Wednesday 18 March 2026 4:00pm to 7:00pm
Hughes Hall, Cambridge and Online
About
On Wednesday 18 March, the Centre for Climate Engagement, in collaboration with Cambridge Zero, Cambridge Conservation Research Institute, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and the Cambridge Climate Society, will host a panel discussion on the rise of AI and its impact on climate and nature, with perspectives from law, business, policy and research.
As part of the Cambridge Festival, Green Week at Hughes Hall, and the Cambridge Climate Week, the event will open with a keynote from Yu-Ting Kuo, Hughes alumnus and Corporate Vice President at Microsoft, where he leads the company’s Agent AI development. He will also take part in the panel discussion, to be chaired by Professor Harro van Asselt, Hatton Professor of Climate Law.
Panellists will consider how policy and regulatory measures can respond to AI’s environmental impacts, how the policy response can manage environmental risk while seizing AI-related opportunities, and whether this requires specific regulation or integration with existing measures.
Programme
16:00-16:10 - Welcome and Introduction
16:10-16:20 - Opening Keynote: Yu-Ting Kuo, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft
16:20-16:30 - Framing Presentation: Nick Scott (Manager for Law & Climate Change, CCE)
16:30-18:00 - Panel Discussion + Audience Q&A
18:00-19:00 Drinks Reception
Chair:
- Professor Harro van Asselt, Professor of Climate Law
Speakers:
- Professor Lynn Dicks, Professor of Ecology at the Department of Zoology and the Conservation Research Institute
- Professor Richard Turner, Professor of Machine Learning in the Machine Learning Group at the University of Cambridge and a Research Lead in AI for Weather Prediction at the Alan Turing Institute
- Nick Scott, Manager for Law & Climate Change, CCE
- Giulia Trojano, Senior Associate at Hausfield
- Yu-Ting Kuo, Corporate Vice President at Microsoft
18:00-19:00 - Networking Reception
This event is open to both University of Cambridge staff and students, aswell as external attendees. Everyone is welcome to register.