AC2023 connects geographers around the world

The Society’s Annual International Conference kicked off yesterday evening, Tuesday 29 August, with an opening plenary panel titled Just transitions and the road to net zero. Led by the conference Chair, Professor Harriet Bulkeley, the panel discussed how issues of justice are shaping the road to net zero and the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

This morning, Wednesday 30 August, we connected with colleagues around the world for a series of plenary talks, beginning in Melbourne, Australia, with Critical geographies of climate knowledges, then moving to Bengaluru, India, and Nairobi, Kenya, for Crisis of imagination / (re)imaginations for (climate) crisis. Later this afternoon, we look forward to joining researchers in Los Angeles, USA, and Barranquilla, Colombia, for a plenary panel on Critical geographies of climate justice futures.

This year’s conference is focused on the theme Climate changed geographies. Over the next three days, academics will be sharing papers and research that explore how climate change is shifting the geographies with which we are concerned, and how concerns about climate change are changing the landscape of geography and its practice as a discipline.

Exploring climate changed geographies means considering the implications of the conference for the environment. For many years we have been changing how we deliver our Annual Conference, with an eye to reducing the environmental footprint and increasing sustainability, whilst also prioritising inclusivity and accessibility. The interactive hubs, hosted in five international locations alongside the London in-person event, are a new approach this year reflecting our commitment to improve sustainability.

Addressing this year’s theme also means making and holding space for diverse voices, ideas and values. The new hub model will enable a range of colleagues working in very different contexts on climate changed geographies to participate in the conference and engage in deeper discussion than is possible when briefly joining a single meeting.