Sign in

Dr Steve Westlake

@steveclimate.bsky.social
1.5K followers 360 following 230 posts

Lecturer at the University of Bath researching the effects of leading by example with low-carbon behaviour. Particular interest in politicians, celebrities & CEOs.

PostsRepliesMedia
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Tina Fawcett @tinafawcett.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
How sports stars can inspire us without having to be perfect. Our Climate Leadership research project explained by @samhampton.bsky.social and @steveclimate.bsky.social. @ecioxford.bsky.social
052
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 17/08/2026
"We identify how narratives of “pragmatism” are used by politicians... to promote incremental rather than transformative change, to defend fossil fuel companies, & to dismiss “extreme” calls for a more rapid #climate transition" - @steveclimate.bsky.social & @bankfieldbecky.bsky.social
link.springer.com
From stealth to pragmatism: A telling shift in UK politicians’ views on climate action, 2018–2023 - Climatic Change
Limiting global warming to well below 2°C requires politicians to introduce contentious legislation to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Creating a political mandate for this is increasingly challenging w...
810953
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 31/07/2026
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...
1209
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) @cast-centre.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
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 👇
theconversation.com
How sports stars can also be influential climate leaders
Climate leadership does not require personal perfection. In fact, acknowledging contradiction can strengthen credibility.
1114
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) @cast-centre.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
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 👇
044
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Flight Free UK @flightfreeuk.bsky.social · 08/04/2026
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...
flightfreeuk.substack.com
Future-proofing travel in a volatile world
How the current global situation can help us rethink how we travel
05328
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) @cast-centre.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
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...
cast.ac.uk
021
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) @cast-centre.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
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 👇
luma.com
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…
111
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 07/02/2026
"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-...
15938
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
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 🧵👇
1419188
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Jan Rosenow @janrosenow.bsky.social · 15/01/2026
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...
theguardian.com
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
7533701107
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Andrew B. Watkins @windjunky.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Globally, no single day in 2025 was cooler than its 1991-2020 average. climate.copernicus.eu/global-clima...
211009675
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Zeke Hausfather @zekehausfather.com · 14/01/2026
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/...
5346222
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 13/01/2026
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 🧵
21411161
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Tina Fawcett @tinafawcett.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
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
leadership.climate.ox.ac.uk
Oxford University Climate Leadership Research Centre
041
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Christian Dimmer @remmid.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
Something we all knew intuitively: Leading by example, or walking the walk. We need to elect more principled representatives folks!
052
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
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
theguardian.com
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
2173
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 12/01/2026
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/🧵
37432
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr Charlie Gardner @charliejgardner.bsky.social · 10/01/2026
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 🧵
15934
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 04/12/2025
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/...
theguardian.com
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
510960
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 27/11/2025
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"
28036
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Tessa Khan @tessakhan.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
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! 🧵
1224781
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 26/11/2025
🚨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
040
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Please attend this crucial briefing @annamcmorrin.bsky.social We are in a climate and nature crisis and need our leaders to step up.
150
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 21/11/2025
'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 🇮🇷
iranintl.com
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...
341138690
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 18/11/2025
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...
a chart from the reporta chart from the reporta chart from the reporta chart from the report
67538
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Simon Oldridge @sioldridge.bsky.social · 16/11/2025
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
39655
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr Abi Perrin @abiperrin.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
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
22413
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
ECIU @eciu.net · 09/11/2025
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
buff.ly
012
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 07/11/2025
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.🧵
291073514
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 01/11/2025
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
21601409
Dr Steve Westlake @steveclimate.bsky.social · 26/10/2025
Great thread on Universities and the climate crisis. Lays out the problem, and the way forward.
073
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Kristian Steensen Nielsen @kristiansn89.bsky.social · 15/10/2025
🔥 The never-ending narrative… This week, I’ve once again heard prominent climate researchers dismiss individual action as either irrelevant or a distraction instigated by the fossil fuel industry. Here’s a 🧵 on why this argument frustrates me to no end and why I think it misses the bigger picture.
813762
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
It's the 'Scientists Responsibility Summit' today. Here's a live thread with some take aways from each talk... 🧵
36256
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 11/10/2025
5/ I found it interesting that both speakers repeatedly stressed the need to question deep assumptions about how we think about the future, & how our imaginations are constrained by the past & by the present. I explore more about the importance of imaginaries for supporting social change in this 🧵
1185
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 06/10/2025
Has anyone else been dealing with some serious headline whiplash recently? Even for those of us who follow #climate and #energy matters closely, it can be hard to know what the hell is going on! So here's a thread to help climate communicators get a grip on how to deal with this 🧵
49860
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Adam Vaughan @adamvaughan.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
see also this @steveclimate.bsky.social theconversation.com/politicians-...
theconversation.com
Politicians now talk of climate ‘pragmatism’ to delay action – new study
Politicians talk about being pragmatic on climate change to avoid hard decisions.
2113
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Damian Carrington @dpcarrington.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
ICYM #climatecrisis
0123
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Will Yeates @wyeates.bsky.social · 19/09/2025
Revealed: ‘Corporate capture’ of UN aviation body by industry
buff.ly
Revealed: ‘Corporate capture’ of UN aviation body by industry
Exclusive: Industry delegates outnumbered climate experts by 14 to one at recent ICAO meeting, thinktank says
052
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Giulio Mattioli @giuliomattioli.bsky.social · 16/09/2025
Interesting-looking new study finding that "the global aviation sector’s impact on global warming continues to increase even under the most ambitious mitigation scenarios" cell.com/one-earth/fu...
25434
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Prof Lorraine Whitmarsh MBE @lwhitmarsh.bsky.social · 17/09/2025
😊 Delighted to announce I'll be a Lead Author for ch.8 of @ipcc.bsky.social's Seventh Assessment Report, alongside 663 experts from 111 countries, as part of Working Group III. Analysis by @carbonbrief.org shows increasing diversity of IPCC authorship: tinyurl.com/462pvby9 #IPCC #ClimateReport
ipcc.ch
IPCC concludes selection of authors for its Seventh Assessment Report — IPCC
33910
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
More Americans are very worried about climate change than are about crime. @yaleclimatecomm.bsky.social climatecommunication.yale.edu/publications...
climatecommunication.yale.edu
Top public worries in the U.S.
About three in ten Americans say they are “very worried” about global warming.
617762
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Flight Free UK @flightfreeuk.bsky.social · 10/09/2025
"Leaders across the political spectrum are protecting the fossil-fuel status quo at the very moment scientists warn we need rapid, transformative change." theconversation.com/politicians-...
theconversation.com
Politicians now talk of climate ‘pragmatism’ to delay action – new study
Politicians talk about being pragmatic on climate change to avoid hard decisions.
11313
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 10/09/2025
Such a good @bankfieldbecky.bsky.social + @steveclimate.bsky.social paper here: examining how "climate pragmatism" has become a major part of the new lexicon of climate delay Also see: "climate realism" theconversation.com/politicians-...

Kemi Badenoch during a visit to the Port of Aberdeen on September 2. Alamy/PA/Paul Campbell
Politicians now talk of climate ‘pragmatism’ to delay action – new study
Published: September 5, 2025 3.28am AEST
Author
Steve Westlake
Lecturer, Environmental Psychology, University of Bath

Disclosure statement
Steve Westlake and co-researcher Rebecca Willis received funding from the Centre of Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) to conduct this research. CAST is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Westlake also received a post-doctoral fellowship from ESRC from 2023-2025.

Partners
University of Bath

University of Bath provides funding as a member of The Conversation UK.

View all partners

DOI
https://doi.org/10.64628/AB.6p3mqms45


Share article


Print article

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has described her plan to “maximise extraction” of the UK’s oil and gas from the North Sea as a “common sense” energy policy.

Politicians are using language like this increasingly often – calling themselves “pragmatic” on climate change and invoking “common sense”. It sounds reasonable, reassuring, and grownup – the opposite of “hysterical” campaigners or “unrealistic” targets.

But new research my colleagues and I conducted, calling on a decade of interviews with UK MPs, shows that political “pragmatism” is fast becoming a dangerous form of climate delay. By framing urgent action as “extreme” and steady-as-she-goes policies as “pragmatic”, leaders across the political spectrum are protecting the fossil-fuel status quo at the very moment scientists warn we need rapid, transformative change.

Badenoch’s latest intervention is a perfect example. She said “common sense” dictates that every drop of oil must be extracted from the North Sea, and that net zero by 2050 was a policy pushed by “bullies”. This came just a day after the UK Met Office declared summer 2025 as the hottest on record.
712556
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
"Climate pragmatism" in the UK; "climate realism" in the US: justifying the continuance of the fossil-fuel economy, either way.
03713
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Dr. Aaron Thierry @thierryaaron.bsky.social · 09/09/2025
“The future isn’t something that happens to us, it’s something we build together. By choosing to act wisely today, we can navigate uncertainty and emerge stronger tomorrow.” - @laurielaybourn.bsky.social, @climate-risk.bsky.social youtu.be/IkjsAQeomtQ
youtu.be
Positive Tipping Points: Overcoming Climate Instability
YouTube video by Thinking the Unthinkable
03121
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Ketan Joshi @ketanjoshi.co · 09/09/2025
Men will build giant floating walls to prevent warm water from reaching ice shelves, and scatter microbeads onto sea ice to increase its reflectivity before just stopping the burning of fossil fuels www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09...
abc.net.au
Polar 'geoengineering' won't fix climate warming, study finds
Proposed "geoengineering" projects designed to reduce the impacts of global warming in polar regions would be ineffective, extremely costly and environmentally dangerous, researchers have warned.
19394147
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Federica Genovese @fgenovese.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Interesting take on the new politics of climate pragmatism that matches the emerging paradigm of climate realism around the world cc @jeffcolgan.bsky.social
1145
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
The Centre for Climate Change and Social Transformations (CAST) @cast-centre.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
In an article for The Conversation UK (@uk.theconversation.com), CAST affiliate Dr Steve Westlake (@steveclimate.bsky.social) discusses new research which "shows that political “pragmatism” is fast becoming a dangerous form of climate delay". Read the article 👇
theconversation.com
Politicians now talk of climate ‘pragmatism’ to delay action – new study
Politicians talk about being pragmatic on climate change to avoid hard decisions.
11210
Reposted by Dr Steve Westlake
Annie Leymarie @annieleymarie.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
"By framing urgent action as 'extreme' and steady-as-she-goes policies as 'pragmatic', leaders across the political spectrum are protecting the fossil-fuel status quo at the very moment scientists warn we need rapid, transformative change."
03824