From Engineering in Durham to Politics in Westminster: trying to fix the world faster than one wind farm at a time

From Engineering in Durham to Politics in Westminster: trying to fix the world faster than one wind farm at a time

Carla Denyer MP, Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales & Member of Parliament for Bristol Central.

In just 15 years, Carla Denyer went from being a Durham University Engineering student to Green Party leader and now MP for Bristol. In her political career, she's overseen her city declaring a climate emergency and a record four Green MPs in Parliament. In this talk, Carla will speak of what got her into politics, how the Durham experience shaped her and her views on the UKs clean energy plan.

Carla is co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, elected along with Adrian Ramsay in October 2021. Carla is the Green Party’s MP for Bristol Central and was one of four Green MPs elected on 4th July 2024 alongside Adrian Ramsay MP, Sian Berry MP and Ellie Chowns MP. Carla’s primary political interests are energy, environment, housing, public transport, immigration, women & equalities. She is vice-chair of the All-party Parliamentary Group on Climate Change. She served as a Bristol City Councillor for 9 years between 2015 and 2024, stepping down to focus on her campaign to become MP. In 2018, Carla proposed the first Climate Emergency declaration in Europe, committing Bristol to go carbon neutral by 2030 and starting a wave of similar declarations from councils and other organisations across the UK. Carla is an engineer, previously working in the renewable energy industry with a specialism in offshore and onshore wind energy.

Please note this event is in person only.

11:45 Doors open

12:00-12:10 Welcome Remarks - Karen O'Brien, VC, Durham University

12:10-12:15 Introduction - Prof. Andrew Crossland, Future Zero Consulting, DEI Advisory Board and PiP

12:15-13:00 Lecture - Carla Denyer MP, Co-Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales & Member of Parliament for Bristol Central