Grantham Institute - Climate Change and the Environment

Systems-level risks of the climate crisis are currently missed: A mental health lens A lack of accounting for the systemic risks of the climate crisis in climate risk models, government policy and planning means that such risks remain poorly understood and largely overlooked, with det...

Read the full paper, published in @plosclimate.org: ow.ly/fQCS50X9BM9

@sei.org @climatecares.bsky.social @imperial-ighi.bsky.social

⏫Finally, enhancing mental health resilience on a whole-population level, through mental health support for farmers, climate resilient agriculture for food security, and better air quality, which can reduce mental health conditions such as depression and even deaths by suicide, should be a priority.

🧠Policies that build mental resilience to climate change in advance of its impacts and climate catastrophes, beyond usual 'first responder' treatment, can also play a major role.

🗣️Communicating the mental and physical health benefits of climate action to increase awareness amongst policymakers and the public is key to build support.

🤝Cross-government decision-making so that the costs of inaction and benefits of action that flow across sectors (for example from agricultural policy to health outcomes) are accounted for and acted on is also crucial.

💪Ensuring climate risk models better account for compounding, systemic risks, including to human physical and mental health and wellbeing, is one key action that can improve this in the future.

Instead, they call for a broader systematic, risk-informed approach to understand and measure the cascading effects of climate change, while also building greater psychological and social resilience in communities.

By overlooking the systemic risks of inaction, such as food insecurity, air pollution or extreme heat on mental health and wellbeing, the authors argue policymakers and researchers are undervaluing the costs of climate inaction... and the benefits of pro-health climate policy.

⚠️Government policy is overlooking the costs of climate inaction on mental health and wellbeing, argues Mikael Mikaelsson, @neiljennings.bsky.social and Emma Lawrance in a new article on the cascading risks of the climate crisis on #WorldMentalHealthDay 🧵

📰 buff.ly/Ty5z9WP

Joanna Haigh seen from behind the cameras, with two members of crew either side.

Joeri Rogelj seen from behind the camera, sitting ready to interview

Theresa May ready to interview, seen from behind the camera and lighting equipment

COMING SOON…

In 2019, the UK made history as the first major economy to commit to net zero by 2050.

But, while the science hasn’t changed, political consensus is fracturing.

We can’t wait to share our new film & to tell the inside story of the UK’s climate target

Stay tuned…
👀13 October

Wrong Grantham Institute! We hope the event goes well: @granthamlse.bsky.social

📯 Join us & Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland — former Prime Minister of Norway, founding Member of The Elders, and “godmother” of sustainable development — as we reflect on the arc of global cooperation from the Paris Agreement to today’s fractured landscape.

📅 29 Oct
🔗 Register: ow.ly/ASQc50WY0Xv

Typhoon Ragasa Published October 2025.

Read the full study here: www.imperial.ac.uk/grantham/res...

The study also found that typhoons like Ragasa will continue to intensify.

At 2°C of warming (expected in the 2040s unless the world rapidly shifts to renewable energy) similar storms will have winds 19kmph stronger and rains 22% heavier.

On September 24 Ragasa made landfall on the southern Chinese city of Yangjiang as a Cat 3 typhoon with winds reaching 194 kmph.

It forced millions to evacuate, submerged streets, wrecked homes, and caused mass power outages. Economic losses are expected to reach hundreds of millions of USD.

Typhoon Ragasa formed over the Western Pacific Ocean on September 18. It rapidly intensified to become a Category 5 typhoon with winds above 260kmph, making it the world’s strongest storm this year so far.

📸Nasa Johnson

The study is the first on a tropical cyclone in 2025 by the Climate Damage Tracker, a new initiative at Imperial College London that calculates the human and economic costs of climate change.

Scientists note that this shows how even small shifts in the intensity of a weather event, like those driven by climate change, can lead to massive increases in losses 📈

⚠️Climate change was behind 36% of damage inflicted by Typhoon Ragasa in China, a rapid impact attribution study from Imperial College London estimates.

The study also found that climate change boosted Typhoon Ragasa’s winds by 7% and rainfall by 12% at landfall🧵

Prof Haigh, formerly of the Grantham Institute, said:

“To suggest that decarbonisation targets make “people poorer, destroy jobs, and make our economy weaker” is an extraordinary reversal of the truth. The cost of newly installed wind and solar power is often lower than new fossil fuel plants".

Dr Luke Hatton, Researcher at @ic-cep.bsky.social said:

“Ditching the Climate Change Act and maxing out the North Sea’s reserves will only maintain our exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices [...] it’s our exposure to volatile global gas prices that are the cause, not net zero commitments."

Dr Caterina Brandmayr, Director of Policy at the Grantham Institute said:

“This announcement reflects a fundamental misreading of the public mood on climate change. Opinion polls consistently show high levels of public concern about climate change and the desire for the Government to do more".

Dr @gkonstantinoudis.bsky.social said:

"Every fraction of a degree of warming will lead to hotter summers, even larger surges in heat deaths and more pressure on the NHS. That is why it is so important that emissions are reduced to net zero as quickly as possible.”

Prof @frediotto.bsky.social said:

“This announcement is an insult to low-income and young people across the UK. They are the ones who already struggle and will experience the worst consequences of any delays to cut emissions."

Following the Conservative Party announcement to repeal The Climate Change Act, our experts have shared their views on what the science says and how it will affect ordinary people across the United Kingdom 🧵

With many thanks to our panelists and chair:
@shourodasgupta.bsky.social
@gkonstantinoudis.bsky.social
@profejzrobinson.bsky.social
@j-bird.bsky.social

🌍 Protecting Workers & Productivity in a Changing Climate

Last week, we explored the impact of climate change on workers and productivity.

Learn how rising temperatures impact workers' health, why businesses don't take action, & what works to protect wellbeing & productivity.

📺 ow.ly/ht7750X5tl5

Event: Delivering for climate & health: insights from UK decision-makers

Join us and @ic-cep.bsky.social to explore how the health benefits of climate action are thought about by decision-makers in government.

📍Online
⏰12.00-13.00
📅16 October

Sign-up today: ow.ly/Ll4W50X04V4

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New working paper out: "Four scenarios for an @ipcc.bsky.social navigating Artificial Intelligence"

Led by @hollyjeanbuck.bsky.social, with @shinasayama.bsky.social and Oliver Geden

Thread 🧵

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At a time when geopolitics and economic instability are dominating the agenda, the new Carbon Budget Delivery Plan is a key opportunity for the government to set out a vision for a better future.

Read the full article: buff.ly/y21UYEh