Manchester was at the heart of the Industrial Revolution which boosted fossil-fuel use, so it is only fitting that the city should take up the challenge of spearheading efforts to address climate change.

Manchester International Festival and The Guardian invited scientists, engineers, campaigners and members of the public to submit their climate-saving ideas during May 2009. A shortlist of 20 of the most promising applicants have been invited to present their ideas, which involve everything from algae to cloud seeding to hydrogen fuel.

Over the weekend of 4 and 5 July at Manchester Town Hall, each will give a 10-15 minute presentation to a panel of experts in front of a live audience, before responding to questions. The results will form the basis of The Manchester Report

The Manchester Report’s panel of experts has now been finalised. Read it here.

Watch videos of all the climate ideas


THE EXPERTS

Chair:

Lord Tom Bingham Ex-chief law lord. Previously barrister, Master of Rolls and Lord Chief Justice.

Panel:

Dan Reicher Director of climate change and energy at Google.org; co-chairman of the board of the American Council on Renewable Energy; previously assistant energy secretary (and other DOE posts) under Bill Clinton.

Chris Goodall Editor of carboncommentary.com, author of books including the Green Guide for Business, Ten Technologies to Save the Planet and How to Live a Low-Carbon Life.

Bryony Worthington Founder of sandbag.org.uk. Previously worked on sustainability at Scottish & Southern; helped draft Climate Bill at DEFRA; chief climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth.

In addition to the panel, Ed Miliband, the UK’s Climate & Energy Secretary will be attending for part of the weekend to observe many of the presentations and to discuss implementation of major climate solutions with the panel.

THE REPORT

The Manchester Report will be published at the end of the Festival drawn from the reactions of the panel to the 20 solutions.

The report will be made available to the world online but will also be printed and distributed to policymakers in advance of the critical Copenhagen summit in December. Recipients will include British MPs, American members of Congress and policymakers in India, China and other regions; business leaders, think tanks and many others.

400,000 copies of the report will also be distributed to Guardian readers in a special supplement in July. Read it here.

Commissioned and produced by Manchester International Festival and The Guardian.