Simon Lewis
@simonlewis.bsky.social
They say I’m outspoken. Professor of Global Change Science at UCL and University of Leeds. Author, The Human Planet. Trying to understand the world and change it too.
Reposted by Simon Lewis
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove Made Orwell Prize Judge Despite Record of Attacking Journalists and Dodging Scrutiny
Critics say "Orwell would have enjoyed the irony" of the former Conservative minister's appointment
bylinetimes.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:53 PM
I’m a past winner of the Orwell Prize & won partly because I exposed Vote Leave’s unlawful activities.
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Michael Gove was its co-convener & refused to answer a single q. He’s now a judge of the prize & our world is truly one that Orwell would recognise
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/25/m...
Reposted by Simon Lewis
November 23, 2025 at 9:42 AM
Reposted by Simon Lewis
Quite the quote on #COP30, by Professor Michael Jacobs of the think tank ODI Global and the University of Sheffield. Source: ‚Backchannel‘
November 22, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Quite the quote on #COP30, by Professor Michael Jacobs of the think tank ODI Global and the University of Sheffield. Source: ‚Backchannel‘
Huge applause and long standing ovation for Marina Silva, what a life, from rubber tapper in the Amazon to environment minister, and quiet star of COP30. Even though the roadmap to halt deforestation is voluntary, if led by Silva, it will be positive.
November 22, 2025 at 9:07 PM
Huge applause and long standing ovation for Marina Silva, what a life, from rubber tapper in the Amazon to environment minister, and quiet star of COP30. Even though the roadmap to halt deforestation is voluntary, if led by Silva, it will be positive.
COP30 cover text passed with silence. No applause. Just silence.
Presidency then announced 2 roadmaps, under the Presidency, one on transitioning away from fossil fuels and another on deforestation. To huge applause. Basically a coalition of the willing.
Presidency then announced 2 roadmaps, under the Presidency, one on transitioning away from fossil fuels and another on deforestation. To huge applause. Basically a coalition of the willing.
November 22, 2025 at 4:43 PM
COP30 cover text passed with silence. No applause. Just silence.
Presidency then announced 2 roadmaps, under the Presidency, one on transitioning away from fossil fuels and another on deforestation. To huge applause. Basically a coalition of the willing.
Presidency then announced 2 roadmaps, under the Presidency, one on transitioning away from fossil fuels and another on deforestation. To huge applause. Basically a coalition of the willing.
Reposted by Simon Lewis
A climate deal without explicit language calling for a fossil fuel phaseout is like a ceasefire without explicit language calling for a suspension of hostilities.
#COP30
#COP30
November 22, 2025 at 2:54 PM
A climate deal without explicit language calling for a fossil fuel phaseout is like a ceasefire without explicit language calling for a suspension of hostilities.
#COP30
#COP30
Reposted by Simon Lewis
Final document for #COP30 just dropped and here are some hot takes
1/ No decisive language about FF phaseouts. This is a HUGE loss. The consolation prize is a political process toward phaseouts outside the official decisionmaking of the #ParisAgreement
1/ No decisive language about FF phaseouts. This is a HUGE loss. The consolation prize is a political process toward phaseouts outside the official decisionmaking of the #ParisAgreement
unfccc.int
November 22, 2025 at 3:04 PM
Final document for #COP30 just dropped and here are some hot takes
1/ No decisive language about FF phaseouts. This is a HUGE loss. The consolation prize is a political process toward phaseouts outside the official decisionmaking of the #ParisAgreement
1/ No decisive language about FF phaseouts. This is a HUGE loss. The consolation prize is a political process toward phaseouts outside the official decisionmaking of the #ParisAgreement
Cover decision text, not passed yet, unfccc.int/sites/defaul...
No mention of roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels or curbing deforestation.
Bitterly disappointing.
No mention of roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels or curbing deforestation.
Bitterly disappointing.
unfccc.int
November 22, 2025 at 3:27 PM
Cover decision text, not passed yet, unfccc.int/sites/defaul...
No mention of roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels or curbing deforestation.
Bitterly disappointing.
No mention of roadmaps for transitioning away from fossil fuels or curbing deforestation.
Bitterly disappointing.
COP30 final plenary starting very soon, but still no new cover text release
November 22, 2025 at 1:46 PM
COP30 final plenary starting very soon, but still no new cover text release
Reposted by Simon Lewis
You ever just sit down and realize that the rise of 21st century fascism is capital's answer to climate change?
November 21, 2025 at 9:25 AM
You ever just sit down and realize that the rise of 21st century fascism is capital's answer to climate change?
What’s going on at COP30. The new draft cover text is poor, nothing of fossil fuels or forests, but something, not much, on finance. Here in my take: this is deliberately low-balled, to flush out what’s really important to blocks of countries.
November 21, 2025 at 2:05 PM
What’s going on at COP30. The new draft cover text is poor, nothing of fossil fuels or forests, but something, not much, on finance. Here in my take: this is deliberately low-balled, to flush out what’s really important to blocks of countries.
COP30 President calls plenary. Gives pep talk. Mic drop. Leaves. Now in the centre of this media scrum.
November 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
COP30 President calls plenary. Gives pep talk. Mic drop. Leaves. Now in the centre of this media scrum.
Waiting for the COP30 plenary, and it’s full, no suprise, because there seems to be no overflow room to show it. Very poor planning from the hosts.
November 21, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Waiting for the COP30 plenary, and it’s full, no suprise, because there seems to be no overflow room to show it. Very poor planning from the hosts.
Jokes aside the fire at COP30 is bad news for the hosts. And that means bad news for multilateralism. The clock is ticking.
November 20, 2025 at 7:34 PM
Jokes aside the fire at COP30 is bad news for the hosts. And that means bad news for multilateralism. The clock is ticking.
Fire at COP30, we are all evacuated. Hope everyone is ok.
Everyone evacuated from #CoP30. Is this nature screaming for help?
November 20, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Fire at COP30, we are all evacuated. Hope everyone is ok.
Reposted by Simon Lewis
This does feel like a major crossing of the Rubicon – the world's best-funded and in many ways most powerful public health agency is now actively pushing disinformation.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
The CDC website now disseminates disinformation about vaccines, claiming erroneously that infant vaccines might cause autism, when we know conclusively that they do not. It is difficult to overstate just how dangerous this is. www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safe...
November 20, 2025 at 2:03 PM
This does feel like a major crossing of the Rubicon – the world's best-funded and in many ways most powerful public health agency is now actively pushing disinformation.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
I know there's a *lot* going on to care about at the moment, but this one really is significant, and matters well beyond the US.
I do wonder if do Lago the COP30 President is telling each country to come to agreement early, to give Trump the middle finger, without any one country needing to take the blame. Would be amazing to wrap the contentious issues early when the US is not there. I can but dream!
November 19, 2025 at 8:02 PM
I do wonder if do Lago the COP30 President is telling each country to come to agreement early, to give Trump the middle finger, without any one country needing to take the blame. Would be amazing to wrap the contentious issues early when the US is not there. I can but dream!
Reposted by Simon Lewis
"Despite being the second-largest rainforest on Earth – and one of the most vital carbon sinks – the Congo basin remains the rainforest the world forgot, often overlooked when it comes to global climate policy and funding."
The rainforest the world forgot: the Congo basin is the second largest on Earth, so why is it being neglected?
It is one of the world’s most vital carbon sinks, but this tropical rainforest is losing out when it comes to climate policy and funding
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
"Despite being the second-largest rainforest on Earth – and one of the most vital carbon sinks – the Congo basin remains the rainforest the world forgot, often overlooked when it comes to global climate policy and funding."
Belem call to action for congo basin forests announced $2.5 billion in funding to protect central Africa’s tropical forests between now and 2030. Brokered by the the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. Funding from World Bank, Germany, Norway, Global Environment Facility, African Dev. Bank and others.
November 18, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Belem call to action for congo basin forests announced $2.5 billion in funding to protect central Africa’s tropical forests between now and 2030. Brokered by the the Congo Basin Forest Partnership. Funding from World Bank, Germany, Norway, Global Environment Facility, African Dev. Bank and others.
Reposted by Simon Lewis
📣Out now!
A 🆕 report building on long-term #CongoPeat research is published.
🔗Developing options to protect the central Congo peatlands and livelihoods of peatland-dependent communities congopeat.net/new-report/
#PeatlandsMatter #CongoBasin
A 🆕 report building on long-term #CongoPeat research is published.
🔗Developing options to protect the central Congo peatlands and livelihoods of peatland-dependent communities congopeat.net/new-report/
#PeatlandsMatter #CongoBasin
November 14, 2025 at 11:58 AM
📣Out now!
A 🆕 report building on long-term #CongoPeat research is published.
🔗Developing options to protect the central Congo peatlands and livelihoods of peatland-dependent communities congopeat.net/new-report/
#PeatlandsMatter #CongoBasin
A 🆕 report building on long-term #CongoPeat research is published.
🔗Developing options to protect the central Congo peatlands and livelihoods of peatland-dependent communities congopeat.net/new-report/
#PeatlandsMatter #CongoBasin
Reposted by Simon Lewis
📄Important article in the @theguardian.com about the #CongoBasin and its importance for global carbon sinks including scientific voices from @simonlewis.bsky.social and scientists from @congobasinscience.bsky.social
👉 Read the full article here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
👉 Read the full article here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The rainforest the world forgot: the Congo basin is the second largest on Earth, so why is it being neglected?
It is one of the world’s most vital carbon sinks, but this tropical rainforest is losing out when it comes to climate policy and funding
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 4:44 PM
📄Important article in the @theguardian.com about the #CongoBasin and its importance for global carbon sinks including scientific voices from @simonlewis.bsky.social and scientists from @congobasinscience.bsky.social
👉 Read the full article here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
👉 Read the full article here: www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Today is Congo Basin Forest day at COP30, and the Guardian has a nice piece on the region. Funds for Congo Basin forests to be announced at 5pm Forest Pavilion. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
The rainforest the world forgot: the Congo basin is the second largest on Earth, so why is it being neglected?
It is one of the world’s most vital carbon sinks, but this tropical rainforest is losing out when it comes to climate policy and funding
www.theguardian.com
November 18, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Today is Congo Basin Forest day at COP30, and the Guardian has a nice piece on the region. Funds for Congo Basin forests to be announced at 5pm Forest Pavilion. www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Simon Lewis
Absolutely terrible news of another Indigenous land defender killed in Brazil as #COP30 takes place
- Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old Guarani Kaiowá leader, was shot dead on Sunday morning
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
- Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old Guarani Kaiowá leader, was shot dead on Sunday morning
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Cop30: calls for new urgency to talks as studies show global warming may reach 2.5C – latest updates
As the summit goes into its second week, complex issues remain with anxiety growing over conference outcomes
www.theguardian.com
November 17, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Absolutely terrible news of another Indigenous land defender killed in Brazil as #COP30 takes place
- Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old Guarani Kaiowá leader, was shot dead on Sunday morning
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
- Vicente Fernandes Vilhalva, a 36-year-old Guarani Kaiowá leader, was shot dead on Sunday morning
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Reposted by Simon Lewis
COP president André Corrêa do Lago floats the possibility of "two packages" at #COP30:
- one for finance, trade measures, transparency and 1.5C in consultations: "four themes that are very important to COP"
- package for the "main COP themes", including adaptation, fair or just transition.
- one for finance, trade measures, transparency and 1.5C in consultations: "four themes that are very important to COP"
- package for the "main COP themes", including adaptation, fair or just transition.
November 17, 2025 at 5:27 PM
COP president André Corrêa do Lago floats the possibility of "two packages" at #COP30:
- one for finance, trade measures, transparency and 1.5C in consultations: "four themes that are very important to COP"
- package for the "main COP themes", including adaptation, fair or just transition.
- one for finance, trade measures, transparency and 1.5C in consultations: "four themes that are very important to COP"
- package for the "main COP themes", including adaptation, fair or just transition.
