A talk by Kevin Anderson, Professor of Energy and Climate Change, University of Manchester.

Briefing politicians at the recent National Emergency Briefing: Professor Kevin Anderson said:

"The very sad message was that we've almost chosen to forego the 1.5C commitment that we made at the Paris Agreement back in 2015, that we can no longer stay below that level..." (video)

In Shrewsbury on Thursday 22nd January, Kevin Anderson will address the persistent failure of leaders across politics, business, media, and all too often academia, to speak honestly about the climate emergency and how it has brought us to a point where fundamental assumptions underpinning modern society must be questioned. Central among these are questions of equity, both within and between nations, and a delusional dependence on future technologies to avoid immediate action.

In his presentation, Kevin Anderson will examine the growing policy gap between the temperature and equity commitments enshrined in the Paris Agreement and the actual emissions trajectories of so-called “developed” nations. He argues that appeals to future technologies, selective accounting, and unfounded optimism do not alter physical reality: “nature will not be fooled” and nor should we.

Moving beyond dangerously naïve and techno-optimistic narratives, the talk will conclude that there are no longer any non-radical pathways available.

The choice is now stark: either rapid and far-reaching social and technical change, or a delayed transition marked by increasingly chaotic and potentially violent social disruption as the impacts of climate change accelerate.

At the start of 2026, the window for making this choice is closing rapidly.

About Professor Kevin Anderson

Kevin Anderson is Professor of Energy and Climate Change at the University of Manchester (UK) and a visiting Professor at Uppsala University (Sweden).

A leading voice in climate and energy policy, he previously served as Director of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and held the Zennström Professorship in Climate Change Leadership at Uppsala.

Kevin’s research appears in top international journals, including Nature, Science, and Climate Policy, and his work sits at the intersection of science, policy, and real-world decision-making. He works closely with governments across the EU, UK, and Sweden, regularly advising parliamentary committees and acting as an expert witness in major legal cases.

He has played a key role in shaping Paris-aligned carbon budgets, from Swedish regions and cities to the UK’s national climate framework, including the Climate Change Act and subsequent carbon budgets. Before entering academia, Kevin spent ten years in the petrochemical industry as a design and commissioning engineer—experience that continues to ground his work in the practical realities of energy systems and industrial change.

Website: climate uncensored Bluesky: @kevinclimate.bsky.social Twitter: @KevinClimate
Three recent articles:

- The UK’s year of climate U-turns exposes a deeper failure – The Conversation
- Gatwick Expansion: A Direct Assault On Climate Commitments – Climate Uncensored
- Reflections on 20 years of climate scenarios – talk for the Tyndall Centre Critical Decade conference

This will be a popular event, so be sure to RSVP to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to avoid disappointment! Suggested donation is £5 to cover costs and raise money for local funds (cash/card on the night).

When: Thursday 22nd January 2026, 7:30pm - 9:00pm

Where: Abberygate Hall, Shropshire Wildlife Trust, Shrewsbury, SY2 6AH