The Climate Policy Forum is techUK's new strategic forum bringing together members to collaborate on the most pressing climate and sustainability challenges facing the technology sector.
As climate policy becomes increasingly central to business strategy, this forum provides a vital space for collective action, policy development, and practical support. Meeting quarterly throughout the year, each session will focus on critical themes while delivering both policy influence and actionable business tools.
The forum responds directly to member priorities identified through extensive consultation with our Climate Council. Led by our co-chairs, the forum ensures diverse perspectives shape our collective approach to climate challenges.
Each session provides valuable networking opportunities, connecting sustainability leaders, policy experts, and climate innovators across the tech sector to share insights, build partnerships, and tackle shared challenges together.
Agenda
13:00 – 13:20 | Welcome and introduction
13:20 – 13:45 | Climate policy update
- A briefing on the latest climate policy developments from Esther Harris, Acting Head of Carbon Budgets, Climate Change Committee.
13:45 – 14:25 | Fireside discussion — AI and climate: communicating the tech sector's position
- A fireside conversation before opening to the full audience, exploring how the tech sector can communicate credibly on AI and climate — both the opportunities and the honest trade-offs.
14:25 – 14:45 | Networking break
14:45 – 15:15 | techUK programme spotlights
- Short overviews from across the techUK portfolio, showing how climate considerations connect to work happening across the organisation.
15:15 – 15:55 | Interactive session — Communicating on climate: how should the tech sector talk about net zero?
- An interactive session designed to generate debate on how the tech sector can build a coherent, credible voice on decarbonisation.
15:55 – 16:00 | Closing remarks
16:00 – | Networking drinks
Speaker
2026 priorities
Throughout the year, the Climate Policy Forum will address the issues members have identified as most critical, ranging from AI’s impact on the climate to the circular economy and supply chain transparency.
Each quarterly meeting will partner with other techUK programmes ensuring climate considerations are embedded across the full technology landscape.
Who should attend
This forum is designed for techUK members working on climate, sustainability, and ESG strategy. Whether you're a sustainability director, policy lead, operations manager tackling emissions reduction, or a product manager driving circular economy initiatives, this forum is for you.
From FTSE 100 companies to climate tech startups, if you're grappling with the intersection of technology and climate policy, the Climate Policy Forum provides the collaborative space to shape solutions together.
Programme details coming soon
We're currently finalising the theme, speakers, and agenda for our inaugural session.
Craig Melson
Craig Melson
Craig is Associate Director for Climate, Environment and Sustainability and leads on our work in these areas ranging from climate change, ESG disclosures and due diligence, through to circular economy, business and human rights, conflict minerals and post-Brexit regulation.
Prior to joining techUK he worked in public affairs and policy has an avid interest in new and emerging technologies. Craig has a degree in Ancient History from King’s College London and spends his time watching Watford FC and holding out hope for Half Life 3.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2172
- Twitter:
- @techUK,@techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org,www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://uk.linkedin.com/in/craig-melson-25479936,https://uk.linkedin.com/in/craig-melson-25479936
Josh Turpin
Josh Turpin
Josh joined techUK as a Programme Manager for Telecoms and Net Zero in August 2024.
In this role, working jointly across the techUK Telecoms and Climate Programmes, Josh is responsible for leading on telecoms infrastructure deployment and uptake and supporting innovation opportunities, as well as looking at how the tech sector can be further utilised in the UK’s decarbonisation efforts.
Prior to joining techUK, Josh’s background was in public affairs and communications, working for organisations across a diverse portfolio of sectors including defence, telecoms and infrastructure; aiding clients through stakeholder engagement, crisis communications, media outreach as well as secretariat duties.
Outside of work, Josh has a keen interest in music, painting and sailing.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2038
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-turpin/
Elisabeth Sullivan
Elisabeth Sullivan
Elisabeth joined techUK in November 2025 as Sustainability Policy Manager within the Climate, Environment and Sustainability team.
Leading on the programme's nature and biodiversity work, she also keeps members informed of policy and regulatory developments across the circular economy, corporate sustainability disclosures, chemicals and minerals, human rights, and the international climate policy landscape, as well as supporting techUK's government and political engagement on climate.
Elisabeth’s professional background spans public affairs and policy roles in both trade bodies and consultancy, with a focus on sustainability and resilience across the digital and infrastructure sectors. She holds a Master’s degree in International Social and Public Policy from the London School of Economics, where her dissertation examined government policy responses to the climate crisis in the South Pacific.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Website:
- www.techuk.org/
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisabeth-sullivan-933997189/
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach
Lucas Banach is Programme Assistant at techUK, he works on a range of programmes including Data Centres; Climate, Environment & Sustainability; Market Access and Smart Infrastructure and Systems.
Before that Lucas who joined in 2008, held various roles in our organisation, which included his role as Office Executive, Groups and Concept Viability Administrator, and most recently he worked as Programme Executive for Public Sector. He has a postgraduate degree in International Relations from the Andrzej Frycz-Modrzewski Cracow University.
- Email:
- [email protected]
- Phone:
- 020 7331 2006
- Twitter:
- @techUK
- Website:
- www.techuk.org
- LinkedIn:
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucas-banach-50139650
techUK - Committed to Climate Action
Visit our Climate Action Hub to learn more or to register for regular updates.
By 2030, digital technology can cut global emissions by 15%. Cloud computing, 5G, AI and IoT have the potential to support dramatic reductions in carbon emissions in sectors such as transport, agriculture, and manufacturing. techUK is working to foster the right policy framework and leadership so we can all play our part. For more information on how techUK can support you, please visit our Climate Action Hub and click ‘contact us’.
Latest Report
Upcoming climate events
Latest news and insights
Get our climate insights straight to your inbox
Climate, Environment and Sustainability updates
Sign-up to get the latest updates and opportunities from our Climate, Environment and Sustainability programme.
Learn more about our Climate campaign
Become a member
