The 4th International Online Conference for Animals (IOCAN) 2026 [External event]
17 - 19 March 2026 - free and open to all
Online
Our Research Fellow in Veterinary Policy, Dr Steven McCulloch is featuring as a keynote speaker in The 4th International Online Conference for Animals (IOCAN) 2026. He will be speaking on the topic "Captured or Independent? Veterinary Institutions, Animal Welfare Science, and the Politics of Farmed Animal Welfare and Meat Reduction".
In-person and online public event (Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building)
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.
This event will feature our Centre Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, co-hosted by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and the Global School of Sustainability.
Previous
The Oxford Real Farming Conference (ORFC) 2026 included a panel discussion featuring our Animals and AI Research Officer, Dr Natasha Boyland, on the topic "Sentient Beings: What science and AI reveal about farmed animals".
The London Vet Show 2025 included a panel discussion featuring our Centre Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, on the topic "AI on farms - is it good for vets and animal welfare?".
In-person and online public event (Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House, LSE)
Britain's wildlife has been under pressure for centuries. Many of the large mammals that once inhabited these islands were driven to extinction long ago. In the twenty-first century, insect populations have collapsed by around three quarters. Is there any way back?
Join us to hear stories from the frontline of the fight to restore wild Britain. We'll discuss the ethics of conservation in the real world. When should we intervene and when should we leave "wild nature" alone? When conflicts between economic and environmental interests emerge, how should they be handled? How can scientists involve local communities in conservation to avoid tensions and build coalitions? Does a focus on large animals lead to undervaluing tiny animals, like insects, or can we help both at once? And since wild nature involves a lot of suffering, do we have to choose between prioritizing animal welfare and prioritizing biodiversity? These questions will be brought to life with vivid examples.
This event was Chaired by our Centre Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, hosted by the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science (CPNSS), Global School of Sustainability and Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method.
In-person and online public event (Sheikh Zayed Theatre, Cheng Kin Ku Building)
Learn more about the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, a new LSE initiative committed to making sure technological change works for - rather than against - the interests of other species.
Would you trust a device that claimed to translate your dog or cat's emotions into English? Would you be OK with completely automated, human-free farming? What if you had a driverless car that was indifferent to hitting birds and foxes?
AI is transforming the lives of animals at speed, but these huge impacts are going unnoticed and unregulated. Some of the changes could transform our relationships with our fellow creatures for the better, whereas others could make existing animal welfare problems much worse and even more deeply entrenched. How can we curb the risks and take the opportunities?
