Barra Best lends voice to Re(act) Festival
LQ BID has announced that its RE[act] Festival, a three-day event dedicated to creating a more sustainable Belfast, will return for its second instalment from Tuesday 12 November to Thursday 14 November. Taking place during COP29, Belfast will be integrated into the global conversation.
RE[act] Festival is supported by SONI, ICC Belfast and Invest Northern Ireland. The 3-day programme will follow the themes of Belfast City Council’s Belfast 2024 programme - People, Place, and Planet – and bring together local and international experts across more than 30 events to help inspire change and define a sustainable path towards a better Belfast.
TV personality and environmental documentary-maker, Barra Best, will screen an episode of his four part documentary, ‘Return of the Wild’, and will share insights from his adventures shooting it across the UK and Europe. He said, “The effects of climate change are becoming visibly evident in the world we live in right now. On a global level, there are more frequent and intense extreme weather events, from heatwaves to droughts, with loss and damage to nature and people. Under a 2050 climate scenario, developed by NASA, continuing growth of greenhouse emissions at today's rate could mean temperatures are so high by 2050, that outdoor work would be restricted. Looking specifically at how Northern Ireland could be impacted into the future, a changing climate could threaten our transport, agriculture, health and energy sectors, our native species and our habitats. We all know that we need to do more, but many of us don’t know where to begin. RE[act] is an excellent opportunity to address the damage we’ve done and start to fix it. I’m particularly pleased to see that the programme of events appeals to decision makers, business owners, environmental enthusiasts and families - we need to engage all walks if we are to turn the tide on climate change.”
The Europa Hotel will serve as the anchor location for Festival delegates, with additional events taking place across Belfast. Amongst the events are keynote talks, workshops, screenings, and exhibitions.
The Director of Networks and Innovation at SONI, Gerard Carlin, said a whole society effort is needed to meet net-zero targets. He said, “Northern Ireland’s energy transition offers a huge opportunity to decarbonise our society and build a sustainable, green economy for the future. Realising its full potential will require a whole society effort. We are transforming the grid to help make this ambition a reality and our Energising Belfast project will support the city to realise its decarbonisation and green growth ambitions. We are delighted to partner with LQ BID to support RE[act] – it’s an important opportunity to reaffirm our collective ambition and put a more sustainable Belfast at the heart of a cleaner, more affordable, more secure energy future for everyone in Northern Ireland.”
Managing Director of LQ BID, Chris McCracken echoed Gerard’s thoughts on everyone playing a part, and said that although there are challenges ahead, RE[act] demonstrates that the opportunities for change are in our grasp. He said, “At the very essence of the festival is collaborative learning and discovering new ways of addressing the challenges we face when it comes to building a sustainable and resilient Belfast. Of course, we can’t propose a solution to every problem, but we can provide the forum to listen and learn from each other. As we look to world leaders as we gear up to COP29, we’re incredibly proud to provide RE[act] as a local response."
To date, LQ BID has put various initiatives in motion across the Linen Quarter including providing green energy, climate awareness training, sustainable waste management, as well as enhancing the area to include additional green spaces.
Daniel Purdy, Energy, Resource & Efficiency Manager at Invest Northern Ireland said: “Invest NI is focused on empowering Northern Ireland businesses to fully optimise the global opportunities emerging in the green economy and we are committed to supporting companies as they transition to a net-zero future. We assist businesses across Northern Ireland to implement innovative solutions that not only reduce their carbon footprint but also drive economic growth."
Meanwhile, Iain Bell, Acting Chief Executive at ICC Belfast, said, “As Belfast’s international convention centre, drawing delegates from around the world, we understand that sustainability is what business event planners have come to expect: it’s not a luxury, but an essential. As city and business leaders, we are all on a learning curve and I’m certain that Re[act] Festival will provide ideas, lessons and inspiration for everyone."
Advance booking to all RE[act] Festival events is advised. To book and to view the full programme of events visit reactfestival.co.uk