Burnham's 'pragmatic' approach to North Sea oil hasn't come out of nowhere As @steveclimate.bsky.social & @bankfieldbecky.bsky.social recently showed: "narratives of 'pragmatism' are used by politicians to protect a fragile political consensus, to promote incremental rather than...

How can sports stars also become influential climate leaders? ⚽ In an article for The Conversation UK, CAST affiliates Dr Sam Hampton and Dr Steve Westlake (University of Bath & University of Oxford) explore how athletes could become influential climate leaders. Read the article 👇

How sports stars can also be influential climate leaders

Climate leadership does not require personal perfection. In fact, acknowledging contradiction can strengthen credibility.

theconversation.com

Final call: Our last two PhD studentship openings, based at our centre hub (University of Bath), will be closing for applications tomorrow, so be sure to apply today 👇

The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST)@cast-centre.bsky.social · 4mo ago

Deadlines are fast approaching for our four remaining PhD studentships, with two based at our centre hub, the University of Bath and two at the University of East Anglia. 📣 Deadline: From 9 - 20 April 📆 Find out more and apply now on our website: www.cast.ac.uk/cast-careers/

It takes 500 barrels of oil to fly to LA, and roughly 0 to take the train to Europe. Changing your travel habits is about more than avoiding climate collapse; it's about the petro-states not holding you over a barrel. flightfreeuk.substack.com/p/future-pro...

Future-proofing travel in a volatile world

How the current global situation can help us rethink how we travel

flightfreeuk.substack.com

Read Steve's (@steveclimate.bsky.social) CAST briefing on "Leading by example with low-carbon behaviours: how politicians, celebrities and business leaders can stimulate behaviour change and increase trust" 👇 cast.ac.uk/wp-content/u...

Upcoming webinar: "Crossed wires: leaders' and politicians' misperceptions of the public's view on #NetZero" (hosted by Bescy) featuring CAST's Dr Steve Westlake, sharing his work exploring the power of embodied sustainable leadership. 💻️ When: Tuesday 14 April, 12:00 - 13:00 BST 📆 Register now 👇

Crossed wires: leaders' and politicians' misperceptions of the public's view on Net Zero · Zoom · Luma

Bridging Perception and Action: Climate Leadership in Focus Lisa-Maria Tanase presents evidence that politicians often overestimate public resistance to…

luma.com

"We find that the principal drive for global warming acceleration began in about 2015, which implies that 2°C global warming is likely to be reached in the 2030s, not at midcentury" - James Hansen et al. mailchi.mp/caa/another-...

The optimist vs pessimist divide in #climate debates isn’t usually about the data. It’s about how the same graphs are read, what people emphasise, what they discount, and how they interpret pace and stakes. Here’s what I mean 🧵👇

This is huge: For the first time since the early 1970s, coal power generation has fallen in both China & India. It undercuts claims that decarbonisation is pointless while they expand coal. Renewables are no longer just adding capacity — they’re displacing coal. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Coal power generation falls in China and India for first time since 1970s

‘Historic’ moment in biggest coal-consuming countries could bring decline in global emissions, analysis says

theguardian.com

Globally, no single day in 2025 was cooler than its 1991-2020 average. climate.copernicus.eu/global-clima...

2025 was an exceptional year for the Earth's climate ⬆️ Warmest ocean heat content ⬆️ Tied as second warmest surface temps ⬆️ Second warmest troposphere ⬆️ Record high sea level and GHGs ⬇️ Record low winter Arctic ice New State of the Climate over at Carbon Brief: www.carbonbrief.org/...

This thread responds to Prof. Christian Dunn’s Telegraph piece on #climate communication. I argue it misdiagnoses public disengagement, underplays escalating scientific risk, & reproduces a media narrative that has actively shaped, not merely reflected, public resistance to climate action 🧵

Themes from Steve's research are informing our new Climate Leadership Research Centre, led by Oxford University in partnership with Bath University : leadership.climate.ox.ac.uk

Something we all knew intuitively: Leading by example, or walking the walk. We need to elect more principled representatives folks!

Dr Steve Westlake@steveclimate.bsky.social · 7mo ago

Research has found that people really want consistency between words and actions on climate change. Leaders who make low-carbon choices are more credible, liked, and trusted. The opposite is true too... 4/ theconversation.com/how-world-le...

6/ Since high income often equates to high status, that gives wealthy people a disproportionate social & cultural influence But as @steveclimate.bsky.social argues, they should be leading by example - not explicitly endorsing the most problematic behaviours and lifestyles

Politicians flying less or cutting out meat is ‘missing link’ in climate action

Exclusive: Study suggests people more willing to reduce own carbon footprint if they see leaders doing the same

theguardian.com

A canny political and media strategy from @zackpolanski.bsky.social. Immediately he defuses climate delayers’ favourite cynical attack lines, and avoids headlines like “Polanski says you should never go on holiday, drive a car, or eat meat”. But, crucially, he's leading by example... 1/🧵

Adam Vaughan@adamvaughan.bsky.social · 7mo ago

People can still be an environmentalists if they drive, fly and eat meat, said @zackpolanski.bsky.social, the leader of the Green Party. He also talked about social media, whether talks about the environment enough, nuclear power, IHT and farmers, Rosebank & more www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

1/ Yes the globally wealthy have outsized emissions, and yes that’s a massive problem But it’s actually only a small part of their devastating influence on the conditions that support life 🧵

This is scary. "Three of the five worst harvests on record have now occurred since 2020, leaving some farmers asking whether the growing impacts of the climate crisis are making it too financially risky to sow their crops." www.theguardian.com/environment/...

UK farmers lose £800m after heat and drought cause one of worst harvests on record

Many now concerned about ability to make living in fast-changing climate after one of worst grain harvests recorded

theguardian.com

Hard hitting words from Chris Packham to politicians and leaders at the National Emergency Briefing on climate and nature: "You MUST listen to the science. We didn't just elect you. We've given you our trust. You are about to hear from leading scientists. I beseach you to hear their truth"

Huge news from the UK today: after UN climate talks in which there was a massive fight over language on fossil fuels, the UK government today announced that it will in fact be keeping many millions of barrels of oil & gas in the ground. Deeds rather than just words for a change! 🧵

🚨Looking forward to the National Emergency Briefing on the climate and nature crisis tomorrow🚨 👀Will be fascinating to see which political leaders attend to hear expertise from @kevinclimate.bsky.social @profpaulbehrens.bsky.social @angelaisfranc.bsky.social @mikebernerslee.bsky.social and more

National Emergency Briefing@nebriefing.bsky.social · 9mo ago

With more amazing speakers announced, make sure your MP is coming along to the National Emergency Briefing on 27th November. Link below. www.nebriefing.org #climatecrisis #netzero #NEB2025 #cop30

Please attend this crucial briefing @annamcmorrin.bsky.social We are in a climate and nature crisis and need our leaders to step up.

National Emergency Briefing@nebriefing.bsky.social · 8mo ago

#COP30 has failed to deliver. Over 1,000 scientists now urge all MPs to attend the UK National Emergency Briefing on the #climate & #nature crisis. "Without much more urgent and decisive action, we risk seeing these impacts overwhelm our capacity to respond." www.nebriefing.org/open-letter

'Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has made Tehran impossible to sustain' #Iran 🇮🇷

Iran president says capital move now a necessity as water crisis deepens

Iran’s capital must be moved because the country “no longer has a choice,” President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Thursday in remarks carried by state media, warning that severe ecological strain has mad...

iranintl.com

Pretty remarkable how high Australia sits on the scale for lifestyle carbon emissions globally - and how little this gets mentioned in domestic climate discourse. hotorcool.org/publications...

There are over 1️⃣6️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ gas & oil lobbyists at COP30 👇 What a shocking failure. Would you allow tobacco lobbyists into a world health conference? There will be 0️⃣ lobbyists at the National Emergency Briefing on the #climate and #nature crisis on 27th November. Is your MP attending? www.nebriefing.org

𝗦𝗰𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀! Want to join @chrisgpackham.bsky.social in supporting the National Emergency Briefing on Climate & Nature? 🖋️ 𝙋𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙞𝙜𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 urging MPs to attend: lnkd.in/ecGDM3Ry

National Emergency Briefing@nebriefing.bsky.social · 9mo ago

We're delighted that tireless advocate for the natural world, @chrisgpackham.bsky.social CBE, will be opening the National Emergency Briefing in Westminster Central Hall on 27th November. Chris speaking with @bbclaurak.bsky.social earlier👇 Please make sure your MP is attending: nebriefing.org #NEB

World leaders punch back at US climate denial ahead of Brazil's COP30 negotiations Country leaders at a climate summit in Brazil on Thursday bemoaned the fractured global consensus on climate action, taking swipes at the climate-denying U.S. government. buff.ly/aM4Pscu

1. This is a thread on freedom, and how easy it is to lose. Over the past 2,000 years in Europe, there have been few periods and places of freedom. For much of the time we lived under highly oppressive tyrannies of various kinds, whether small or grand, local or imperial, secular or religious.🧵

I've finally got around to curating a selection of films about the #climate crisis 🎥 There's lot of mediocre climate films out there, but for me these stand out head & shoulders above the rest 🎞️ They make excellent resources for classrooms, lecture halls, or community cinema's 🎬 Thread:🧵Plz RT

Great thread on Universities and the climate crisis. Lays out the problem, and the way forward.

Dr. Aaron Thierry@thierryaaron.bsky.social · 9mo ago

I was recently invited to present my thoughts on the role of universities in the #climate crisis Several audience members asked that I share my slides, so I've decided to post them here too as an open resource I'd love any feedback, & for you to share examples of projects & best practice. Long 🧵😊