Lectures and seminars
Annual lectures
The ever-growing climate movement: Creating & shaping climate change narratives through culture, creativity & innovation
November 2022
Brian Eno, a musician, producer, visual artist and activist who, as a co-founder of EarthPercent, is reforming the music industry’s action towards climate change, delivers the Grantham Annual Lecture 2022. This will be followed by a panel discussion with other artists and creators of culture, who will discuss how culture can shape collective mobilisation, individual behaviour change and action in tackling climate change in our modern world.
Download the Grantham Annual Lecture 2022 brochure: Grantham Annual Lecture 2022 e-brochure (PDF)
Engaging UK BAME communities in climate change action
June 2019
Judy Ling Wong CBE, Honorary President of the Black Environment Network, Founding Trustee of the National Park City Foundation, painter, poet and environmentalist, delivered the Grantham Annual Lecture 2019.
Climate change: a threat to the oceans. The Ocean: a chance for the climate
February 2018
His Serene Highness Prince Albert II of Monaco delivered the Grantham Annual Lecture 2018. Read our roundup and watch the recording
The climate crisis and its solutions
December 2017
Al Gore, former Vice President of the United States, delivered the Grantham Annual Lecture 2017. Read our roundup and watch the introduction
Transforming growth: climate policy today for a sustainable tomorrow
April 2016
Ms Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), delivered the Grantham Annual Lecture 2016. Watch now
Climate justice - Why is it relevant in 2015?
April 2015
Our 2015 Annual Lecture was delivered by Mary Robinson, President of the Mary Robinson Foundation - Climate Justice and former Irish president. Watch now
Project Sunlight: Creating the right climate for growth
The 2014 Annual Lecture was given by Paul Polman, CEO of Unilever and Chairman of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Recorded: April 2014
Anthropocene: The closing doors of climate targets
The 2013 Annual Lecture was given by Professor Thomas Stocker, University of Bern, Switzerland and Co-chair of IPCC WGI. The slides from this talk are also available .
Recorded: November 2013
Coping with climate change: Issues in science, policy, and technology
The 2012 Annual Lecture was given by Dr John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The slides from this talk are also available .
Recorded: December 2012
Living with limits: growth, resources and climate change
The 2011 Annual Lecture, given by Martin Wolf, Associate Editor and Chief Economics Commentator at the Financial Times, London. The slides from Martin's talk are also available to download.
Recorded: November 2011
Energy,Climate, Action: what next in a world of denial (slides only)
The 2010 Annual Lecture was given by Professor Chris Rapley, then Director of the Science Museum.
Recorded: June 2010
Shifting rainfall patterns: lessons from the past
The 2009 Annual Lecture was given by Professor Wally Broecker, Columbia University.
Recorded: June 2009
Special Lectures and events
A net zero emissions future: how to make it a reality
November 2023
In an event held to mark the 15th anniversary of the two Grantham Institutes at Imperial College London and London School of Economics and Political Science, a series of speakers from both institutes explored the ever more urgent case for a rapid and just transition to net-zero emissions globally.
Pedalling the Poles: an Antarctic exploration
January 2018
Keith Tuffley, Polar explorer and environmental entrepreneur, talks about his journey to the South Pole in a special lecture, that formed part of the Grantham Institute’s 10th Anniversary celebrations. Watch now
World Energy Outlook 2015
February 2016
Kamel Ben Naceur of the International Energy Agency (IEA), presents the latest edition of the IEA's World Energy Outlook. Watch now
What did COP21 in Paris really deliver, and what do we need to do about it now?
February 2016
A Grantham Institute panel discussion exploring what the COP21 outcomes mean for the finance, business, government and NGO sectors. Watch now
Why are we waiting?
October 2015
Lord Nicholas Stern argues that a committed and strong low-carbon transition could trigger a wave of technological investment and transformation.
Divestment: what are the options?
A panel discussion examining the role of fossil fuel divestments as a tool for combatting climate change.
Recorded: October 2015
Global solutions for global challenges
An event exploring the global challenges created by climate and environmental change
Recorded: September 2015
How is Antarctica changing and why should we care?
The inaugural lecture of Prof Martin Siegert, Co-Director of the Grantham Institute.
Recorded: February 2015
World Energy Outlook 2014
A lecture by Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist at the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Recorded: February 2015
Communicating risk and uncertainty to the public and policy makers
A lecture by Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, Winton Professor for the Public Understanding of Risk.
Recorded: January 2015
The Road to Paris 2015
A joint event hosted by the French Embassy in London and the Grantham Institute, in partnership with the European Commission.
Recorded: November 2014
Healthy Oceans in the twenty first century
A joint event hosted by the Grand Challenges in Ecosystems and the Environment Initiative and the Grantham Institute
Recorded: July 2014
World Energy Outlook 2013
A Special Lecture given by Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency
Slides from the lecture
Recorded: January 2014
All of the Above in a Carbon Constrained World
A Grantham Institute special lecture by Dr Ernest Moniz, United States Secretary of Energy
Recorded: January 2014
The energy of nations: Risk blindness and the road to renaissance
A Grantham Institute and EFL special lecture by Jeremy Leggett, founder of Solarcentury
Recorded: December 2013
Climate change and global food security
A Grantham Institute special lecture by Professor Martin Parry, Grantham Institute and Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London
Recorded: October 2013
In the balance: can we halve global CO2 by 2050?
An evening lecture and discussion to launch an EFL and Grantham study on the technologies and costs of halving global CO2 emissions by 2050.
Speakers: Sir Brian Hoskins, Dr Halldor Thorgeirsson, Professor Nilay Shah and Lord Stern.
Recorded: September 2013
State of ignorance: climate change and the biosphere
A public lecture by Professor Colin Prentice to mark the launch of his AXA Chair position in Biosphere and Climate Impacts
Recorded: June 2013
World Energy Outlook 2012 - mapping the new global energy landscape
A Special Lecture given by Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency
Recorded: February 2013
Understanding uncertainty in climate models: Robustness of the atmospheric response to climate change
A Grantham Special Lecture by Professor Ted Shepherd, Grantham Chair in Climate Science at the University of Reading
Recorded: October 2012
Critical transitions in nature and society
A Grantham Special Lecture by Professor Marten Scheffer, Center for Water and Climate Wageningen University, the Netherlands
Recorded: March 2012
New insights into China's energy future
A Grantham Special Lecture by Dr Yang Yufeng of the Energy Research Institute (ERI) of China's NDRC, and Ajay Gambhir of the Grantham Institute
Recorded: March 2012
Attitudes in America to investing, resource limitations and global warming
A Special Lecture by Jeremy Grantham, co-founder and Chief Strategist of GMO, LLC and founder of the Grantham Institutes at Imperial and LSE
Recorded: March 2012
The God Species
A Grantham Special Lecture given by Mark Lynas, author of 'The God Species: How the Planet Can Survive the Age of Humans', 'High Tide: News from a warming world', and 'Six Degrees: Our future on a hotter planet'
Recorded: February 2012
Energy trends and climate challenges – is our climate path already locked-in?
A Special Lecture given by Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist of the International Energy Agency
Recorded: January 2012
Adapting institutions to climate change
A Grantham Special Lecture given by Sir John Lawton, former Chairman of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution.
Recorded: October 2011
Carbon capture and storage: our only hope to avoid global warming?
Two lectures to mark the launch of the Institute's Briefing Papers on "Carbon Capture and Storage" and "Carbon capture technology: future fossil fuel use and mitigating climate change" and given by their respective authors.
Recorded: June 2011
"Do changes in the Sun affect the Earth’s climate?"
A lecture marking the launch of the Institute's 5th Briefing Paper and given by the author, Professor Joanna Haigh, Head of the Department of Physics at Imperial College London.
Recorded: March 2011
"A glimpse into the energy future"
A Special Lecture given by Dr Fatih Birol, Chief Economist at the International Energy Agency.
Recorded: January 2011
Seminars
For videos of our latest seminars, please visit our YouTube channel. Our seminars are also available on Panopto.
- A search for robust information in climate change science
A Grantham Seminar by Dr David Stainforth, Senior Research Fellow, Grantham Research Institute, LSE
Recorded: February 2014
- Safe enough? Proportionate adaptation in water resources systems
A Grantham Seminar by Professor Jim Hall, Director, Oxford Environmental Institute, University of Oxford
Recorded: January 2014
- The development of carbon pricing - examples from around the world
A Grantham Seminar by Adam Whitmore, Chief Advisor Energy and Climate Change Policy, Rio Tinto
For further information see www.onclimatechangepolicy.org
Recorded: November 2013
Workshops
- Solar 2050: Large scale solar power for CO2 mitigation
This joint wor kshop between Imperial College London and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems reviewed the present status and futu re trajectory of solar power generation and its likely impact on CO2 emissions.
Download the slides from the presentations
Crystalline silicon solar cells: Past, present and future - Stefan Glunz, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems
CPV technology: Market and technology perspectives - Andreas Bett, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems
Printable PV - Jenny Nelson, Imperial College London
Cost perspective, grid and market integration of renewable energy - Johannes Mayer, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy S ystems
Holistic modelling and analysis of a future German energy system - Hans-Martin Henning, Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems
Integrating PV into energy systems models - Stefan Pfenninger, Imperial College London
External Events
-
Climate change - the latest evidence and implications for business
This event explored the risks and opportunities from climate change and its impacts on water, food and infrastructure. Download the meeting report (PDF).
Recorded: May 2014
-
Earth Stewardship for World Prosperity
Official launch of the Earth League and Inaugural Lecture by Professor Johan Rockström, Stockholm Resilience Center - hosted by the Grantham Institute for Climate Change
Recorded: February 2013
-
The Uncertainties in Climate Change Science
Three presentations covering: the uncertainties in climate change science; the impact of solar variability, important feedbacks in the climate system, and what they mean for the anthropogenic climate change hypothesis; and the empirical evidence for climate change.
Recorded: June 2010
-
Rising to the Climate Challenge: Artists & Scientists Imagine Tomorrow's World
Tate and the Royal Society collaborate by bringing together scientists and artists to imagine the social and psychological impacts of climate change
Recorded: March 2010