The annual Surrey Hills Symposium returned on 24 November, both in-person and live streamed from the University of Surrey.
The Symposium was hosted by the University of Surrey, and we were joined for an introduction from Pro Vice Chancellor,ย Professor Graham Miller. He discussed the fantasticย practical actionย the university is taking to tackle climate change,ย for exampleย by integrating education on the topic into every degree programme.ย
Keynote speaker,ย Tony Juniper CBE, Chair of Natural England,ย brought homeย thatย we need to now take an integrated approachย of intelligent choicesย to deal with the twin crisis ofย mass animal and biodiversity extinctionย and the global rise in average temperatures.ย ย
The debate was chaired byย Professor of Public Engagement in Science at the University of Surrey and BBC broadcaster,ย Jim Al-Khalili.ย It featured inspiring short talks fromย Marisa Heath, Surrey County Council Cabinet Member for Environment,ย Heather Ackroyd,ย Surrey Hills based artistย of Ackroyd and Harvey,ย Daroย Montag, Associate Professor of Art and Environment atย Falmouth Universityย andย James Miller,ย Cambridgeย Universityย student and youngย environmentalย activist.ย It was a powerful and energetic debate which covered off discussions such as what we can all do to provide action each morning, to what changes are being made locally to support biodiversity.ย
Finally,ย Surrey Hills National Landscape Chair,ย Heather Kerswell,ย summed up the evening.ย
Heatherย comments;ย
โTheย eveningย wasย not about the Surrey Hills, it was aboutย us facilitating a wider debate, and our speakers have done us proud.ย Theย debateย nowย formsย the context for our own work which goes right to the grassย rootsย in Surrey.โย She invited everyone to take home a tree to plant.ย
Earlier on in the afternoon,ย innovativeย artists gaveย talksย and workshops demonstrating the crucial role creative practitioners are taking towardsย the crisisย and inspiring wider audiences to enjoy and care for nature,ย We heard howย artistย Annaย Dumitriuย has been working alongside scientists for the past 20 years on projects such as “Fermenting Futures” which contains a yeast capable of capturing Carbon dioxide and from sculptorย Will Nashย who has developed inhabitable sculptures to support local species. We heard from artist duoย Ackroyd & Harveyย about their recent collaboration with writer Benย Okriย to create โOn the Shoreโ, an enormous grass banner of words created in the turbine hall of the Tate Modern that was processed to the embankment and floated on the Thames. Creative arts practice that can positively contribute to addressing the climate and biodiversity emergency locally and globally.ย ย
This was followed by theย Surrey County Councilย Climate Change Delivery Plan Launch Reception. With representatives attending from across Surrey’s communities, businesses and organisations. The evidence-based plan outlines the steps necessary to reach the net zero targets of 2030 as an organisation and 2050 as a county.ย
To watch the Surrey Hills Symposium 2021, please click below.