30 October 2009
'Oil crunch' event at Edinburgh University
Transform Scotland has today (Friday 30th) announced details of the event, 'The Oil Crunch: Transport, Energy and Oil Security', that they are holding jointly with The University of Edinburgh at the University's Informatics Forum on the evening of Tuesday 3rd November.
Colin Howden, Director of Transform Scotland, said:
"We hope the event will create an awareness of the coming crisis of oil depletion, and focus in particular on how the transport sector in Scotland should be planning to adapt. We are very pleased to have Jeremy Leggett, one of Britain's top energy experts, and Steven Stewart, Stagecoach's director of communications, as our keynote speakers.
"It's an issue that's clearly of interest to people as we've got almost 200 people registered to attend the event, and there's only a few places remaining."
The event will feature presentations from two keynote speakers:
1. Jeremy Leggett, Founder and Executive Chairman of Solarcentury, former oil geologist and former chief scientist to Greenpeace.
2. Steven Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications of Stagecoach Group.
The event is to be chaired by Iain Macwhirter, Rector of The University of Edinburgh.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
[1] Transform Scotland
Transform Scotland is the national sustainable transport alliance, bringing together rail, bus and shipping operators, local authorities, national environment and conservation groups, businesses and local transport groups - see <http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/our-members.aspx> for details.
[2] Event booking
The event is free, but space is limited so advanced booking is required. Please book your place by emailing your name & contact details to <events@transformscotland.org.uk> or call Helen Todd at Transform Scotland on 0131 243 2692.
[3] Event programme
17.30 Registration.
18.00 Introductory remarks by Iain Macwhirter.
18.10 Jeremy Leggett: 'The peak oil debate: an on-going mega-risk confrontation'.
18.35 Steven Stewart: 'Oil depletion: a wake-up call for Scotland's transport system'.
19.00 Question & Answer session, chaired by Iain Macwhirter.
19.30 Close, followed by wine reception.
The event will be at the University of Edinburgh, Informatics Forum, 10 Crichton Street, EH8 9AB. Map at <http://www.ed.ac.uk/maps/buildings/informatics-forum>. Directions at <http://www.transport.ed.ac.uk>.
[4] Jeremy Leggett biography
Social entrepreneur Jeremy Leggett is founder and Executive Chairman of Solarcentury, a leading European solar energy company, and founder and Chairman of SolarAid, a charity set up with Solarcentury profits. He is a also a founding director of the world's first private equity investment fund for renewables, run by Bank Sarasin (New Energies Invest AG, 2000-present). Along the way he has written and edited several books, including The Carbon War (1999) and Half Gone (2005).
In a first career as a geologist, he researched the history of oceans, explored for oil, and worked on oil source rocks funded by BP and Shell among others (1978-89, while on the faculty at Imperial College). Increasingly worried by global warming, he left to become an environmental campaigner (1989-1996, with Greenpeace International), during which time he won the US Climate Institute's Award for Advancing Understanding.
Coming to the view that successful green businesses were badly needed in the global struggle to cut greenhouse-gas emissions, he set up Solarcentury, which has expanded into the fastest-growing UK private energy company of any sort, according to the 2008 Sunday Times Tech Track 100. The company has won multiple awards for innovation and sustainability, and become a magnet for talent.
Leggett, described in the Observer as "Britain's most respected green energy boss," is convenor of the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil and Energy Security (ITPOES), members of which include Virgin, Scottish and Southern, Arup, and Yahoo.
[5] Steven Stewart biography
Director of Corporate Communications with Stagecoach Group plc, a leading international transport company with extensive bus and rail operations in the UK and North America. A former journalist, he has 20-years' experience in media and communications both in the public and private sector. Steven is a member of the Group's business development team and environment strategy working group. He has worked closely with Chief Executive Brian Souter and other senior executives in driving forward Stagecoach's sustainability strategy and marketing the company's greener, smarter travel services. Steven was a contributor to the first report of the UK Industry Taskforce on Peak Oil and Energy Security (ITPOES). Outside work, Steven also follows a football team in green from Glasgow.
END OF NEWS RELEASE