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Events

Upcoming events

To hear speakers delve into sustainability themes from across the social sciences, come to an event hosted by the Global School of Sustainability at LSE.


Keeping global warming below 2°C: a feasible action plan

Public event - free and open to all
Part of the GSoS Launch Special Event Series
The third public event in a special lecture series from Lord Adair Turner

Monday, 9 February 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm
In-person public event - Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House, LSE

Join us for this public lecture to be delivered by eminent sustainability thought-leader, Adair Turner.

Adair Turner (@AdairTurnerUK) has served in a number of prominent public roles in the UK, including as Chairman of the Financial Services Authority, the Committee on Climate Change, the Pensions Commission and the Low Pay Commission. He has also served as the Director General of the Confederation of British Industry.

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Can natural capital be replaced? How the weak versus strong sustainability divide will shape our common future

Public event - free and open to all
Tuesday, 10 February 2026,  6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event - Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE

This event celebrates the open access publication of the 5th edition of Weak versus Strong Sustainability. First published in 1999, the book has remained a reference point in the debate on sustainable development. Eric Neumayer will discuss how the question of whether natural capital can be substituted by other forms of capital lies at the heart of the controversy.

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Tools for Research on Climate Law, Governance, and Litigation

Student event - free and open to all LSE students
Tuesday, 10 February 2026, 4pm - 5pm
In-person event - Moot Court Room 7th Floor, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE

In this session, Joana Setzer and Emily Bradeen will introduce key tools that can support empirical and doctrinal research on climate change law, governance, and litigation. Drawing on examples from their own work, they will demonstrate how these tools can be used to analyse climate commitments, accountability mechanisms, and emerging legal trends.

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Binding the Future: How to Prevent Backsliding in AI and Climate Governance

Public event - free and open to all
Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 6pm - 7.30pm
In-person public event - Location TBC, LSE

Join us for a thought‑provoking talk on how societies can make long‑term commitments credible in the face of intergenerational challenges—from climate change and biodiversity loss to AI safety. Professor Oren Perez (Bar‑Ilan University), a leading scholar of environmental and climate governance, will explore how behavioural, technological and legal “commitment devices” can help turn climate plans, net‑zero pledges and other future‑oriented promises into enforceable action. The event will be chaired by Professor Veerle Heyvaert (LSE Law School), with commentary from Dr Ashfaq Khalfan, Director of the Sustainability Regulation Observatory.

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Governing with nature: towards transformative change?

Public event - free and open to all
Wednesday, 11 February 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event - Malaysia Auditorium, Centre Building, LSE

Nature-based solutions are gaining traction as transformative interventions addressing biodiversity loss, climate change, and social justice. Their appeal lies in both the perceived ‘good’ of nature and the intent to harness its properties for multiple benefits. Drawing on research from the Naturescape project, this talk explores how nature is being positioned as a solution to urban challenges, the politics and consequences of this trend, and what it reveals about the potential for transformative change.

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Eco-social contracts for sustainable and just futures

Public event - free and open to all
Wednesday, 18 February 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event - Old Theatre, Old Building, LSE

For changemakers, students, and everyone seeking hope, direction, and clarity during a time of global uncertainty, join us for the launch of a book that serves as both a call to action and a guide for transformation—encouraging readers to imagine and co-create sustainable and just futures.

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Pathways to Breathe Clean Air: Ultra Low Emission Zones

Public event - free and open to all
Tuesday, 24 February 2026, 12pm - 1.30pm
In-person and online public event - Thai Theatre, Lower ground floor, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE

Join us for a timely discussion on the human right to clean air, featuring Astrid Puentes Riaño, UN Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. Ahead of presenting her new report to the UN Human Rights Council, she will outline urgent actions needed to protect marginalised communities from the harms of air pollution—drawing on the latest science, legal developments and lessons from London’s ultra‑low emission zones. A panel of leading academics, policy experts and clean air advocates will respond to the report’s recommendations and explore pathways for implementation.

Register here - in person attendanceRegister here - online attendance

Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism – book talk by Thea Riofrancos, followed by a discussion by Christine Schwöbel-Patel

Public event - free and open to all
Thursday, 12 March 2026, 5.30pm - 7pm
In-person public event - Thai Theatre, Lower ground floor, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE

Join Associate Professor Thea Riofrancos for a compelling exploration of how lithium, green technology, and global power struggles are shaping the energy transition. The talk unpacks the tensions at the heart of “green capitalism” and questions whether it can truly deliver a just, sustainable future. A drinks reception will follow.

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The economics of nature and the nature of economics

Public event - free and open to all
Thursday, 19 March 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event - Malaysia Auditorium, Centre Building, LSE

Join us for a public lecture with Spencer Banzhaf as he explores whether economic growth and environmental protection must be at odds. By tracing the 20th‑century evolution of environmental economics—from valuing nature purely for its material uses to recognising its aesthetic and holistic importance—Banzhaf reveals how shifting definitions of “environment” and “economics” continue to shape today’s policy debates and fuel interdisciplinary misunderstandings.

This public event is free and open to all. No ticket or pre-registration is required to attend in-person. Entry is on a first come, first served basis.

If you would like to attend online, please register below:

Register here - online attendance

Animal Economics

Public event - free and open to all
Tuesday, 24 March 2026, 6.30pm - 8pm
In-person and online public event - Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building, LSE

Humans care about animals, and many would argue that animals are morally relevant. Many of our decisions profoundly affect the welfare of animals and yet welfare economics has not, up to this point, considered animals in its frameworks, theories and cost-benefit calculations. This is poised to change with the publication of Animal Economics by Nicolas Treich, who is a pioneer in bringing animals into economics. Professor Treich will present the main arguments of the book, which explores the complexity of human attitudes toward animals and combines this with economic theory to show how we can understand animal welfare as an externality and thereby incorporate animals into decisions. After the book presentation, a panel will debate and further explore the themes of the book.

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Cooling a Hotter World: Ecology and Equity in the Indian Anthropocene

Public event - free and open to all
Tuesday, 12 May 2026
In-person and online public event 
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