Sophie Vipond
@sophievipond.bsky.social
Director of External Affairs at the Climate Change Committee. Avid reader, news junkie, wine gum enthusiast.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
November 19, 2025 at 9:48 PM
I really hate it when scientists keep saying that “we need to rebuild trust in science,” because it implies that scientists are to blame for the mistrust rather than the millions of dollars of dark money that have funded political attacks on science in order to advance a far right agenda.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
You can argue a bit about correlation and causation with the Paris Agreement. It only got reached because governments could see a global clean tech boom was coming. But equally, it’s self evident that having an overarching global goal and system of national plans has helped drive progress.
October 28, 2025 at 7:22 AM
You can argue a bit about correlation and causation with the Paris Agreement. It only got reached because governments could see a global clean tech boom was coming. But equally, it’s self evident that having an overarching global goal and system of national plans has helped drive progress.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
This is a crucial point
And why the ‘stay on X/Twitter so you don’t cede the public square’ is such a nonsense argument
It isn’t Hyde Park, it’s a billionaire controlled algorithm *designed* to spread far right ideologies
And why the ‘stay on X/Twitter so you don’t cede the public square’ is such a nonsense argument
It isn’t Hyde Park, it’s a billionaire controlled algorithm *designed* to spread far right ideologies
A lot that could be said about this but if you look on Twitter it’s noticeable that the replies and quote tweets are *overwhelmingly* telling him he shouldn’t have apologised and even attacking him for doing so. That’s the feedback loop certain users are plugged into now, and it has consequences.
October 18, 2025 at 9:05 PM
This is a crucial point
And why the ‘stay on X/Twitter so you don’t cede the public square’ is such a nonsense argument
It isn’t Hyde Park, it’s a billionaire controlled algorithm *designed* to spread far right ideologies
And why the ‘stay on X/Twitter so you don’t cede the public square’ is such a nonsense argument
It isn’t Hyde Park, it’s a billionaire controlled algorithm *designed* to spread far right ideologies
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
We will regret not acting faster on climate change.
October 1, 2025 at 3:54 PM
We will regret not acting faster on climate change.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
The UK Climate Change Commission has rejected claims by opposition politicians that it is giving a misleadingly low estimate of the cost of offshore wind power, which is expected to become the backbone of Britain's electricity system
www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
x.com/ClaireCoutin...
www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
x.com/ClaireCoutin...
www.theccc.org.uk
September 9, 2025 at 10:05 AM
The UK Climate Change Commission has rejected claims by opposition politicians that it is giving a misleadingly low estimate of the cost of offshore wind power, which is expected to become the backbone of Britain's electricity system
www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
x.com/ClaireCoutin...
www.theccc.org.uk/wp-content/u...
x.com/ClaireCoutin...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
This is a great cartoon of the illogical narratives I hear refuting climate warming. As I have said many times, it's not "either/or" when it comes to natural variability and human contributions, it's "both/and." Grass grows naturally and it grows differently when you fertilize the lawn....
September 1, 2025 at 8:01 PM
This is a great cartoon of the illogical narratives I hear refuting climate warming. As I have said many times, it's not "either/or" when it comes to natural variability and human contributions, it's "both/and." Grass grows naturally and it grows differently when you fertilize the lawn....
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
This would be laughable if it wasn't so serious: yet again, the Tories are claiming that we can get "all our oil and gas" from the North Sea and that we should be doing even more to support the industry to extract.
There are several reasons why we should treat this with maximum scepticism:
There are several reasons why we should treat this with maximum scepticism:
August 31, 2025 at 5:25 PM
This would be laughable if it wasn't so serious: yet again, the Tories are claiming that we can get "all our oil and gas" from the North Sea and that we should be doing even more to support the industry to extract.
There are several reasons why we should treat this with maximum scepticism:
There are several reasons why we should treat this with maximum scepticism:
10 years ago, my dad was 2+ years into his diagnosis of a glioblastoma. By this point, he’d lost the ability to walk, talk, and read.
Progress is possible. God bless Dr M, who perseveres on this horrid disease. For baby Mabel and the family in this story, I wish many happy, healthy years together.
Progress is possible. God bless Dr M, who perseveres on this horrid disease. For baby Mabel and the family in this story, I wish many happy, healthy years together.
August 27, 2025 at 9:11 PM
10 years ago, my dad was 2+ years into his diagnosis of a glioblastoma. By this point, he’d lost the ability to walk, talk, and read.
Progress is possible. God bless Dr M, who perseveres on this horrid disease. For baby Mabel and the family in this story, I wish many happy, healthy years together.
Progress is possible. God bless Dr M, who perseveres on this horrid disease. For baby Mabel and the family in this story, I wish many happy, healthy years together.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
Provisional statistics from the Met Office show that summer 2025 will ‘almost certainly’ be the warmest summer on record for the UK
It would move 2018 off the top spot and relegate 1976 out of the top five warmest summer in a series which dates back to 1884
www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
It would move 2018 off the top spot and relegate 1976 out of the top five warmest summer in a series which dates back to 1884
www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
August 26, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Provisional statistics from the Met Office show that summer 2025 will ‘almost certainly’ be the warmest summer on record for the UK
It would move 2018 off the top spot and relegate 1976 out of the top five warmest summer in a series which dates back to 1884
www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
It would move 2018 off the top spot and relegate 1976 out of the top five warmest summer in a series which dates back to 1884
www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/new...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
NEW
Nigel Topping chosen as new chair of @thecccuk.bsky.social, pending formalities
Will bring experience from business world & UN climate talks to the role
Follows years-long delay after former Tory minister Lord Deben quit as chair and @piersforster.bsky.social steered ship in interim capacity
Nigel Topping chosen as new chair of @thecccuk.bsky.social, pending formalities
Will bring experience from business world & UN climate talks to the role
Follows years-long delay after former Tory minister Lord Deben quit as chair and @piersforster.bsky.social steered ship in interim capacity
July 4, 2025 at 11:46 AM
NEW
Nigel Topping chosen as new chair of @thecccuk.bsky.social, pending formalities
Will bring experience from business world & UN climate talks to the role
Follows years-long delay after former Tory minister Lord Deben quit as chair and @piersforster.bsky.social steered ship in interim capacity
Nigel Topping chosen as new chair of @thecccuk.bsky.social, pending formalities
Will bring experience from business world & UN climate talks to the role
Follows years-long delay after former Tory minister Lord Deben quit as chair and @piersforster.bsky.social steered ship in interim capacity
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
This is a pretty damning thread. The Telegraph opposes net zero, and that's its right. It can make the argument on comment pages and in leaders. But for the sake of its reputation, it needs to tighten up fact-checking in its reporting and stop eliding it with commentary.
The Telegraph is now having to publish so many corrections to articles where it attempts to find *any angle whatsoever* to attack net-zero polices that it makes sense to start tracking them here.
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
These are the ones published since Labour won the election.
"We are happy to correct the record."
June 3, 2025 at 8:05 AM
This is a pretty damning thread. The Telegraph opposes net zero, and that's its right. It can make the argument on comment pages and in leaders. But for the sake of its reputation, it needs to tighten up fact-checking in its reporting and stop eliding it with commentary.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
The crisis for UK steel is exposing another – perhaps even bigger – crisis for the UK
Our news media seems incapable of even the most basic factchecking
YES energy for UK steelmakers is costly
NO it's not due to net-zero
YES it is due to GAS
Here's what UK media isn't telling you🧵
Our news media seems incapable of even the most basic factchecking
YES energy for UK steelmakers is costly
NO it's not due to net-zero
YES it is due to GAS
Here's what UK media isn't telling you🧵
April 14, 2025 at 3:27 PM
The crisis for UK steel is exposing another – perhaps even bigger – crisis for the UK
Our news media seems incapable of even the most basic factchecking
YES energy for UK steelmakers is costly
NO it's not due to net-zero
YES it is due to GAS
Here's what UK media isn't telling you🧵
Our news media seems incapable of even the most basic factchecking
YES energy for UK steelmakers is costly
NO it's not due to net-zero
YES it is due to GAS
Here's what UK media isn't telling you🧵
The Kyoto play is a reminder of how far we’ve come on climate politics. We should bank the wins. The play was also a great lesson in the forces that influenced the set up of the COP process - not all of who were acting in good faith. Educational, funny, sad, wildly engaging.
April 3, 2025 at 6:53 AM
The Kyoto play is a reminder of how far we’ve come on climate politics. We should bank the wins. The play was also a great lesson in the forces that influenced the set up of the COP process - not all of who were acting in good faith. Educational, funny, sad, wildly engaging.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
All of these “Can Trump run again” pieces, treating it as if there’s some legitimate way he could get around the 22nd amendment, are bizarre and misleading. There is no legitimate way around it.
March 31, 2025 at 9:35 PM
All of these “Can Trump run again” pieces, treating it as if there’s some legitimate way he could get around the 22nd amendment, are bizarre and misleading. There is no legitimate way around it.
On Friday, I went to the 80th birthday of the teacher who taught me history and drama at primary school, and ran the local youth theatre I went to till I was ~17. He was surrounded by the ‘children’ he had taught and our parents. A community he built over decades.
March 30, 2025 at 8:47 PM
On Friday, I went to the 80th birthday of the teacher who taught me history and drama at primary school, and ran the local youth theatre I went to till I was ~17. He was surrounded by the ‘children’ he had taught and our parents. A community he built over decades.
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
This week, someone said of the UK's net zero target: "Why is it 2050 in the first place? No-one knows."
It feels like a good time to be resharing this @newscientist.com primer, on what net zero actually means. Few years old but the basics stand👇
www.newscientist.com/question/net...
It feels like a good time to be resharing this @newscientist.com primer, on what net zero actually means. Few years old but the basics stand👇
www.newscientist.com/question/net...
What does 'net zero emissions' mean?
An ambitious target to reduce emissions, but can it slow global warming?
www.newscientist.com
March 20, 2025 at 4:05 PM
This week, someone said of the UK's net zero target: "Why is it 2050 in the first place? No-one knows."
It feels like a good time to be resharing this @newscientist.com primer, on what net zero actually means. Few years old but the basics stand👇
www.newscientist.com/question/net...
It feels like a good time to be resharing this @newscientist.com primer, on what net zero actually means. Few years old but the basics stand👇
www.newscientist.com/question/net...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
THREAD: How the Sun screwed up its "smoking gun" story on net-zero study
The Sun: "As much as 10% wld be wiped off economic growth by end of decade"
Source: "At no point does this study suggest there will be a drop in UK GDP. It talks abt a 10% transfer…within GDP"
Oops!
1/10
The Sun: "As much as 10% wld be wiped off economic growth by end of decade"
Source: "At no point does this study suggest there will be a drop in UK GDP. It talks abt a 10% transfer…within GDP"
Oops!
1/10
March 20, 2025 at 9:25 PM
THREAD: How the Sun screwed up its "smoking gun" story on net-zero study
The Sun: "As much as 10% wld be wiped off economic growth by end of decade"
Source: "At no point does this study suggest there will be a drop in UK GDP. It talks abt a 10% transfer…within GDP"
Oops!
1/10
The Sun: "As much as 10% wld be wiped off economic growth by end of decade"
Source: "At no point does this study suggest there will be a drop in UK GDP. It talks abt a 10% transfer…within GDP"
Oops!
1/10
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
'Anti-poison' ULEZ scheme has lowered air pollution most in London boroughs that opposed it
'Anti-poison' ULEZ scheme has lowered air pollution most in London boroughs that opposed it
London boroughs that resisted the expansion of the ULEZ ultra low emissions scheme have enjoyed the greatest fall in a dangerous air pollutant since it was brought in, a review has found.
news.sky.com
March 7, 2025 at 11:07 AM
'Anti-poison' ULEZ scheme has lowered air pollution most in London boroughs that opposed it
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
Big apprenticeship push from Energy UK, as net zero skills crunch continues to loom. www.businessgreen.com/news/4409708...
Energy UK members to support more than 1,200 apprenticeships in 2025
National Grid, Octopus Energy, Centrica, and NESO among firms offering more than 1,000 clean energy-related apprenticeships over the coming year
www.businessgreen.com
February 10, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Big apprenticeship push from Energy UK, as net zero skills crunch continues to loom. www.businessgreen.com/news/4409708...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
A pleasure to go for a stroll with CCC CEO @elpinchbeck.bsky.social to talk about the trade offs between nature and climate, what climate action means for the UK and the metropolitan fantasy of an unchanging English countryside. In the Sunday Times @thetimes.com
www.thetimes.com/article/b729...
www.thetimes.com/article/b729...
UK’s net-zero guru: ‘Only Londoners say rural folk can’t adapt’
Emma Pinchbeck wants to dispel the myth that saving the planet will mean austere lifestyle changes and says the countryside is forever changing
www.thetimes.com
February 2, 2025 at 4:13 PM
A pleasure to go for a stroll with CCC CEO @elpinchbeck.bsky.social to talk about the trade offs between nature and climate, what climate action means for the UK and the metropolitan fantasy of an unchanging English countryside. In the Sunday Times @thetimes.com
www.thetimes.com/article/b729...
www.thetimes.com/article/b729...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
High winds and lack of rain driving California fires, but climate change is increasing likelihood of conflagrations, say experts.
Researchers say that warming world increases number of "fire weather" days:
by @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Researchers say that warming world increases number of "fire weather" days:
by @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Climate change: What role is it playing in the California fires
Experts say that rising global temperatures are making wild fires more likely in California.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 9, 2025 at 9:12 AM
High winds and lack of rain driving California fires, but climate change is increasing likelihood of conflagrations, say experts.
Researchers say that warming world increases number of "fire weather" days:
by @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Researchers say that warming world increases number of "fire weather" days:
by @mattmcgrathbbc.bsky.social
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Sophie Vipond
+++NEW ANALYSIS+++
UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024, with emissions per unit falling by more than two-thirds in a decade
Highlights:
🏭end of coal power after 142yrs
🔥fossil fuels at record-low 29% share
🌄renewables at record-high 45%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024, with emissions per unit falling by more than two-thirds in a decade
Highlights:
🏭end of coal power after 142yrs
🔥fossil fuels at record-low 29% share
🌄renewables at record-high 45%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
January 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
+++NEW ANALYSIS+++
UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024, with emissions per unit falling by more than two-thirds in a decade
Highlights:
🏭end of coal power after 142yrs
🔥fossil fuels at record-low 29% share
🌄renewables at record-high 45%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9
UK electricity was the cleanest ever in 2024, with emissions per unit falling by more than two-thirds in a decade
Highlights:
🏭end of coal power after 142yrs
🔥fossil fuels at record-low 29% share
🌄renewables at record-high 45%
www.carbonbrief.org/...
1/9