Upcoming Event: Earth System Governance 2026 Conference, Bath, United Kingdom

von | Jan. 20, 2026 | Upcoming events

Bath, United Kingdom | 7-11 September 2026

The RETOUCH NEXUS project is pleased to highlight the 2026 Bath Conference on Earth System Governance, a leading international gathering addressing governance challenges in the context of global environmental change. The event will take place from 7 to 11 September 2026 in the historic city of Bath, United Kingdom, a UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its Roman heritage and Georgian architecture.

About the Conference

Hosted by the University of Bath in collaboration with the Earth System Governance Project, the 2026 Bath Conference will convene scholars, policymakers, practitioners, and sustainability experts from around the world to explore mechanisms for governing complex social‑ecological systems. The overarching theme is:

“Building just and sustainable futures for planetary integrity.”

This theme underscores the imperative of advancing governance approaches that are equitable, adaptive, and effective across scales, from local communities to global institutions.

Conference Structure and Key Dates

The event spans several components designed to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange:

  • Early Career Day – 7 September 2026: A dedicated day for early‑career researchers to engage in networking and career development discussions.
  • Main Conference – 8-10 September 2026: Core sessions, panels, and dialogues will be structured around six thematic streams.
  • Taskforces & Working Group Meeting Day – 11 September 2026: Convenings for specialist groups to build on conference insights and strengthen ongoing collaborative efforts.

The six thematic streams include the five analytical lenses of the Earth System Governance Project: Architecture and Agency, Democracy and Power, Justice and Allocation, Anticipation and Imagination, Adaptiveness and Reflexivity, plus a sixth stream focusing on the future of earth system governance. These interdisciplinary streams provide structured opportunities to discuss research findings, policy implications, and emerging frameworks.

Registrations open on March 16, 2026

Why This Matters for Nexus Research

The Earth System Governance conference series has established itself as a premier forum for interrogating how governance systems respond to planetary environmental challenges. Topics such as equity in resource allocation, institutional adaptability, multilevel agency, and governance innovation resonate strongly with the goals of the RETOUCH NEXUS project, particularly in advancing sustainability transitions that integrate water, energy, food, and environmental governance.

Participation in this event can enhance cross‑disciplinary dialogue, support the sharing of Nexus‑aligned research, and strengthen engagement with global sustainability governance communities.

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