Professor Piers Forster joins Committee on Climate Change

Huge congratulations to SMURPHS PI, Professor Piers Forster who has been appointed to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) by the Minister for Energy and Clean Growth, Claire Perry MP, and the devolved administrations.

Piers has played a significant role authoring Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, and currently has a coordinating lead author role for the IPCC sixth assessment report. As well as his research career, he established the forest protection and research charity, the United Bank of Carbon and has a number of roles advising industry, including membership of the Rolls Royce Environment Advisory Board.

Professor Forster replaces founding Committee member, Sir Brian Hoskins, who recently stood down after ten years of service.

Commenting on his appointment, Professor Forster said: “Sir Brian taught me as a PhD student and is someone I have huge respect for. I am humbled to be following in his footsteps. I am thrilled to be taking up this post on the 10th anniversary of the UK’s Climate Change Act. The Act and the Committee have done a great job in helping the UK establish itself as a world leader in reducing emissions. However, the challenging ‘teenage years’ are just around the corner and the Committee has some important work to do on long-term targets and evidence based solutions that, if we get it right, will help the transition to a zero-carbon UK.