Join Insights North East and the Centre for Urban & Regional Development Studies for an evening lecture from Meric Gertler, President Emeritus of the University of Toronto on university leadership in the climate crisis.
Meric will outline the opportunities for climate action and the possibilities for significant impact by documenting the recent experience of the University of Toronto, which has made the transition from climate laggard to leader in a few short years.
The evidence continues to mount that the climate crisis is accelerating. The Financial Times reported recently that last year saw the largest single-year increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration since record keeping began in 1957. As a result, extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, with tragic consequences for many. In the wake of the COP30 meetings in Belém, Brazil, and with the recent collapse of net zero alliances in the financial services sector, it has become clear that multilateral processes for climate action must now be complemented by initiatives led by other institutional actors if we are to make real progress. In the current moment, universities are ideally situated to take on a more prominent role in leading the fight against climate change.
Following the talk, we will hear from an expert panel reflecting on Meric’s key points and sharing their insights:
- Heidi Mottram, Chief Executive Officer, Northumbrian Water Group
- Richard Brabner, Founder of Godwinson Consulting, Visiting Professor of Civic Engagement, Newcastle University and LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
- Noemi Sinkovics, Professor of Sustainable and Responsible Business and Associate Dean for Ethics, Responsibility & Sustainability, Newcastle University Business School
- Jo Fox, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Newcastle University
About the speakers:
Meric S. Gertler served as the 16th President of the University of Toronto from 2013 to 2025. He continues to hold an appointment there as Professor in the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, Distinguished Scholar in Residence in the School of Cities, Professor of Geography & Planning, and Goldring Chair in Canadian Studies. Prior to becoming President, he served as Dean of the Faculty of Arts & Science. During his term as President, Professor Gertler championed the university’s role as a city-building institution and leader in sustainability, for which it was recognized as the number one university in the world by QS World University Rankings: Sustainability in both 2024 and 2025.
Heidi Mottram is Chief Executive Officer of the Northumbrian Water Group Limited and Northumbrian Water Limited since 2010, before the organisation’s acquisition by a consortium led by Cheung Kong Infrastructure Holdings Limited in October 2011. Heidi Mottram’s success at Northumbrian Water Group follows on from an excellent track record in the rail industry where her career began with British Rail in the mid-1980s. She progressed through a variety of senior leadership roles in British Rail and, following privatisation, in Great North Eastern Railway, Midland Mainline, Arriva Trains Northern, and Managing Director of Northern Rail, the largest train operator in the UK.
Richard Brabner is the Founder of Godwinson Consulting and is a Visiting Professor of Civic Engagement at Newcastle University and LPIP Fellow at the University of Birmingham. Richard has over a decade of experience as a senior leader in the higher education and social purpose sectors with a proven track record of delivering institutional transformation and sector-wide change through innovative initiatives.
Noemi Sinkovics is Professor of Sustainable and Responsible Business and Associate Dean for Ethics, Responsibility & Sustainability at Newcastle University Business School. Her research examines how organisations can create responsible forms of value, with a focus on global value chains, sustainable business model innovation, corporate decarbonisation, and international development. Her work is framed by the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and explores how business practices intersect with broader social and environmental challenges. She currently serves as Chair of the Academy of International Business UK & Ireland Chapter and President of Women in the Academy of International Business (WAIB). She is Senior Associate Editor of the European Management Journal and Associate Editor of Critical Perspectives on International Business.
Jo Fox joined Newcastle University in June of 2025 as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Jo is Professor of Modern History specialising in propaganda, disinformation, and psychological warfare. She is the author of several books and articles on these subjects and regularly appears in the media to discuss the impact of disinformation in contemporary society. Most recently, she was PI on an AHRC funded project analysing disinformation during the COVID pandemic and Co-I (with colleagues in Durham) on a Leverhulme-funded project on the Political Warfare Executive. Jo has also advocated nationally and internationally for the value and importance of the humanities.