– Organised by LQ BID, the festival coincides with COP29 –
– Barra Best says Festival is an “opportunity to address the damage we’ve done and start to fix it” –
14 October 2024: LQ BID has today announced that its RE[act] Festival, a three-day event dedicated
to creating a more sustainable Belfast, will return for its second instalment from Tuesday 12
November to Thursday 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