Welcome to the 2026 Bath Conference on
Earth System Governance!
The University of Bath, together with the Earth System Governance Project, is proud to host the 2026 Conference. Taking place on 7-11 September 2026 in the historic city of Bath, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in England, United Kingdom, the conference will be held primarily in person, with selected sessions available for virtual access and participation. This event continues a long tradition of global Earth System Governance conferences, held since 2007.
Watch the video to the right learn more about our conference host.
Key Dates
- Deadline for all submissions: 15 January 2026
- Notification of acceptance: 16 March 2026
- Deadline for travel grant applications: 30 April 2026
- Deadline for early bird registration: Extended to 22 May 2026
- Deadline for registration of presenters: 3 July 2026
- Deadline for the Oran R. Young Prize: 15 July 2026
- Deadline for all registration: 7 August 2026
- Deadline for full paper submission: 15 August 2026
Conference Dates
Conference Theme
The theme of the 2026 Bath Conference is “Building just and sustainable futures for planetary integrity“. It will be organized around six streams, including the five analytical lenses of the Earth System Governance Project and a sixth stream on the future of earth system governance, for which we invite participants to assess existing gaps and prospective reforms for improving sustainability governance at multiple scales. The 2026 Bath Conference will also mark the beginning to develop a new ten-year plan for the Earth System Governance Project. Participants will have opportunities to engage with the process and provide inputs.
The Call for Papers closed on 15 January 2026.
Hosts
Looking back at #TCESG2025
During four days in August 2025, more than 400 participants from over 70 countries came together in Johannesburg for TC/ESG 2025, a joint conference organized by the Earth System Governance Project, the Transformations Community and the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, dedicated to navigating sustainability transformations toward justice and equity.
Have a look at the opening plenary session, which was recorded and shared with the broader audience!
2026 Bath Conference Organizing Team
If you have any questions about the 2026 Bath Conference on Earth System Governance, you can reach out to our Organizing Team. We will get back to you regarding your questions within a few working days.