Five-Year Terms, Fifty-Year Problems: climate, carbon, and how a democracy can think in decades | The Rationalist Press Lecture 2026

Corinne Le Quéré examines how democracies can make long-term climate and carbon decisions across short political cycles; Janet Ellis chairs.

The 2026 Rationalist Press Lecture considers how democratic institutions can think across decades about climate change, carbon budgets and long-term targets despite short electoral cycles. Professor Corinne Le Quéré CBE FRS gives the lecture, chaired by Janet Ellis MBE. The event is listed as hybrid, with Conway Hall attendance and an online livestream; the in-person option requires advance registration.