People Place Planet: RE[act] Festival returns to Belfast

LQ BID has today announced that its RE[act] Festival, will return for its second instalment from 12 to 14 November.

Taking place during the UN’s COP29 Summit to integrate Northern Ireland into the global conversation, the Festival is supported by SONI, ICC Belfast and Invest NI. The 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. Highlights include a workshop on 12 November, led by CEO of Fifty Shades Greener, Raquel Noboa, which will equip participants with the tools needed to align their organisational goals with a greener, more equitable future. On 13 November, Outscape NI and The National Trust, will host a bespoke nature walk and expert talk at Divis Mountain, allowing attendees to understand the process of collecting data on greenspaces and a behind-the-scenes look at The Divis Project which will transform this urban upland green space to enrich local communities. On 14 November, DAERA will outline Northern Ireland’s Climate Change Act as we target net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.

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 to tackle climate change while also building a sustainable, green economy for the future. Realising its full potential will require a whole society effort and a more sustainable Belfast is central to that mission. As Northern Ireland’s Transmission System Operator, 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. LQ BID has proven its commitment to a sustainable approach, as our pioneering sustainable district programme shows. 

"The vision is to transform the Linen Quarter into Northern Ireland’s most advanced quarter when it comes to innovation, investment and social impact and RE[act] is a complementary activity in that it can help businesses and individuals better understand the issues at hand, and inspire and empower them to take action.”

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. 

By participating in events like this, we can ensure that Northern Ireland remains at the forefront of the global conversation on sustainability.

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. Sustainability is central to our ways of working, ensuring events here make minimum environmental impact and deliver maximum benefits for the local community."

As city and business leaders, we are all on a learning curve and I’m certain that the Re[act] Festival will provide ideas, lessons and inspiration for everyone taking part. 

"This is an urgent agenda shared by all of us, here and now, so we’re really looking forward to being involved.”

Advance booking to all RE[act] Festival events is advised. To book and to view the full programme of events visit www.reactfestival.co.uk.