The Environment and Society Forum series offers a space to:
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exchange ideas, evidence and expertise to add geographical insight to debates, issues and policies in often complex and sensitive areas of decision-making
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develop and strengthen knowledge exchange relationships, and partnerships of other kinds, between geographers, policy-makers and decision-makers
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encourage evidence-led policy, regulation, innovation and business delivery.
The event format encourages knowledge exchange, dialogue and networking. Most Forum events take the form of panel presentations with chaired discussion and audience Q&A (for approximately 40 to 60 participants) or smaller moderated workshops or roundtable discussions.
After the event, follow-on engagement is encouraged by a range of evidence-based outputs from the contributors and the event, such as case studies and policy briefings, video or audio, artistic summaries/infographics, discussion reports and syntheses. The reach of the live event is extended through use of the Society's social media and website.
The choice of topics for Forum events is informed by a number of factors. They are driven by geographers and the benefits of geographical insight, but attention is also given to input from a panel of expert advisors, public concerns, ideas highlighted in policy agenda, and challenges recognised by commentators in the media. Geographical knowledge, data and analysis contribute to a better understanding of, for example: regional development, urbanisation, climate change and its impacts, sustainability, food and energy security, migration, poverty, social inequality and cohesion, health disparities, globalisation, epidemiology and spread of diseases, natural hazards and environmental disasters.