatest influence on improving climate outcomes stems from the creative, innovative Climate Solutions we provide to our clients and communities.

Only by addressing climate change today, can we create the resilient and sustainable communities of tomorrow.

Thought leadership

Explore ideas and examples of how we can reduce carbon, redesign, and take new approaches to projects to create better climate outcomes. Here are a few of our latest articles:  

What is the urban heat island effect? How can we avoid spending public money where it’s least needed but most noisily called for? In our first The SCOPE podcast, we ask two urban and public health planners these questions and more about how we make our cities more resilient to heat: The SCOPE, Episode 1: Heat Resilient Cities.

From the UK to US, and Chile, our teams are well placed and versed in climate change to advise regional, city, and federal governments on climate change initiatives: Climate emergency: How governments around the globe are tackling the crisis.

Behind the UK’s industrial revolutions and energy is our physical geography. It has defined economic geography for decades. The UK has set its sights on a hydrogen economy—but the strategy doesn’t our geography and resources: Best places to produce hydrogen? Look at a topographic map.

In theory, carbon footprint calculations are easy and are being used across major infrastructure schemes, but are we doing enough? Are we using carbon calculations enough to change behaviours and build infrastructure fit for the future? Or.. are we just counting for counting’s sake? Changing our calculations to put carbon reduction first.

Climate change is intrinsically linked to biodiversity. By looking after and restoring biodiversity, habitats can provide important ecosystem service functions to help stabilise the climate. Beneath every new development is nature we need to protect.

Visit our dedicated Spotlight page for more.

Climate change is intrinsically linked to biodiversity and restoring our natural environments. 

Climate Solutions

No matter your level of climate action maturity, we offer a broad range of solutions that can help you achieve net zero goals and protect assets from climate change impacts. Learn more.

Post COP26

After COP26 is over, our focus on climate change will continue. Following the presidency themes laid out for the conference by UK Government and corresponding work from the Inside SCOPE, we will develop thought leadership and events that offer a deep dive into identifying the right actions and then setting them in motion. 

  • Alicia de Haldevang

    As a sustainability consultant, Alicia is passionate about the steps our companies, clients, and communities need to take to fight climate change.

    Contact Alicia
  • Claire Miller

    A marketing and communications specialist, Claire focuses on climate insights, content creation, research, and events management. She’s worked in engineering, architecture, and design support roles.

    Contact Claire
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