From climate science to climate policy in a world of changing geopolitics

Posted on: September 23rd, 2025 by Editor-Jo

Piers Forster is founding Director of the Priestley Centre for Climate Futures and Professor of Physical Climate Change at the University of Leeds. He is recognised as a highly cited climate scientist with over 30 years of experience researching the causes and impacts of climate change, as well as mitigation and adaptation approaches and their connection to national and international climate policy.  He Leads the Indicators of Global Climate Change Project,  an international independent initiative to provide annual updates of key climate indicators to policymakers.  

He was made a fellow of the American Geophysical Union in 2019 and has played leading roles authoring Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, including its Special Report on 1.5°C and its latest IPCC 6th Assessment Report. He has sat on the UK Government’s Climate Change Committee since 2018 and has served as the Committee’s Chair for 2023-2025.

Who Should Attend?

This talk is for anyone who wants to understand the UK’s response to the climate emergency, including:

  • Professionals in healthcare, science, education, law, finance, and policy, who may be grappling with the implications in their own fields.
  • Students and young people, who will live longest with the consequences.
  • Community leaders, business owners, and decision-makers.
  • Anyone interested in the intersection of government, science, society, and survival.

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why did warnings about climate change go unheeded for so long?
  • What does a world at >4.2°C of warming really mean for our society and citizens, not just ecosystems?
  • How do issues of policy, economy, and national security intersect with climate change?
  • What practical actions can individuals and communities take now to make a meaningful difference to government policy?
  • Is there still time to change course, and what does “immediate action” actually look like in the UK?

Practical Information

The presentation will include time for questions and discussion. Booking is strongly advised.

Access

Access to the event is via the Altrincham Street entrance.

Accessibility Information

Please contact us regarding any specific accessibility requirements you may have by emailing events@manlitphil.ac.uk

Tour of Manchester’s Street Art – 4

Posted on: September 18th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

Discover Manchester’s Northern Quarter through fresh eyes.

For more than forty years, the walls and shutters here have been transformed from hidden graffiti tags to bold street art, and even full‑scale advertising. Today, the neighbourhood is an open‑air gallery where every corner has a story to tell.

On this walking tour, we’ll explore the busy squares and tucked‑away backstreets that showcase world‑renowned artists such as Akse P19, Hammo and Faunagraphic. From striking photo‑real portraits to playful characters and nature‑inspired designs, you’ll see how these artworks have become part of Manchester’s cultural identity.

But this isn’t just about admiring the paint on the wall. We’ll ask questions.

What messages are hidden in the colours and layers? How do these pieces reflect our city’s social and political life? Why do some murals last while others vanish almost overnight?

Along the way, we’ll uncover projects like Outhouse and Cities of Hope, meet the spirit of initiatives such as Spray Days and Art Battle, and trace how protest, community, music and humour all leave their mark in this ever‑changing urban canvas.

Join us to see the city differently, alive with creativity, history and ideas.

Ready to walk the streets as if they were a gallery?  Book your place now.

Meet inside the entrance of Ducie Street Warehouse which has a cafe and toilets.

(Round the corner from Piccadilly Railway Station).

Turner: In Light and Shade – A Third Tour of the Whitworth’s exhibition

Posted on: September 18th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

As the first two tours have sold out, the Manchester Lit & Phil has added a third date for you to join curator Imogen Holmes-Roe to discuss how the exhibition rethinks Turner’s legacy, exploring his genius as both a painter and a master printmaker.

The Whitworth is pleased to present a special exhibition that looks afresh at the work of Britain’s greatest landscape artist J.M.W. Turner. The exhibition is being shown as part of a national celebration of the artist on the 250th anniversary of his birth.

For the first time in over 100 years the entire published set of Turner’s celebrated Liber Studiorum series, the Latin title can be translated to ‘Book of Studies’, has been specially conserved and is on show at the Whitworth.

Turner: In Light and Shade unveils 71 of Turner’s published prints, displayed alongside major paintings loaned from private and public collections across Europe, as well as the artists’ most celebrated watercolours from the Whitworth collection.

Join the Whitworth’s Curator (Historic Art), Imogen Holmes-Roe as she discusses how the exhibition rethinks Turner’s legacy by exploring his genius as both painter and a master of printmaking – which was vital to the development of his reputation as an artist. At a time when printmaking was regarded as secondary to painting, this collection display reveals how Turner approached the print medium with the same innovation and expressive freedom that marked his oil and watercolour paintings.

In Light and Shade offers an unprecedented opportunity to view this extraordinary series.

Is Philosophy Progressive

Posted on: September 18th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

This Philosophy Forum is based on a paper I came across in the journal ‘Philosophy Now’ which caught my interest. As a scientist myself (doctor – medical) I have been fascinated by the many new discoveries over the years, particularly in the last century or so, and even more so since the advent of computers, the internet and mobile phones. In medicine huge progress has been made, with diagnostic tests and effective treatment of diseases, along with prevention of many common illnesses and infections. ‘Progress’ is very visible to all.

So, when I saw the title ‘Is Philosophy Progressive?’ I wanted to look into this further – in other words, ‘progress’ can be viewed philosophically in many different ways. Or is the whole subject of ‘Philosophy’ just asking similar questions, but getting many different answers, depending on your point of view, and the views of eminent philosophers? Or does ‘philosophy’ just go round in endless circles, rather than ‘progressing’ (some sceptics may take that view..)?

The debate has been raging for centuries, from at least the time of Galileo, but there is always (and always will be) scope to look at both old and new issues in different ways – and aspects. Indeed, as with many debates, what do we actually mean by ‘progress’ – after all, many new scientific inventions have not always led to positive outcomes. Just look at the state of the world now, with wars and conflicts using new tools of destruction, not even imagined a few decades ago.

About the Session

This illuminating session will be led by Dr Susan Hilton. To enrich your experience, we highly recommend reading Dr Susan Hilton’s thought-provoking focus paper in advance. This resource will provide valuable context and enhance the depth of our collective exploration.

What to Expect

The Lit & Phil Philosophy Forum is a space where serious ideas meet joyful exploration. Whether you are a seasoned philosopher or a curious newcomer, our discussions are designed to foster a spirit of open-minded inquiry. We prioritise respectful dialogue, intellectual curiosity, and the shared pursuit of understanding over adversarial debate. This is philosophy as it should be; dynamic, inclusive, and profoundly engaging.

Practical Details

  • Pre-Event Preparation: The focus paper can be Downloaded Here.
  • Note on Attendance: Due to the popularity of these events, places are often fully booked. If you reserve a ticket but later find you cannot attend, we kindly ask that you cancel promptly to allow others the opportunity to join.

So, come along and present your point of view – or you can just absorb the discussion around you

Tour of Manchester’s Street Art

Posted on: September 6th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

Discover Manchester’s Northern Quarter through fresh eyes. 

For more than forty years, the walls and shutters here have been transformed from hidden graffiti tags to bold street art, and even full‑scale advertising. Today, the neighbourhood is an open‑air gallery where every corner has a story to tell.

On this walking tour, we’ll explore the busy squares and tucked‑away backstreets that showcase world‑renowned artists such as Akse P19, Hammo and Faunagraphic. From striking photo‑real portraits to playful characters and nature‑inspired designs, you’ll see how these artworks have become part of Manchester’s cultural identity.

But this isn’t just about admiring the paint on the wall. We’ll ask questions.

What messages are hidden in the colours and layers? How do these pieces reflect our city’s social and political life? Why do some murals last while others vanish almost overnight?

Along the way, we’ll uncover projects like Outhouse and Cities of Hope, meet the spirit of initiatives such as Spray Days and Art Battle, and trace how protest, community, music and humour all leave their mark in this ever‑changing urban canvas.

Join us to see the city differently, alive with creativity, history and ideas.

Ready to walk the streets as if they were a gallery?  Book your place now.

Meet inside the entrance of Ducie Street Warehouse

(Round the corner from Piccadilly Railway Station).

The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Tour – 2

Posted on: September 6th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

Due to demand, we have arranged a second Manchester Literary and Philosophical Tour on 29th of September 2025

In 1781, just as Manchester was starting to become an industrial giant, with thunderous machines, canals packed with activity, brass works, iron foundries and coal mines, a group of local merchants and freethinkers founded the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society to debate ideas and attitudes. The growing metropolis would be a haven of thought as well as commerce. The Lit & Phil has since nurtured the city’s writing and debating.

Ed Glinert, Manchester’s most prolific tour guide, has devised an ingenious guided tour linking the great literary stories of Manchester with places and events that saw new ways of thinking influencing society. The tour begins outside the Lit & Phil’s traditional home, 36 George Street, Chinatown, the building where John Dalton devised atomic theory in 1803, no longer standing, and takes in a host of key sites:

  • The Portico Library, to hear about the glorious flights of fancy of Thomas de Quincey.
  • Central Library, built to resemble the Pantheon – of London.
  • The Free Trade Hall, the only building in England “dedicated to a proposition” (A. J. P. Taylor).
  • The Hidden Gem Church. Why was Catholicism banned in England for more than two hundred years?
  • The former Swedenborgian church, dedicated to one of the most influential thinkers of the 18th century.
  • The Chartist Plaque.
  • Cross Street Chapel (the Lit & Phil’s first home.)
  • Other relevant sites, and ends at the Wellington Inn, 18th century birthplace of John Byrom, the first Mancunian to be invited to join the Royal Society, who founded the Kabbalah Club to discuss the numerical pattern of the universe.

Location

6pm – Tour Begins:
36 George St, Manchester, M1 4HA

8pm – Tour Ends:
4 Cathedral Gates, Greater, Manchester M3 1SW

Annual General Meeting and Social 2025

Posted on: September 5th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

Members only are cordially invited to join us at the Annual General Meeting and Social of the Manchester Lit & Phil*.

Sign-in will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the meeting at 6:30 p.m., taking place at the International Anthony Burgess Foundation.

This meeting presents a valuable opportunity for the incumbent President and Honorary Officers to provide members with insights into recent developments within the organisation.

We look forward to your presence at this important event.

 

A formal notice, including detailed agenda for this meeting, will be sent by email.

* Please note that as per our Articles of Association only those with either an Individual or Joint membership, or an ‘Honorary Life’ membership, can vote in elections.

When The Canary Stops Singing

Posted on: September 5th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

Thirty years ago, climate change was denied by the media. Twenty-five ago, the threat was only to tree frogs or polar bears and, 20 years ago, to ‘future generations’. Fifteen years ago, the Lancet Commission described it as ‘the greatest threat to human health of the 21st century’. But none of us took any heed. Now, every one of us is threatened and soon, it will be too late. So say not just climate scientists, but ecologists, agronomists, the food industry, the military, healthcare professionals, bankers, actuaries and economists.

In 2022, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that, ‘Any further delay in concerted global action will miss a brief and rapidly closing window to secure a liveable future.’ In the same year, scientists told us that ‘accelerating greenhouse gas emissions…. culminate in a mass extinction rivalling those in Earth’s past’.  As extreme weather events escalate, the ‘Yield, quality, and predictability of [food] supply from many of our most critical sourcing regions is not something we will be able to rely upon over the coming years’.  Such effects mean that the world economy is committed to the loss of $38 trillion in 2005 international dollars, within 24 years. Indeed, the global economy may be halved within decades, ‘unless immediate policy action…is taken” and, according to the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, “our economy may not exist at all if we do not mitigate climate change’.

The latest data (January 2025) suggest that we are on track for >4.2oC, and we are warned that, “At 3C or more of heating by 2050, there could be more than 4 billion deaths, significant sociopolitical fragmentation worldwide, failure of states (with resulting rapid, enduring, and significant loss of capital), and extinction events.’

Prof Hugh Montgomery will discuss how we came to be here, the nature, gravity and immediacy of the threat, and what we must all do in our lives if we are to save ourselves and our families.

Who Should Attend?

This talk is for anyone who wants to understand and respond to the climate emergency, including:

  • Professionals in healthcare, science, education, law, finance, and policy, who may be grappling with the implications in their own fields.
  • Students and young people, who will live longest with the consequences.
  • Community leaders, business owners, and decision-makers, seeking to learn what action can (and must) be taken.
  • Anyone interested in the intersection of science, society, and survival.

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why did warnings about climate change go unheeded for so long?
  • What does a world at >4.2°C of warming really mean for human survival, not just ecosystems?
  • How do issues of health, economy, and national security intersect with climate change?
  • What practical actions can individuals and communities take now to make a meaningful difference?
  • Is there still time to change course, and what does “immediate action” actually look like in daily life?

Practical Information

The presentation will include time for questions and discussion. Booking is essential.

Access

Access to the event is via the Altrincham Street entrance.

Accessibility Information

Please contact us regarding any specific accessibility requirements you may have by emailing events@manlitphil.ac.uk

The Manchester Literary and Philosophical Tour

Posted on: August 28th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

In 1781, just as Manchester was starting to become an industrial giant, with thunderous machines, canals packed with activity, brass works, iron foundries and coal mines, a group of local merchants and freethinkers founded the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society to debate ideas and attitudes. The growing metropolis would be a haven of thought as well as commerce. The Lit & Phil has since nurtured the city’s writing and debating.

Ed Glinert, Manchester’s most prolific tour guide, has devised an ingenious guided tour linking the great literary stories of Manchester with places and events that saw new ways of thinking influencing society. The tour begins outside the Lit & Phil’s traditional home, 36 George Street, Chinatown, the building where John Dalton devised atomic theory in 1803, no longer standing, and takes in a host of key sites:

  • The Portico Library, to hear about the glorious flights of fancy of Thomas de Quincey.
  • Central Library, built to resemble the Pantheon – of London.
  • The Free Trade Hall, the only building in England “dedicated to a proposition” (A. J. P. Taylor).
  • The Hidden Gem Church. Why was Catholicism banned in England for more than two hundred years?
  • The former Swedenborgian church, dedicated to one of the most influential thinkers of the 18th century.
  • The Chartist Plaque.
  • Cross Street Chapel (the Lit & Phil’s first home.)
  • Other relevant sites, and ends at the Wellington Inn, 18th century birthplace of John Byrom, the first Mancunian to be invited to join the Royal Society, who founded the Kabbalah Club to discuss the numerical pattern of the universe.

Location

6pm – Tour Begins:
36 George St, Manchester, M1 4HA

8pm – Tour Ends:
4 Cathedral Gates, Greater, Manchester M3 1SW

The Implications of Low Fertility Rates

Posted on: August 6th, 2025 by Alan Wareham

The fertility rate in the UK – that is the average number of children born to a woman over her life – has fallen to under 1.5. This is well below the level at which the population would remain roughly constant in the absence of substantial net immigration. In the absence of such large net flows of people into the country the population will start to decline and continue to do so unless the fertility rate rises to a little over two. Some people believe that such a state of affairs poses serious economic and social problems. Many believe that the decline in fertility rates to, or in some cases well below, the UK level in many rich countries poses a substantial risk to the European way of life.

Part of the perceived risk is that economic growth will fall and could become negative. There is also believed to be a rising problem of care for the relatively elderly.

In this talk Professor David Miles CBE will consider the scale of the risk, the factors behind the decline in fertility and whether policies to substantially boost fertility are either likely to succeed or if they are even ethical. He will also consider the case for continued large scale migration to offset the effects of a low fertility rate.

The economic and social case that sustained low fertility rates poses severe problems is very far from obvious and he will explore some of its underpinnings. The disadvantages of ever-growing populations are highly relevant to whether one views low fertility rates as a curse or a blessing. He will use evidence from the past and speculate on how different patterns of fertility and net migration will affect the country over the next several decades.

Professor David Miles CBE will also consider philosophical issues connected with population size and whether current generations have obligations to maintain populations.

 

Who Should Attend?

This event is ideal for anyone interested in the intersection of economics, demography, philosophy, and public policy. Whether you’re an economist, sociologist, ethicist, policymaker, student, or simply someone curious about the implications of declining fertility rates and population trends, this talk offers a thought-provoking exploration of a critical issue. Join us to delve into the challenges, debates, and ethical considerations surrounding population size, migration, and the future of society.

 

Practical Information

The talk includes a Q&A session.

Booking is essential.

 

Accessibility Information

The venue is wheelchair accessible with an accessible toilet on the ground floor. Please contact us regarding any specific accessibility requirements you may have by emailing events@manlitphil.ac.uk

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