@granthamicl.bsky.social
Our mission is to lead on world-class research, policy, training and innovation that supports effective action on climate change.
Our background briefing unpacks the key details on climate change on extreme heat, including:
โซ How climate change affects heatwaves
โ ๏ธ Which groups and individuals are most at risk
๐ฐ The economic consequences of heatwaves
๐ฃ๏ธ Public opinion on heat and climate change
Read: ow.ly/ArMr50WwQyv
๐Climate change was responsible for 170 excess heat-related deaths in London 2025 heatwave.
๐ก๏ธ And on our current trajectory, we can expect heatwaves in future that are at least 2-4 degrees hotter.
๐Across Europe, cities experienced a heatwave in late June-early July 2025.
Temperatures in London reached 34.7ยฐC, while other parts of Europe saw record-breaking heat ๐งต
Many next-gen plastics, marketed as biodegradable, persist in the environment or only break down under specific conditions. Dr Jo Sadler & team @edinburgh-uni.bsky.social are exploring how microbial upcycling can turn next-gen polymer waste into high-value chemicals โฌ๏ธ www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYCV...
01.08.2025 08:16 โ ๐ 4 ๐ 2 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
The significant climate and health risks associated with airport expansion cannot be ignored.
With limited scope to reduce emissions through technology in the near term, growth in the sector would put the UKโs ability to meet its climate commitments over the coming decades at risk.
๐ Airport expansion could also negatively affect the health of local communities.
Recent research shows exposure to higher levels of noise is associated with worsened heart function and increased mortality risk.
Read a summary of evidence here: buff.ly/pq7yzgQ
๐ท Des Blenkinsopp
โ๏ธ Modern aircraft also contribute to warming via the creation of contrails โ thin clouds that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Improving fuel efficiency by flying at higher altitudes can make the problem worse, as research by Dr Edward Gryspeerdt shows: buff.ly/LS5SQ70
๐ท LEUKHIN_FEDOR/Flickr
โฝ Much has been made of the potential of Sustainable Aviation Fuels to clean up aviation, but the best available evidence suggests it is not on track to replace fossil jet fuel at meaningful scale.
Read our briefing by Dr Sebastian Eastham: buff.ly/4nhbrKT
๐๏ธ Instead of limiting demand, Heathrow expansion would increase it, making it more difficult for the UK to end its contribution to climate change.
The Government would need to make even deeper emissions cuts in other parts of the economy to counteract the increase in flights, but where?
๐ As other industries transition to sustainable energy sources, the Climate Change Committee projects aviation will be the largest emitting sector by 2040, responsible for over a quarter of UK emissions, and thatโs assuming policies are put in place to limit demand growth.
31.07.2025 11:20 โ ๐ 6 ๐ 4 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0๐๐ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ผ๐ ๐ฒ๐
๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ป๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐น๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐จ๐โ๐ ๐ฐ๐น๐ถ๐บ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐บ๐ถ๐๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐๐?
โ๏ธ Aviation is already among the most carbon polluting sectors of the UK economy and one of the most challenging to clean up ๐งต
โ๏ธ Modern aircraft also contribute to warming via the creation of contrails โ thin clouds that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Improving fuel efficiency by flying at higher altitudes can make the problem worse, as research by Dr Edward Gryspeerdt shows: buff.ly/LS5SQ70
๐ท LEUKHIN_FEDOR/Flickr
โฝ Much has been made of the potential of Sustainable Aviation Fuels to clean up aviation, but the best available evidence suggests it is not on track to replace fossil jet fuel at meaningful scale.
Read our briefing by Dr Sebastian Eastham: buff.ly/4nhbrKT
๐๏ธ Instead of limiting demand, Heathrow expansion would increase it, making it more difficult for the UK to end its contribution to climate change.
The Government would need to make even deeper emissions cuts in other parts of the economy to counteract the increase in flights, but where?
๐ As other industries transition to sustainable energy sources, the Climate Change Committee projects aviation will be the largest emitting sector by 2040, responsible for over a quarter of UK emissions, and thatโs assuming policies are put in place to limit demand growth.
31.07.2025 11:13 โ ๐ 0 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0
A screenshot of all the attendees at our CSC launch event!
Andrea Laybourn at the event
Our Climate Solutions Catalyst has launched its first cohort for a pioneering 5 month innovation support programme!
Using ALMa, the CSC search tool we identified 3 awardees w/ ground-breaking green catalysis research: Andrea Laybourn (Leeds), Jo Sadler (Edinburgh) & Wenshuo Xu (Cambridge) 1/3 โฌ๏ธ
๐ง Mental health is still left out of climate policy conversations. That needs to change. In our global review of 193 countries:
๐ Only 42% mention mental health in climate plans
๐ Just 36% note climateโs impact on mental wellbeing
๐ Only Just 17% outline concrete actions
@climatecares.bsky.social
CORRECTION: an updated version of the chart can be found here ๐
29.07.2025 13:46 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 0 ๐ 0
In a new blog, Estefania explains how climate change is intensifying water quality issues and how her project will fill key gaps in scientific knowledge, providing tangible tools to take actions in the Andes.
๐ buff.ly/6gvhYRs
๐กTwo research initiatives by @estefaniaquenta.bsky.social address this gap by:
1๏ธโฃ Measuring trace metals, algae & cyanobacteria to understand the effect of glacier retreat on water quality
2๏ธโฃ Assessing the impacts of water quality on the ecosystem and human health through an interactive online tool.
๐ง Water is a fundamental need to sustain life on Earth. However, human activities are degrading water quality and severely threatening water security.
48% of wastewater is released into the environment and polluted rivers have reduced economic growth by 1.4-2.5% in downstream regions worldwide๐งต
โ ๏ธ These changes threaten water security and billions of people living in mountain regions.
However, data on how climate change is reshaping water quality is scarce in mountain regions such as the Andes, making policy actions and solutions difficult to take.
โฐ๏ธ Climate change is now also threatening freshwater bodies with good water quality, such as those in high mountain areas.
Air temperature has increased by about 0.3ยฑ0.2ยฐC per decade in mountain regions, accelerating the retreat of snow cover in some places and causing droughts or floods in others.
๐ง Climate change affects all aspects of mental health, however it is absent in 58% of national climate adaptation policies.
In a blog, @alemassazza.bsky.social & @jessnlv.bsky.social share new research by @climatecares.bsky.social & @unitedgmh.bsky.social on how to address this gap: buff.ly/Qlh5z8B
๐๐ Licensing and subsidising fossil fuels can now "constitute internationally wrongful acts,โ write Dr @frediotto.bsky.social and โชDr Alaa Al Khourdajie.
Read their commentary on why The ICJ's new advisory marks a turning point for climate accountability: ow.ly/7aix50WvkuM
๐ญ The Environmental Research Group, part of the School of Public Health at Imperial is proud to announce the launch of a new website which provides modelled air pollution data across the UK.
Explore it today:
www.linkedin.com/pulse/icjs-g...
#ClimateJustice #InternationalLaw#ICJ #LossAndDamage #ParisAgreement #ClimateAccountability
5/5
It now seems inevitable that a major emitter will be held responsible for their contribution to the climate crisis.
Read the full story, written by @chloefarand.bsky.social, and learn what attribution science means for the courts and climate justice:
๐ imperial.ac.uk/stories/polluters-on-trial
Attribution science is now increasingly finding itself in the courtroom, supported by @imperialcollegeldn.bsky.social researchers like Dr Noah Walker-Crawford (also at @granthamlse.bsky.social) and @frediotto.bsky.social โฌ, co-founder of @wwattribution.bsky.social and Prof. at @ic-cep.bsky.social.
23.07.2025 09:41 โ ๐ 2 ๐ 0 ๐ฌ 1 ๐ 0๐ฏThe court ruled that attribution science can, in principle, establish legal causation.
That means future cases can succeed, if supported by the right science.
