The Humber will unite in the drive towards a zero-carbon future at the region’s first fully immersive digital event of its kind.
The Waterline Summit 2020 will build on the growing momentum across the estuary to embrace pioneering technologies, attract significant investment and create jobs in a green growth economy.
The event will showcase the Humber’s innovative expertise and focus on how to develop and finance transformational projects, and follows the highly-successful inaugural event last year, showing how the world’s biggest threat is also the region’s biggest opportunity.
High-profile speakers will include Governor of the Bank of England Andrew Bailey; BBC science editor David Shukman; Team GB’s director of sport services Mark England and award-winning journalist and presenter Nadine Dereza.
With Covid-19 restrictions preventing large public gatherings, Marketing Humber is staging the event online, together with event partners the University of Hull and Yorkshire Water.
Andy Parkinson, chair of Marketing Humber, the organisation that promotes the region on the national and international stage, said: “The first event last year was a tremendous success that really brought the region together and rallied support for the commitment to achieve a zero-carbon economy.
“It provided an opportunity for organisations across the Humber to share ideas, which led to a number of tangible and deliverable projects. We’ll be sharing the results of these during this year’s summit.
“The pandemic means we won’t be able to physically bring everyone together in the same way we did last year but, working with our partners, we’ve organised a truly interactive digital experience that will enable participants to immerse themselves in the event.
NetZero on the Humber
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“Climate change is the world’s biggest threat, but it also presents a once in a generation opportunity for our region. It has never been more important for us to work together for this common purpose and seize it.”
The Waterline Summit 2020 takes place from Monday, October 19, to Friday, October 23.
It will be fully interactive, using the to give attendees an immersive experience where they can browse exhibition stands and attend talks from home, the office or classroom. Participants will also be able to submit questions and comments to join the debate.
The week-long Waterline E-Exhibition will focus on the five “grand challenges” the world faces in tackling climate change – electricity and energy, agriculture, manufacturing and industry, transport, and buildings and people.
It will provide opportunities for schools, colleges and communities to share ideas and best practice and learn about career choices connected to a sustainable future.
Each day will include subject-led seminars by industry and academic experts which will provide information and resources to help communities decarbonise.
The International Business Day will take place on Thursday, October 22, with prominent keynote speakers initiating discussions to inspire transformational projects.
Don’t miss
More than 30 organisations will showcase projects and share ideas during the exhibition, including Drax Group, which is working with Equinor and National Grid Ventures to explore how a large-scale carbon capture usage and storage network and a hydrogen production facility can be constructed in the Humber.
Lagoon Hull will also provide an update on the ambitious £1.5 billion plan to transform the city's waterfront.
The Waterline Summit 2020 schedule:
Monday, October 19, 9am-5pm: Adaptation and Resilience Day, sponsored by Yorkshire Energy Park
Tuesday, October 20, 9am-5pm: Clean Growth Day, sponsored by Phillips 66
Wednesday, October 21, 9am-5pm: Nature-Based Solutions Day, sponsored by Bishop Burton College
Thursday, October 22, 9am-5pm: International Business Day, including a national business leaders panel discussion, sponsored by SSE
Friday, October 23, 9am-5pm: Sustainable Financing Day
The exhibition and debate are free to attend. To register, .