Sir Patrick Vallance joins Generation Hope line up at the Natural History Museum to drive positive change for a global future

In an exclusive keynote address, NHM Chair Sir Patrick Vallance will discuss how climate change is a systems challenge which requires a systems approach to solutions. Rigorous science and effective technology are key to understanding the problem, providing the solutions and helping governments decide how to act. He will discuss how we must harness the power of technology, nature and people to tackle climate change.

Following his keynote address, Sir Patrick will take part in a hosted Q&A session curated by the Generation Hope advisory board, in which they will discuss why our approach needs to be collaborative and cooperative.

Generation Hope’s line up of talks and participatory panels will tackle key issues impacting young people today including eco-anxiety, getting to grips with the science, understanding the impacts of the planetary emergency, and skills workshops. New additions to the line up include,

• In Conversation with Sir Patrick Vallance: An Exclusive Keynote and Q&A (Thursday 23 March) - In this exclusive in person keynote address, Sir Patrick Vallance will discuss how we must harness the power of technology, nature and people to tackle climate change
• How are the climate and biodiversity crises linked (Monday 20 March) – a panel discussion with Dr Mya-Rose Craig (Birdgirl) about the connection between the natural world, the climate crisis and climate solutions
• Indigenous leadership for our collective future (Thursday 23 March) - an online panel with Indigenous climate experts Hamangaí Pataxó and Serena Mendizabal exploring how we must centre Indigenous knowledge at the heart of our climate response

Conor O’Keeffe, Creative Producer of Generation Hope at the Natural History Museum said “Only by connecting to one another, bridging divides and forming communities can we ensure a future where people and planet thrive. By the end of the week, our hope is that everyone participating can commit to one action, whether it’s following up on a new connection, or speaking up on behalf of nature”.

Following a week-long programme of public events, workshops and training sessions co-curated with young changemakers from across the world, an evening event in collaboration with Force of Nature is planned to be the culmination of the week and a manifestation of the Natural History Museum’s commitment to creating a new generation of advocates for the planet and supporting science and nature-based solutions to the challenges we face.

Booking tickets is essential, please visit nhm.ac.uk/GenerationHope

Generation Hope Advisory Board (available for media interviews)

• Daphne Frias  is a proud Latina climate justice activist, disability awareness advocate, organizer and storyteller based in New York, USA.   
• Kat Hamilton is the partnerships & programmes Director for Force of Nature (FoN). Through virtual programmes, FoN empowers young people and decision-makers in over 50 countries to cultivate mindsets of agency, purpose and resilience.   
• Ken Johnson is a Principal Researcher at the Natural History Museum, London, where he studies the history of coral reef systems from decades to millions of years. Documenting how reefs have responded to past environmental changes will help to constrain the potential trajectory of future changes and allow us to plan accordingly.  
• Selina N. Leem is a climate warrior from Aelōn̄ Kein Ad, now known as the Marshall Islands. A self-described “small island girl with big dreams”, Selina was the youngest delegate at the COP21 conference that adopted the Paris Agreement at the age of 18.  
• Erica McAlister is Senior Curator for Flies and Fleas at the Natural History Museum, London. She has been recording, researching, and describing flies for over 15 years in the UK and across the world. Erica is very involved in public engagement both within the NHM and externally, including radio, TV, writing and events.  
• Larissa Pinto Moraes is Executive Director of Engajamundo, a Brazilian youth-led organisation with a mission to make young Brazilians aware that by changing themselves, taking part in their community, and engaging politically, they can make a difference. 
• Disha Ravi is a climate justice activist based in Bangalore, India, and founded the Indian branch of the Fridays for Future network.  
• Mitzi Jonelle Tan is a climate justice activist based in Metro Manila, Philippines. She is the convenor and international spokesperson of Youth Advocates for Climate Action Philippines (YACAP), the Fridays For Future (FFF) of the Philippines.  
• Elizabeth Wathuti is an environmentalist and climate justice activist from Nairobi, Kenya, and founded Green Generation Initiative, connecting young people to nature across Kenya. 

Ends

Notes to editors

Previous event announcement can be viewed here

Natural History Museum media contact:

Tel: +44 (0)20 7942 5654 / 07799690151

Email: press@nhm.ac.uk

About The Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is both a world-leading science research centre and the most-visited indoor attraction in the UK last year. With a vision of a future in which both people and the planet thrive, it is uniquely positioned to be a powerful champion for balancing humanity’s needs with those of the natural world.

It is custodian of one of the world’s most important scientific collections comprising over 80 million specimens accessed by researchers from all over the world both in person and via over 30 billion digital data downloads to date. The Museum’s 350 scientists are finding solutions to the planetary emergency from biodiversity loss through to the sustainable extraction of natural resources.

The Museum uses its global reach and influence to meet its mission to create advocates for the planet - to inform, inspire and empower everyone to make a difference for nature. We welcome millions of visitors through our doors each year, our website has had 17 million visits in the last year and our touring exhibitions have been seen by around 20 million people in the last 10 years.