On Thursday, 27 February 2025, the University of Sussex Business School proudly supported the official launch of the Bennett Institute for Innovation & Policy Acceleration. This new Institute, based in the School’s world-renowned Science Policy Research Unit, aims to tackle the climate crisis through innovative strategies and accelerated policy change. 

The inaugural symposium, held at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in London, brought together experts from academia, business, government, and international organisations to discuss critical climate policy issues.  
 
Opening speeches by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sasha Roseneil and Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Sir Jim Skea, set the stage for a day of insightful discussions. The Institute’s Director, Professor Benjamin Sovacool, discussed the Institute’s vision for the future, outlining key points from their ambitious, five-year strategy. 

Dr. Gillian Tett OBE, Provost of King’s College, Cambridge, and editorial board member for the Financial Times, delivered the symposium’s keynote, offering reasons to be optimistic about the next era of climate action, and advice on widening political support and inspiring action. 

A diverse range of speakers across industry, research and government, led thought-provoking panel discussions on critical topics like new frontiers in research and innovation, how to control AI for good, and greening finance and reducing poverty.  

Alongside Director, Professor Benjamin Sovacool, the Institute’s leadership team includes co-chairs: Professor Matthew Agarwala, an economist focused on sustainability, wellbeing, and productivity, and Professor Felix Creutzig, an expert in urban climate change mitigation and AI for sustainability. Together and with the wider Bennett Institute team, their combined expertise puts the Institute in a prime position to drive impactful change in tackling the climate crisis.  

 
Peter Bennett, the generous philanthropist supporting this initiative, highlighted the significance of the day’s discussions and the Institute's commitment to pressing for change via collaboration. He remarked, “Many of us here were brought up to leave things better off than when we arrived. This is what I see in all the Bennett Institutes: they’re all trying to leave the world in a better place than it’s in today.” 

 
Learn more about the Bennett Institute’s mission.