Will it rain today? A useful rainfall rain radar map for the UK. You can easily pan and zoom on the map to view the exact local rainfall.
December 5, 2025From ‘all at sea’ to ‘by and large’, windy weather has had quite an impact on the English language
Some everyday expressions have an obvious nautical origin such as “all at sea” and “an even keel”. But plenty of others have slipped into the language unnoticed, including a number derived from how sailors talked about the wind.
Surprisingly, “overbearing” was originally a nautical term, meaning having an advantage over another ship by carrying more canvas safely and so being able to sail faster. The expression came to be used metaphorically to describe an approaching storm or anything else that could not be outrun. Similarly to “bear down” on something was to approach forcefully with the wind behind.
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December 1, 2025Rain and wind could damage buildings and lead to loss of power in certain areas
Residents and business owners in Wales have been told to prepare for flooding as heavy rain and high winds swept parts of the UK.
The Met Office issued an “amber” weather warning for south Wales and parts of mid Wales on Monday, saying extensive flooding was possible. It said the rain and wind could damage buildings, lead to loss of power and result in some communities being cut off, perhaps for several days.
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December 1, 2025Call for Action at the National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature: 27 November 2025
nathan.reece@r…
01 December 2025
Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) joined hundreds of policymakers, community leaders, business representatives and journalists inside Central Hall Westminster, the symbolic birthplace of the United Nations, for what felt like one of the most urgent and unflinching gatherings in recent years. The National Emergency Briefing on Climate and Nature was billed as a ‘clear-eyed assessment’ of the existential risks facing the UK. In reality, it was far more than that. It was a wake-up call, a unifying moment, and a reminder that the window for meaningful action is narrowing but not yet closed.
RMetS was a key supporter of this national effort aligning with our longstanding commitment to public understanding of weather, climate, and the underpinning science.
The event was just the start of what hopes to be a growing public awareness campaign that aims to reset the national conversation in the UK, bypassing misinformation, and informing communities, as well as ensuring MPs are fully informed and accountable on the crucial decision ahead.
MPs, Peers and journalists were urged to attend the event and attendees where encouraged to support a letter to the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, and broadcasters, calling on the Government and all public service broadcasters to hold an urgent televised national emergency briefing for the public, and to run a comprehensive public engagement campaign so that everyone understands the profound risks this crisis poses.
A Stark Opening: The Scale of the Threat
It was fitting that the event took place in the historical and symbolic Central Hall Westminster, which hosted the inaugural meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on 10 January 1946. More than 1,000 senior civil servants, and industrial and civic leaders attended the event with long queues around the outside of the iconic building shortly before the event was due to start. The event was billed as the “first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing”.
The briefing began with an opening statement from Chris Packham CBE, a well-known TV presenter and naturalist, Chris Packham. Holding up a mobile phone with a picture of the earth on it he announced, “For those at the back, this is a picture of a small blue dot. For us, and all the other creatures on the earth, this is our home, and it is the only home we have. As far as we know, it is the only home to life in the universe and we are failing to look after it.”
This was followed by a series of presentations from leading scientists and experts providing an authoritative assessment of the climate and nature crisis already being felt here in the UK and around the world. Each speaker warned of the environmental breakdown steering us toward socio-economic destabilisation. Despite the stark message, each speaker spoke of hope and actions that can be taken to shift the country into emergency mode.
Panel of Plain-Speaking Experts
Chaired by Prof Mike Berners-Lee, the following leading scientists provided clear, direct messages grounded in evidence and delivered with a shared sense of purpose.
Prof Kevin Anderson cut through political euphemisms on emissions and energy, laying out what a science-aligned trajectory actually requires.
Prof Nathalie Seddon explored the deep interconnections between climate and nature, clearly showing how biodiversity loss accelerates climate risks.
Prof Tim Lenton explained tipping points, those irreversible thresholds we edge closer to with every year of delay.
Prof Hayley Fowler, RMetS Trustee and Chair of the RMetS Science Engagement Committee, spoke powerfully on extreme events and adaptation realities for UK communities.
Prof Hugh Montgomery OBE highlighted the rapidly escalating health impacts of climate breakdown, from heat stress to air quality.
Angela Francis reframed the economics of climate action as a once-in-a-generation opportunity for resilience.
Prof Paul Behrens unpacked the vulnerabilities of global and domestic food systems.
Lt General Richard Nugee CB, CVO, CBE stressed national security implications, reminding us that climate impacts are threat multipliers already reshaping geopolitical stability.
Tessa Khan spoke about the urgent need for government accountability and science-led action, emphasising that the UK must adopt policies aligned with climate safety rather than fossil fuel expansion.
What stood out most was the shared tone: frank, non-partisan, and rooted in public service.
Not a Science Lecture but a Story About People
The organisers made a deliberate choice to avoid dense scientific presentations. Instead, the event unfolded as a cohesive narrative of one centred on what this crisis means for ordinary people. The speakers painted a picture of a country unprepared, but not incapable.
Aiming for a Social Tipping Point
There is a broader strategy than just this one event. The briefing is only the beginning.
A professionally filmed version of the event will anchor a nationwide campaign. A short, accessible film will be screened in communities across the UK, with local groups encouraged to invite their MPs, councillors and neighbours.
There was also a call to action for people to sign an open letter to Keir Starmer as well as broadcasters, calling on the Government and all public service broadcasters to support a public awareness campaign aiming to transform this briefing into a movement. The organisers hope this will help trigger a social tipping point, making climate and nature risks an unavoidable national priority.
Walking Out of Westminster
As delegates left the event they shared sense that something significant had happened. The tone wasn’t defeatist, it was resolute. We have the science. We have the experts. We have the public support. What we need now is the political and cultural permission to treat this emergency as exactly that: an emergency.
Prof Hayley Fowler, RMetS Trustee and Chair of the RMetS Science Engagement Committee, said:
“The National Emergency Briefing was a crucially needed event. I am alarmed by the growing climate and nature crises and quite angry that our leaders choose to mostly ignore them. We might collectively wish it wasn’t happening, but it is and we need to deal with it. It’s critical that we take action now with great urgency. Delaying action will expose us to greater risks.”
“In my talk I reminded the audience of MPs, celebrities and other influential people, that the UK is already facing severe weather impacts driven by our continued reliance on fossil fuels and that climate models are underestimating these changing hazards. The energy in the room was palpable. The alignment among the messages of the scientists was grounding given we had not shared our presentations in advance, and many of us had not met each other before. As a moment where fossil fuels were taken out of the COP30 final decision text, it is vital that politicians and the public understand the science: the risks are accelerating, and delaying action will put more lives at risk.”
“That’s why I was honoured to stand alongside nine other leading experts and Chris Packham yesterday at the National Emergency Briefing to give an honest appraisal of the scientific understanding and the threats to our national security from these twin crises. We urgently need our politicians to take these escalating weather events seriously. The UK must urgently transition away from fossil fuels and invest in resilience now, not decades from now.”
“We would urgently like everyone to sign our letter addressed to Keir Starmer and the UK’s media leadership which calls for a televised Emergency Briefing, so that many millions more can learn the truth. Misinformation is the greatest impediment to action. The public needs access to truthful information from credible sources.”
1 December 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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November 24, 2025What did COP30 in Brazil Achieve?
kathryn.wolak
24 November 2025
The two-week climate summit held in Belém, Brazil, concluded with a mixed bag of progress, deep divisions and fresh pledges.
With the final package labelled the “global mutirão” – a Portuguese term evoking community and collective effort – the gathering signalled both ambition and compromise. Here’s a breakdown of what was achieved, what fell short, and what now lies ahead.
Key COP30 Outcomes and Highlights
1. Adaptation picked up pace
Negotiators agreed, under the summit’s “global mutirão” decision, to call on countries to triple adaptation finance by 2035, albeit with a weakened baseline and delay. A set of 59 indicators were adopted for the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) to enable measurement of progress, and a decision was adopted on the next round of national adaptation plans (NAPs), ending some of the deadlock around adaptation planning.
This focus reflects the growing recognition of climate impacts already unfolding, shifting some attention away from purely mitigation-centric discussions.
2. Ambition for 1.5 °C kept alive
For the first time in a COP decision, the text acknowledges the possibility of overshooting 1.5 °C, saying ‘both the extent and duration of an overshoot need to be limited’. The text slopes towards voluntary initiatives: the Global Implementation Accelerator (GIA) and Belém Mission to 1.5 °C.
While the language remains largely non-binding, the inclusion of these elements signals a tacit recognition of how far the world still is from the 1.5 °C goal.
3. Just transition mechanism
The summit adopted a formal mechanism on just transition, anchoring labour rights, human rights, and inclusion of marginalised groups in the climate transition discussion.
This outcome was hailed by civil-society actors as a meaningful step, anchoring the idea that climate action must embed justice and equity.This represents one of the standout “wins” for those pushing for climate justice at the UN level.
4. New dialogues on trade and climate action
For the first time in a COP decision, a reference was made to trade-related climate measures (unilateral trade measures) and a plan for annual dialogues in 2026-28.
The summit launched a two-year work programme on climate finance including discussions on Article 9.1 of the Paris Agreement (the clause requiring developed countries to provide finance).
These reflect growing complexity of climate diplomacy, where issues of trade, finance architecture, and global economic equity are now firmly part of the agenda.
Where COP30 Fell Short
1. Fossil fuels and deforestation roadmaps absent
Perhaps the biggest omission: the final package did not include a roadmap for transitioning away from fossil fuels or for reversing deforestation, despite calls from many countries.
The Belém mission and GIA leave open the possibility of future roadmaps, but no clear commitments emerged. This highlights one of the key tensions i.e. ambition verses political feasibility.
2. Ambiguous finance and weak science signals
The adaptation finance tripling target lacks a baseline year, and the target date was pushed to 2035, reducing its near-term impact.
3. Lack of science endorsement
On science, the summit failed to firmly endorse the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as ‘best available science’ and omitted strong language acknowledging climate signals.
Implications of COP30
With the world still on a pathway to around 2.3-2.5 °C warming, according to UN assessments, Belém’s decisions must now be translated into action rather than just aspiration.
The newly launched mechanisms (just transition, adaptation indicators, trade dialogues) will need monitoring, resourcing and follow-through if they are to make a difference.
The next summit, COP31, must take up the loose ends i.e. fossil fuel transitions, deforestation, baseline setting for finance, and broader implementation.
For practitioners, policymakers and civil society, the question becomes how to embed these decisions into national policies, finance flows and project pipelines — and how to hold parties to account.
Final Thoughts
COP30 in Belém has a lot to show, especially for adaptation, justice and the widening of climate dialogue into trade and finance domains. Yet it is equally clear that many of the hardest levers remain unpulled.
The takeaway? This summit is a stepping-stone, not a finish line. The ‘global mutirão’ sets frameworks and signal-flags, and now the work begins of turning them into measurable commitments, funded programmes and tangible outcomes on the ground.
For the COP process to regain momentum, the next year must be about implementation, accountability and realising ambition. COP30 provided the scaffolding. The challenge now is to build the structure.
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24 November 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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November 21, 2025Fire, Fault Lines and Final Texts: COP30 Nears It’s Finale
kathryn.wolak
21 November 2025
The 30th meeting of the parties to the UNFCCC (COP30) is drawing to a close in Belém, Brazil. The summit has been billed as the ‘COP of action’, aiming to move beyond ambition-setting into implementation. But the agenda has been fraught, and major divides remain among countries on finance, adaptation, and the role of fossil fuels.
The ‘fossil fuels’ fight: inclusion, exclusion, and what it means
From early on, ‘fossil fuels’ which refers to oil, gas and coal, have been centre stage in the negotiations. At the opening, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called explicitly for a roadmap to ‘overcome dependence on fossil fuels’.
Civil society groups, like 350.org, flagged strong momentum within days of the summit opening, with support for a ‘Transition Away from Fossil Fuels (TAFF) Roadmap’. But there has been strong resistance too, notably from major fossil-fuel producing and consuming countries.
The draft text released around Tuesday 18 November contained the phrase ‘transition away from ‘fossil fuels’ and referred to a possible ‘roadmap’, with that more than 80 countries backing a roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels. The lates draft text issued early on Friday 21 November, omitted any mention of ‘fossil fuels’ or a fossil-fuel transition ‘roadmap’. This omission has triggered backlash from at least 29 countries (including many European and island states) who set the roadmap inclusion as a ‘red line’.
The fact that the inclusion of ‘fossil fuels’ is important because burning fossil fuels remains the primary source of human-driven CO₂ emissions. The failure to mention them by name is seen by many as a sign of the limits of political will, especially when major producers have vested interests. Conversely, the initial push to include a roadmap signals that many countries see the writing on the wall, that is you cannot deliver the goals of the Paris Agreement without addressing fossil fuels directly.
In short, the language battle is a proxy for bigger battles about energy systems, equity (who pays, who shifts first), and global power relations.
Where there’s been headway at COP30
There are a number of positive steps forward and constructive shifts:
The framing of COP30 has shifted more clearly toward implementation rather than just new promises, meaning the conversations are shifting.
The finance and adaptation dimensions are getting more attention. For example, developing countries stressing not just emissions but also adaptation and loss and damage.
The momentum for a fossil-fuel transition roadmap shows that the issue is increasingly ‘on the table’ rather than avoided.
The hosting of COP30 in the Amazon region and the prominence of indigenous and forest-linked voices add moral weight to the proceedings.
Where the sticking points remain
Some big obstacles remain, including:
Finance: Developing countries continue to call for much stronger commitments on climate finance, adaptation funding, and ‘loss and damage’ support. The funds promised to date are seen as inadequate.
Ambition verses feasibility: Many national climate-plans (NDCs) remain weak and the gap to stay on a 1.5 °C path is still wide. The fossil fuel phase‐out roadmap can be seen as one way to increase ambition, yet its current exclusion suggests consensus is lacking.
Producers verses consumers divide: Countries that rely heavily on fossil fuel exports or usage (oil/gas producers, large consumers) are wary of binding commitments that they see as threatening their economic models.
The fire at COP30 and its potential impact
On Thursday (20 November), a fire broke out one of the pavilions in the Blue Zone portion of the venue. While no major injuries were reported, the fire forced a full evacuation of the zone, disrupted sessions for over six hours, and injected uncertainty into already fraught scheduling.
The evacuation and subsequent safety checks mean that critical negotiating windows were lost and when time is tight, that matters. Also the negotiations thrive on momentum, and interruptions can break flows, reduce informal side-talks, slow drafting of texts.
With the summit due to wrap up imminently, any lost time tightens the margin for resolving the hardest issues. Some negotiators are already signalling that the texts may spill over beyond the scheduled close.
In conclusion
COP30 stands at a crossroads. On one hand, there is real momentum, a growing coalition of countries talking seriously about how to shift beyond fossil fuels. On the other hand, the omission of strong fossil-fuel language in the latest draft text is a major blow for ambition, and deep divides remain on finance, equity and energy system change.
As the clock ticks, the question is: will COP30 deliver enough to credibly move the needle and live up to its billing as the ‘COP of action’.
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21 November 2025
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November 20, 2025Towards a Just Transition: Why COP30 Must Get It Right
kathryn.wolak
20 November 2025
On important discussion item at COP30 is the growing focus on just transition: how we move from a high-carbon, fossil-fuel-based economy to a low-carbon, nature-positive, equitable society in a way that leaves no one behind.
What is a “just transition”?
In brief, a just transition is about fairness and inclusivity in the shift to sustainable economies. It recognises that decarbonisation doesn’t only mean closing coal-plants or stopping oil and gas, it means dealing with jobs, livelihoods, communities, supply chains and social protections.
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), COP30 will consider integrating just transition and decent work considerations into climate plans, “ensuring that mitigation and adaptation ambition supports livelihoods, protects all workers and businesses, and leverages socio-economic opportunities for creating sustainable enterprises and generating decent jobs for all.”
From the UN human-rights perspective, a just transition towards environmentally sustainable economies and societies for all “must ensure that no people, workers, places, sectors, countries or regions are left behind in the transition from a high-carbon to a low-carbon economy.”
So a just transition means pairing ambitious climate action with fairness, ensuring workers, vulnerable communities, indigenous peoples and developing economies are supported and empowered through the change, not left stranded.
Why COP30 is a pivotal moment for just transition
COP30 presents a moment of opportunity and urgency. The presidency for COP30 has signalled that inclusive development, green jobs and workforce-reskilling will be among its priorities. The long-standing “just transition” agenda under the Just Transition Work Programme (JTWP) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is now at a juncture and COP30 is expected to deliver concrete decisions on it, moving beyond principles to implementation. In the broader context of climate action, the shift away from fossil fuels to renewables, integrating nature-based solutions, sustainable adaptation and climate finance, can support fair transitions essential to legitimacy and effectiveness. But they need to be delivered with a just transition as the focus.
In short: COP30 is not just about “how much” we cut emissions, but how we do it. The methods matter.
What a just transition means in practice
A just transition takes many different forms. It includes social dialogue and stakeholder engagement with workers, unions, employers, communities and indigenous peoples must be part of the process. It ensures decent work and labour rights so that new green-economy jobs are safe, secure, fairly paid, and accessible to those coming out of high-carbon sectors. It focuses on skills, reskilling and education enabling workers from old industries to move into new ones. Social protection and safety nets are also key to ensure that when some sectors decline, affected workers and communities have options and support. It includes inclusive growth and economic diversification so that regions dependent on fossil fuels are supported through economic change, not left behind.
As countries discuss pathways to net-zero at COP30, the question isn’t only when but how, with implications for jobs and communities. As we commit to large-scale transitions, we must finance the human side of them: training, social protection, diversification. The focus on forests, biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and vulnerable groups aligns with the justice dimension of transition, yet many nations need to integrate just-transition language and logic into their climate plans.
Final thought
Climate action that ignores the social dimension isn’t only unjust, it’s unsustainable. Countries may set ambitious targets, but unless the transition is fair, inclusive and resilient, the risk is that communities, workers and regions lose out, undermining political support and implementation. COP30 in Belém offers a chance to move beyond rhetoric to actionable justice. Less fossil fuels, more jobs, stronger nature, and communities that are better off in the low-carbon future, not lost.
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20 November 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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November 20, 2025Snow hits UK coasts and worst-affected regions could face travel disruption and power cuts, says Met Office
Blizzard conditions are possible in parts of north-east England where an amber warning for snow has come into force, the Met Office has said.
Sleet and snow showers continued to hit UK coasts overnight into Thursday, with the worst-affected areas facing disruption to travel and potential power cuts, the forecaster said.
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November 19, 2025North Scotland and east and west coasts of UK to get wintry showers but conditions will be brighter and drier inland
Wintry conditions are expected to continue in coastal areas of the UK after up to 7cm (2.7in) of snow fell in parts of the country.
The Met Office said conditions in central inland areas were likely to be brighter and drier, while wintry showers were expected on the coasts of north Scotland and the east and west coasts of the UK.
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November 19, 2025Summary of First Week of COP30
kathryn.wolak
19 November 2025
The 30th UN Climate Change Conference (COP30) kicked off in Belém, Brazil, drawing more than 56,000 participants, making it the second-largest climate conference ever, behind only COP28 in Dubai. Here’s a breakdown of the major developments, key themes and tensions from the first week.
The Context and Setting
Hosted in Belém, at the heart of the Amazon Basin, COP30 is taking place amid heightened global attention on forests, biodiversity and indigenous rights. The Brazilian government has emphasised unprecedented indigenous participation with around 2,500 indigenous delegates attending. Yet access remained limited with only around 14% (~360 individuals) of indigenous attendees secured accreditation for the negotiating area.
Meanwhile, fossil-fuel and agribusiness lobbyists made a strong showing with about one in every 25 registered participants (~1,600) is a fossil-fuel lobbyist. And the US notably did not send high-level leadership to the summit, its absence looms as a symbolic gap in global solidarity.
Climate Finance: Loss & Damage Fund and the $1.3 Trillion Roadmap
The long-anticipated Loss and Damage Fund (initially agreed at COP27) has launched its first call for project proposals, totalling US$250 million initially. Vulnerable countries can apply from mid-December, with awards up to US$20 million per project slated for mid-2026.
A new roadmap dubbed “Baku to Belém Roadmap to US$1.3T” was issued by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), outlining how to mobilise roughly US$1.3 trillion in climate finance by 2035, with the private sector expected to cover about half.
On the philanthropic front, more than 35 major philanthropic organisations announced a combined US$300 million commitment to accelerate innovation in climate-health, adaptation and resilience.
Climate finance, especially for adaptation and loss/damage, remains a critical lever for developing nations. These moves signal progress, but the scale and speed remain far behind what many deem necessary.
Reports and Mitigation Progress
The International Energy Agency’s 2025 World Energy Outlook highlights that renewables built between now and 2030 will exceed what was built in the previous 40 years. Oil and coal are projected to peak by 2030.
An analysis by Carbon Brief indicates that China’s CO₂ emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months, and solar and wind growth in Q3 has been strong.
On Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), 86 new national climate plans were submitted by 113 countries ahead of COP30 and suggest emissions could be ~12 % lower in 2035 than in 2019. But, despite these signals, greenhouse gas concentrations of CO₂, methane and nitrous oxide all reached record levels in 2024, and current pledges still point towards ~2.6 °C warming.
There are positive signs of transition and ambition, but the gap between current action and what’s required remains wide.
Forests, Land Rights and Carbon Markets
The Brazilian COP30 President unveiled the flagship Tropical Forest Forever Fund, with an aim to pay for forest conservation. While 53 countries endorsed it, the initial target of US$25 billion has been scaled back with pledges so far amount to US$5.5 billion.
A dozen countries pledged recognition of land rights across 80 million hectares inhabited by indigenous and Afro-descendant communities by 2030.
On carbon markets, Brazil launched a coalition to harmonise standards, with the EU, China, UK, Canada and others joining. Integration of carbon markets is seen as one of COP30’s potential legacies.
Forest conservation and land rights are essential for climate mitigation, biodiversity, and justice. Carbon markets offer economic pathways, but success depends on strong governance and equity.
Climate Disinformation
A major development is the launch of the Declaration on Information Integrity on Climate. Countries, UN agencies and civil society are committed to tackling misinformation undermining climate action.
It’s the first time that states have formally committed to rooting out climate misinformation. The Declaration calls on governments to ensure access to accurate data, protect journalists and scientists, and adopt responsible private-sector practices.
Beyond technology and policy, the narrative and integrity of information matter and misinformation can delay action or amplify doubt. This keeps the ‘information war’ front and centre.
Final Thoughts
Week 1 of COP30 in Belém offered a mix of promise and friction. On one hand, tangible progress with large numbers of participants, new funds and frameworks, and emerging trajectories in renewables and planning. On the other hand, the systemic issues persist: under-representation; corporate lobbying; and a mismatch between ambition and action.
As the summit advances, all eyes will be on whether the talks become commitments, and commitments become action. The location in the Amazon, the inclusion of indigenous leadership and the urgency of forests – and now misinformation – mean COP30 is not just another conference. The challenge remains: can it live up to its setting?
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19 November 2025
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November 17, 2025Warnings in place until 8am Saturday, with sub-zero overnight temperatures also expected to disrupt transport
Amber cold health alerts have been issued for northern England amid warnings of sub-zero overnight temperatures this week.
The UK Health Security Agency issued amber warnings for north-east and north-west England, and Yorkshire and the Humber. The alerts indicate an “increase in risk to health for individuals aged over 65 years or those with pre-existing health conditions, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases” as well as greater risk of disruptions to roads and public transport.
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November 17, 2025‘Wubbo’ has made it on to the list and so has ‘Dave’, but although I’ve tried a hundred times, including my kids’ names, I’ve had absolutely no luck
The UK’s most memorable storm occurred in 1987, almost 30 years before storms got names, and will therefore always be known as “the one that Michael Fish said definitely wouldn’t happen”. It was a devastating weather event if you cared about trees, or you held adult responsibility for a roof. If you were 14 and all the routes to school were blocked, yet the train to the cinema was unaccountably still running, and you went to see Hope and Glory – which, in a delicious twist of fate, was also about a kid who couldn’t go to school (although in his case because it had been destroyed in the blitz) – it was just about the best weather-related thing ever to happen. If I ever feel bad for Fish, who has a bunch of weather qualifications and yet saw his reputation defined by this one wrong call, it’s because I enjoyed that day so much that I feel I owe him.
Ten years ago this month, the Met Office began naming storms with Abigail, which (who?) was unremarkable, unless you lived in the Outer Hebrides, where the schools closed and the power shut down, so nobody could even go to the cinema. That’s the thing about weather: it’s very unevenly distributed. There’s no way of getting those with the broadest shoulders to carry the heaviest weight. Storm Claudia, which has just passed, killed a woman in the Algarve and caused catastrophic flooding in south Wales, while everyone outside its path merely looked up, wondered whether it was named after Claudia Winkleman (it wasn’t – it was named by the Spanish meteorological agency), and went on with their day.
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November 17, 2025Tackling Climate Change Means Protecting Nature — Not Just Cutting Carbon
kathryn.wolak
17 November 2025
At the heart of the global climate challenge lies a simple truth: you cannot separate the climate from nature. Trees absorb carbon, wetlands regulate water, and intact ecosystems, such as mangroves, slow routes to emissions and destruction.
The role of COP30: where climate, nature and action come together
The opportunity to advance this integrated view is no greater than at COP30 in Belém, Brazil on the edge of the Amazon rainforest. Not just to talk about emission targets, but to place forests, ecosystems and nature centre-stage in global climate policy.
The proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) is a good example. This is a funding mechanism aimed at preserving tropical forests, not just in Brazil, as a climate mitigation and nature-protection tool. If COP30 successfully bridges carbon metrics and nature-based safeguards, it will push us beyond the tunnel vision on emissions and into the full complexity of what “climate action” really means.
The UK government’s stance: mixed signals
The UK government has publicly acknowledged the importance of forests and nature in climate action. For example, it pledged £239 million to help forest-rich nations halt and reverse deforestation in November 2024. Furthermore, a GOV.UK statement affirmed: “The programme will build on long-running UK initiatives to improve the governance of forests, support the trade of sustainable forest products and crackdown on illegal ones.”
However, there are current tensions and criticisms. On the eve of COP30, the UK opted out of joining the TFFF, despite having helped design it. At a practical level this decision raises questions about how committed the UK is to nature-as-climate-action, not just emissions reductions. Civil society groups have flagged that while funding is pledged, strategy and prioritisation remain weak.
One-time UK environment minister, Zac Goldsmith, elaborated that “We cannot protect nature unless we address climate change, and we cannot properly address climate change unless we restore nature.” And Goldsmith went on to criticise the UK government by saying “This government seems only interested in one-dimensional carbon accounting.”
Why this matters
If climate policy focuses purely on emissions, for example switching from fossil fuels to renewables, and neglects the vital role of ecosystem health, we risk losing large potential sinks of carbon, under-valuing biodiversity and resilience, as well as losing the moral and practical link between nature protection and human livelihoods.
COP30 provides a moment to reconnect those dots. But progress depends on both ambition and coherent funding and strategy, from developed countries including the UK. The divergence between rhetoric and choice is becoming ever more evident.
Final thoughts
So as we watch COP30 unfold, a useful lens is this: Are forests, wetlands, biodiversity and ecosystems treated as side-notes to carbon, or as central, inseparable pieces of the climate puzzle? If nature remains secondary, we’ll struggle to deliver the deep transformation the planet needs. The UK may still contribute significantly to the solution, but its avoidance of the TFFF raises real questions about whether its climate-nature agenda is fully aligned, or too narrowly framed around emissions alone.
Explore more COP30 updates from RMetS
17 November 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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November 16, 2025The aftermath of the worst flooding in 3o years in the south Wales town, where a major incident was declared in the early hours of Saturday after the River Monnow burst its banks
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November 16, 2025Rescue operations in Wales, submerged railway lines in Cornwall – these events are ever more common. So why have we utterly failed to prepare?
As autumn blurs into winter, the news is once again filling up with a familiar story: overflowing rivers, inundated streets and overwhelmed infrastructure. Since Friday, England, Wales and Ireland have been hit by the storm the Spanish meteorological agency has elegantly named Claudia, with grim results. One place in particular massively bore the brunt of it all: the Welsh border town of Monmouth, where the raging River Monnow spilled into the streets, people had to be rescued from their homes and drones captured aerial views of the scene, showing fragile-looking buildings suddenly surrounded by a huge clay-brown swamp.
Claudia and her effects made it into the national headlines – but mostly, local and regional floods now seem too mundane to attract that kind of attention. Eleven days ago, Cumbria saw submerged roads, blocked drains and over 250 flood-related problems reported to the relevant councils. Railway lines in Cornwall were submerged; in Carmarthen, in west Wales, there were reports of the worst floods in living memory. But beyond the areas affected, who heard about these stories? Such comparatively small events, it seems, are now only to be expected.
John Harris is a Guardian columnist
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November 16, 2025Flood warnings still in place in England and Wales, as plunging temperatures forecast with possible snow and ice
Emergency services are continuing to deal with severe flooding caused by Storm Claudia.
A major incident was declared in Monmouth, south-east Wales, where people were rescued or evacuated from homes that were flooded during torrential rain on Friday.
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November 15, 2025Footage from Monmouth and Abergavenny shows severe flooding after heavy rainfall on Friday. South Wales fire and rescue service declared a major incident in Monmouth in the early hours of Saturday after ‘severe and widespread’ flooding across the town and surrounding communities
Storm Claudia: major incident declared after severe flooding in UK
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November 15, 2025South Wales fire service describes ‘large-scale incident’ as England braces for cold weather warnings
A major incident has been declared in the aftermath of Storm Claudia, with more rain and flooding expected across Britain and Ireland on Saturday.
Four severe flood warnings had been issued by Natural Resources Wales as of 6am. This means there was a “significant risk to life and significant disruption to the community is expected”.
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November 14, 2025Met Office upgrades warnings to amber with ‘persistent and heavy’ rain, strong winds and thunderstorms forecast for Friday
Storm Claudia is expected to bring torrential rain to parts of England and Wales as the Met Office upgraded its warnings.
Amber warnings for “persistent and heavy” rain come into force from noon on Friday until the end of the day and cover parts of Wales, the Midlands, the south-west, the south-east and east of England.
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November 13, 2025Risk of flooding in parts of England and Wales as storm that has battered Canary Islands makes land
Flooding could hit parts of the UK with forecasters issuing an amber warning for rain.
Storm Claudia, which was named by the Spanish meteorological service, will bring heavy downpours and strong winds on Friday for much of the country. Some areas could have up to 8cm of rain, with deep flood water posing a danger to life.
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November 13, 2025Understanding COP30: The Difference Between Formal and Action Agendas
kathryn.wolak
13 November 2025
As world leaders, scientists, and civil society gather in Belém, Brazil for COP30, one of the most important United Nations climate summits yet, you may hear two terms being used: the formal agenda and the action agenda. Both are essential to how a COP functions, but they serve very different purposes. So what’s the difference, and why does it matter?
The Formal Agenda: Where Negotiations Happen
The formal agenda is the official, legal part of the COP, where countries sit down to negotiate and make decisions that can shape international climate policy for years to come.
These discussions happen between government delegates and are guided by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Every word and comma can matter because the outcomes, known as decisions, are legally recognised under international climate agreements such as the Paris Agreement.
Typical items on the formal agenda at COP30 include:
Finalising the new global climate finance goal to replace the current $100 billion annual commitment, a key point of contention between developed and developing nations.
Progress on national climate plans (NDCs), which countries must strengthen ahead of 2025 to stay aligned with the 1.5°C temperature goal.
The Global Goal on Adaptation, helping countries prepare for and adapt to climate impacts.
Loss and Damage Fund implementation, ensuring vulnerable nations receive support after climate-related disasters.
These negotiations are often slow and technical, but they are vital. They determine how countries will collectively act, measure progress, and hold each other accountable.
The Action Agenda: Where Implementation Comes to Life
While the formal talks take place behind closed doors, the action agenda, sometimes called the “non-negotiated” or “implementation” track, brings the COP to life in a more public and practical way.
This is where cities, businesses, NGOs, researchers, youth, and indigenous communities share ideas, launch initiatives, and showcase solutions. It’s about action, not negotiation, demonstrating how commitments can be turned into reality.
Examples of action agenda items at COP30 include:
The launch of new initiatives to protect the Amazon and promote sustainable forest economies.
Partnerships on renewable energy, including collaborations between governments and private investors.
Events on climate education and literacy, such as those led by the Royal Meteorological Society and university partners.
Panels featuring indigenous leaders and local communities, showing how traditional knowledge supports climate resilience.
These discussions don’t create binding commitments, but they inspire, connect, and push progress forward on the ground, often faster than the formal process can.
Why Both Matter
In short, the formal agenda shapes the rules of the global response to climate change, while the action agenda drives the real-world momentum behind those rules. Think of the formal agenda as setting the destination and the action agenda as showing the many routes we can take to get there. Without both, COPs would lose their power: one provides structure and accountability, the other provides energy and innovation. Understanding these two sides helps us appreciate how global climate progress really happens: through negotiation and through action.
Explore more COP30 updates from RMetS
13 November 2025
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November 13, 2025COP30 Kicks Off: Resilience, Data, and the Power of Climate Education Take the Stage
kathryn.wolak
13 November 2025
The first few days of the 30th annual UN climate conference in Belém, Brazil, have already laid down significant signals about the direction of the global climate agenda.
The framing of COP30 strongly emphasises implementation — shifting from “what we will do” to “how we deliver”.
Over the first couple of days the focus has been on “readiness and resilience” — emphasising adaptation, infrastructure, local governments, circular economy, water/waste systems.
Major Themes and Highlights:
Readiness, Resilience and Adaptation
The early sessions made clear that climate change is no longer just about long-term emissions reductions, but about what is happening now — as the weather becomes more extreme and the impacts become more devastating.
There has been a strong emphasis on infrastructure, cities, water management, waste, local action, bio-economy and circular economy under the umbrella of resilience. And how to track adaptation progress, set measurable indicators, and mobilise resources for adaptation solutions.
Finance, Nature and Forests
Nature-based solutions and forests are centre-stage — particularly given the Amazon host-setting.
Finance remains a central question: how to mobilise enough for adaptation, nature protection, and resilience — and how to ensure the money actually gets to the places and systems that need it most.
The interplay between public finance, private capital, access for developing countries, and equity in finance is becoming more visible.
Equity, Justice, and Implementation
There is a clear thread that climate action must incorporate justice, inclusion, and the voices of those most vulnerable. The adaptation/resilience focus reinforces this.
The “just transition” agenda is more present and how to ensure that workers, communities, and regions transition fairly into low-carbon futures.
Implementation challenges are front and centre as the world is increasingly acknowledging that many earlier targets are off track, so COP30 is being framed as the “deliver” COP, not just the “promise” COP.
Symbolism and Political Context
Hosting in the Amazon region is highly symbolic as it binds climate with forests, Indigenous rights, nature and the Global South’s voice.
Geopolitical dynamics, trust in multilateralism, finance flows and whether developed/developing countries meet past commitments remain sources of tension and focus.
Addressing the Data Gap
At COP30 on 11 November, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF) officially launched its 2025 Action Report (https://un-soff.org/soff-action-report-2025/ ) and the Systematic Observation Impact Bond (watch the video https://un-soff.org/impactbond/).
SOFF not only recognises, but is taking swift action in, closing the global weather and climate data gap, particularly in Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where less than 10 % of required surface-based observations are currently exchanged.
By spotlighting SOFF early in the conference, COP30 is signalling that data infrastructure, and not just emission cuts or finance pledges, is integral to the climate agenda. The data gap is being framed as a core bottleneck for adaptation and resilience.
Florence Rabier, Director-General of ECMWF, spoke at the SOFF launch on 11 November, underlining that closing the observing-system gap is foundational for accurate forecasts, early warnings and climate services. Watch her brief video message on the importance of SOFF on the RMetS COP30 website.
Education Takes Centre Stage
As COP30 moves into the middle of the first week, attention shifts towards education, skills, culture and justice, recognising that long-term climate progress depends not only on policy and finance, but on empowering people with the knowledge to act. Wednesday 12 November marks the launch of the Royal Meteorological Society’s Climate Literacy School Leavers Survey, a landmark initiative exploring how climate literate young people are when they leave school.
Education is one of the core enablers of meaningful climate action, shaping how future generations interpret information, make informed choices, and build resilience in their communities. This will be highlighted in the Education Panel hosted by Cambridge University Press in the Blue Pavilion, where Professor Liz Bentley, Chief Executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, joins other global education leaders to discuss how climate literacy and future-focused skills through education systems can accelerate the transition to a more sustainable world as well as navigating misinformation.
The education theme at COP30 is a timely reminder that effective climate solutions rely on both scientific insight and societal understanding, and that investing in climate literacy today is essential to building a resilient, informed, and empowered global community tomorrow.
Explore more COP30 updates from RMetS
13 November 2025
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November 13, 2025From Anglesey to Ben Nevis and Burnley, observers have been gathering invaluable data for hundreds of years
British people have always had a keen interest in the weather. Not only do they talk about it, they go out and measure it. A new paper in the journal Weather celebrates some of the UK’s most prolific and dedicated rainfall observers.
Richard Towneley started the trend in 1677, taking regular measurements of the amount of rain that fell at Towneley Hall near Burnley. By 1860, George Symons had started to coordinate the collection of rainfall data and set up the British Rainfall Organisation, gathering data from several hundred rain gauges across the nation. Many observers diligently collected observations for 50 years or more, while others, such as Clement Lindley Wragge, went to great lengths to gather their data. Wragge walked a 22km (14-mile) round trip every day between June and October of 1881 to retrieve data from the weather station at the top of the UK’s highest peak, Ben Nevis.
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November 12, 2025UK school leavers still unprepared for green careers, new RMetS survey finds
nathan.reece@r…
12 November 2025
The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) has released the results of its 2025 Climate Literacy Survey, revealing that many UK school leavers still lack the understanding and skills needed to participate fully in the transition to a green economy.
The annual survey, which gathered responses from over 1,000 school leavers across the UK, found continued limited understanding of the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as low awareness of the policies and actions that can help people prepare for and adapt to a changing climate in the UK.
Professor Sylvia Knight, Head of Education at the Royal Meteorological Society, said:
“As the UK moves toward a clean energy economy, climate literacy will be fundamental to preparing young people for green careers. Our latest survey shows that while students care deeply about climate change, many are leaving school without the knowledge and confidence they’ll need to make informed choices – both as citizens and as workers in a decarbonised economy.”
The findings come after the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) and the Review of the Northern Ireland Curriculum, which placed climate and environmental education at the heart of its recommendations, and the UK Government’s plan to create 400,000 new clean energy jobs by 2030. Together, they highlight both the urgency and opportunity in strengthening climate education across the UK’s nations.
Among the key findings of the 2025 Climate Literacy Survey:
Students show good awareness of which countries are currently emitting the most greenhouse gases, but less understanding of per capita and historical emissions, as well as regional variations in future climate impacts, which underpin global discussions on climate justice.
Trust is highest in teachers, reinforcing the need to ensure teachers have access to high-quality, up-to-date training and classroom resources.
Trust in social media is comparatively low, highlighting the importance of teaching media and data literacy to help students evaluate information sources and biases.
Students in Scotland showed the strongest awareness of wind power’s contribution to the UK’s energy mix, suggesting stronger visibility of careers in this sector.
10% of respondents in Wales reported not learning about climate change since primary school – considerably higher than in other nations.
The current geography curriculum’s emphasis on past climate change and its natural causes has led to limited recognition among students in England that the warming since the Industrial Revolution has been driven almost entirely by human activity. Without this awareness, students may struggle to recognise that people can – and should – take meaningful action to reduce climate change and its impacts on both society and the natural world.
RMetS has long championed the integration of climate literacy across the curriculum, publishing its Curriculum for Climate Literacy earlier this year – a benchmark framework showing how all subjects can contribute to high-quality climate education.
Professor Knight added:
“As the curriculum is revised or developed in all four Nations of the UK, we have an unprecedented opportunity to significantly improve the climate literacy of our school leavers. If we want a workforce ready for a net-zero economy, we have to start with education.”
The full results of the 2025 Climate Literacy Survey, along with analysis, are available from the Royal Meteorological Society’s education platform, Metlink.
Schools in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales will be invited to contribute to this critical piece of ongoing research early in 2026. Please contact education@rmets.org now to register your interest.
12 November 2025
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November 11, 2025Why COPs Matter: The World’s Climate Negotiating Table
kathryn.wolak
11 November 2025
Every year, leaders from nearly 200 nations gather for the UN Climate Change Conference, better known as the COP (Conference of the Parties). It’s easy to dismiss these summits as talk shops filled with speeches and political wrangling — but without them, the world would have no shared forum to tackle the defining issue of our time: the climate crisis.
Why COPs Are Essential
The COP process is more than diplomacy. It’s the only global platform where all nations — rich, poor, industrialised, and developing — come together to discuss, negotiate, and commit to collective climate action.
The COP framework ensures:• Accountability: Countries must regularly report on progress and update their emissions targets.• Equity: It gives developing nations a voice in shaping climate finance and adaptation support.• Momentum: It keeps the world’s focus on climate action, year after year, even as politics and priorities shift.
Without the COPs, there would be no Paris Agreement, no global net-zero targets, and no mechanism for tracking emissions or climate finance. Every country would be left to act — or not act — in isolation.
And even when major players like the United States choose not to fully engage — as is the case this year with the absence of U.S. delegates — the COP process remains crucial. The rest of the world continues to negotiate, build consensus, and move forward. Climate change doesn’t pause for politics, and neither can global cooperation.
Why the Royal Meteorological Society Attends
For the Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS), attending COPs is an essential part of its mission to advance understanding of weather, climate, and their impacts on society. As a scientific body, RMetS provides independent, evidence-based insight to help ensure that discussions and decisions are informed by the best available climate science.
RMetS is also a member of RINGO (Research and Independent Non-Governmental Organizations) — one of the nine official constituencies that represent civil society at COP. Through RINGO, the RMetS contributes to ensuring that scientific expertise and independent research remain at the heart of international climate negotiations, helping bridge the gap between research, policy, and real-world action.
Writing blogs like this is also an important part of that work. Communicating clearly about why these global conferences matter — and what progress is being made — empowers individuals, communities, and organisations to connect their own actions to the broader global effort. It’s how science translates into awareness, and awareness into change.
What We’d Lose Without COP
If COPs didn’t exist, climate action would likely be slower, patchier, and driven by short-term national interests. There would be no shared roadmap to limit global temperature rise, no system for climate adaptation aid, and no international pressure on high emitters to do better. The science would be clear, but the coordination would be chaos.
Progress So Far
While the world is still far from meeting the Paris Agreement’s goal of limiting warming to 1.5°C, progress has been made. A decade ago, before the Paris Agreement in 2015, the world was on track for a catastrophic 4 to 5°C of warming by 2100. Thanks to the pledges, policies, and investments made since then — many born directly from COP negotiations — the current trajectory is around 2.5–2.7°C by century’s end.
That may still be too high, but it’s a profound shift in the right direction. And behind that progress are real-world actions:• Dozens of countries have enshrined net-zero by mid-century in law.• Renewables now supply over 30% of global electricity.• Climate finance to developing countries has more than doubled in the past decade.
The Bigger Picture
The COPs have not solved climate change — but they have changed the global direction of travel.
They have built the frameworks, mobilised trillions in investment, and given rise to global agreements that anchor hope in coordinated action rather than isolated efforts.
Every degree — even every fraction of a degree — matters. And without the COP process, we would almost certainly be facing a far hotter, more unstable world than the one still within our power to protect.
11 November 2025
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November 10, 2025Remembering Alan Grant
kathryn.wolak
10 November 2025
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Alan Grant, who died on 22 October 2025.
Alan was a valued member of our community and a Fellow of the Society during his time with us. He made significant contributions to his field and was recognised with both the QJ Editor’s Award in 2003 and the Buchan Prize in 2006. His dedication is deeply appreciated by those who had the pleasure of working alongside him.
A funeral service for Alan will be held at 2:30pm on Thursday, 20 November 2025, at Easthampstead Crematorium, Bracknell. Please contact info@rmets.org if you wish to attend, so that we can inform the organisers.
Our thoughts are with Alan’s family, friends, and all who knew him at this time.
10 November 2025
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November 10, 2025The Amazon Speaks at COP30
nathan.reece@r…
10 November 2025
For the first time ever, the UN’s annual climate summit — COP30 — is being held in the Amazon. The host city of Belém in Brazil sits near the edge of the world’s largest rainforest: a vast, living ecosystem that absorbs billions of tonnes of carbon, regulates global rainfall, and sustains one in every ten known species on Earth.
The Amazon is home to more than 1.5 million Indigenous people and stores around 150–200 billion tonnes of carbon in its trees and soils. Scientists warn that if deforestation pushes beyond a critical “tipping point,” vast areas could transform into dry savannah, releasing that carbon back into the atmosphere and accelerating global warming.
Brazil’s story captures both the hope and contradiction of climate politics. Under the current Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, deforestation in the Amazon fell by nearly 50% between 2022 and 2024, reversing the record-breaking losses seen under former president Jair Bolsonaro. In 2024 alone, Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions dropped 17% — the largest annual reduction in 15 years. These gains made Brazil one of the few major economies actually cutting emissions in line with the Paris Agreement’s goals.
And yet, Lula’s government has also approved new offshore oil exploration near the mouth of the Amazon River. The tension is clear: Brazil is trying to fund its green transition through fossil fuel revenues — a balancing act shared by many developing nations caught between urgent climate goals and pressing economic needs.
For Indigenous leaders, however, the message is unequivocal. They are demanding firm recognition of land rights, direct access to climate finance, and explicit protection from extractive industries like mining, logging, and oil drilling. Studies show that deforestation rates are up to three times lower in Indigenous-managed territories — proof that Indigenous stewardship is one of the most effective tools for protecting the planet’s lungs.
Brazil has pledged to include a record 1,000 Indigenous delegates at COP30 and to broadcast parts of the summit in Indigenous languages. But inclusion isn’t enough without influence. As Shuar leader Juan Carlos Jintiach put it: “We have been seeing all of these changes, and we are the most affected. We want to present solutions.”
The Amazon’s health shapes the climate right around the world — influencing rainfall, crop yields, and global weather extremes. Protecting Indigenous rights in Brazil isn’t just a moral cause; it’s climate action in its purest form.
Explore more COP30 updates from RMetS
10 November 2025
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November 6, 2025A pivotal moment: why COP30 matters more than ever
nathan.reece@r…
06 November 2025
The 30th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP30) is hosted by Brazil in the city of Belém. This landmark COP arrives at a moment of heightened urgency — climate science, global geopolitics, socio-economic vulnerability and ecosystems are all signalling that the next few years are decisive.
Significance of COP30
COP30 marks three decades of UNFCCC negotiations and comes ten years after the landmark Paris Agreement (COP21 in 2015) offering a moment to reflect on what has been achieved and what remains to be done.
This COP takes place in Brazil, in the Amazon region, symbolically and practically linking climate negotiations to forests, biodiversity, indigenous rights, and nature-based solutions. Belém places global climate action squarely in the context of one of the world’s most critical ecosystems. The host country’s agenda emphasises adaptation, resilience, forests, sustainable supply-chains and biodiversity protection which reflects the reality that mitigation alone is no longer enough.
Looking back: the Paris Agreement, progress and the journey so far
Ten years ago, in December 2015, nearly 200 nations met in Paris (COP21) and adopted the Paris Agreement which was a historic moment in climate diplomacy. The accord committed countries to hold “the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2 °C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5 °C.” It introduced a framework of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), a five-year review cycle, and a recognition of adaptation, finance and equity.
There have been some notable highlights since 2015:
Clean energy deployment has accelerated, cost curves of renewables and storage have improved, giving hope for decarbonisation.
More governments, cities and corporations have adopted net-zero targets; in many places the climate agenda has become mainstream.
The narrative around climate action has shifted: from awareness and promises to implementation and accountability-oriented discussion.
However, the picture is also sobering:
According to a UNFCCC review: “the world is not on track to meet the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement”.
Many countries have failed to submit updated, ambition-raising NDCs on time. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and intense, due to human induced climate change.
So, the decade since Paris has seen meaningful progress, but not nearly enough to guarantee that the 1.5 °C goal remains feasible — and COP30 will need to focus less on pledges and more on robust, tangible implementation.
What to expect from COP30
Against that backdrop, what might COP30 deliver, and what is especially on the table given the Brazilian context?
Key themes and expectations:
COP30 is scheduled for 10–21 November 2025 in Belém, Brazil.
The host has framed an ambitious agenda: forests, oceans, biodiversity; energy, industry, transport; agriculture and food systems; cities, infrastructure and water; human and social development; and cross-cutting issues.
Brazil’s presidency emphasises adaptation and resilience in a world already facing climate disasters. This includes restoring mangroves, climate-smart agriculture, early warning systems etc.
There is attention on scaling up climate finance. One landmark aim is mobilising many billions – for example, a roadmap to raise US$1.3 trillion by 2030 for developing countries.
Expect emphasis on nature-based solutions and biodiversity protection, leveraging the Amazon as both symbol and substance.
Breaking with the norm from recent COPs, the two-day world leaders’ summit was a few days before COP30 begins from Thursday 6th November. Removing it from the first two days of proceedings may leave more time for negotiations to progress without the distraction of various world leaders and figureheads such as Sir Keir Starmer and Prince William.
What outcomes might we see?
At COP30, feasible outcomes could include:
Updated NDCs or clear pathways for the next cycle of ambition especially in countries that are lagging.
Clear mechanisms or finance vehicles to translate adaptation/resilience pledges into investment and infrastructure notably with nature-based dimensions.
Enhanced policy linkage between mitigation and adaptation: e.g. forest conservation counting toward both carbon and biodiversity goals.
A stronger global signal: that climate diplomacy is shifting from debating targets to delivering solutions, especially in frontline regions like the Amazon and the Global South.
Possibly binding or semi-binding mechanisms around implementation, transparency, and linking finance flows.
Why is the fact that COP30 is in Brazil significant?
Hosting in the Amazon region visually underscores that climate change is not a future threat, it is here and now and ecosystems like the Amazon are both victims and allies of climate action.
Brazil brings both a forest-rich context and an ‘Emerging Market’ perspective: it can help shift the narrative from a developed-vs-developing dichotomy to one of global co-responsibility, especially for nature-rich countries.
The venue may help elevate issues of justice, indigenous rights, ecosystem protection and adaptation in developing regions rather than purely industrial decarbonisation alone.
6 November 2025
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November 5, 2025Climate Education at the Heart of Curriculum and Assessment Review
kathryn.wolak
05 November 2025
The Royal Meteorological Society (RMetS) welcomes the publication of the Curriculum and Assessment Review (CAR) report and the Government’s response, which place climate education firmly at the centre of the future curriculum.
We are particularly pleased to see the explicit recognition of the need to strengthen climate literacy, alongside the related competencies of digital, media, and financial literacy. Together, these skills will help equip learners for careers in industries that support both the limitation of global warming and our adaptation to life in a changing climate.
At RMetS, we know that learning in every subject has a part to play in developing climate literacy – as evidenced by our Curriculum for Climate Literacy, launched earlier this year. The foundations in science, geography, and citizenship underpin the application of climate understanding across all areas of learning, and we welcome the CAR report’s recognition of this.
Teachers already recognise the urgency of preparing their students with the knowledge, rich understanding, and skills needed for a sustainable, green economy. This report provides a strong mandate to begin delivering on that vision now, while awaiting implementation of the revised curriculum.
To realise this ambition, teachers must be supported with professional development opportunities and high-quality classroom and assessment resources. RMetS will continue to play its part – working with educators, curriculum bodies, and partners across the UK to ensure that all young people leave school with the climate literacy they need to thrive in a warming world.
5 November 2025
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November 4, 2025The Royal Meteorological Society and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
kathryn.wolak
04 November 2025
The Royal Meteorological Society is committed to supporting the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals in order to help advance the world towards a more sustainable Future for all.
What is Sustainable Development
While there have been many attempts to define Sustainable Development, there is one definition that has become widely used and accepted, that of the Brundtland Commission of the United Nations in 1987:
“sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
At the 2005 World Summit it was noted that this requires the reconciliation of environmental, social and economic demands – the “three pillars” of sustainability.
What are the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
In the words of the United Nations “the Sustainable Development Goals are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. They address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice. The 17 Goals, are all interconnected, and in order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve them all by 2030.” The SDGs were adopted by all United Nations (UN) members in 2015. Underneath the 17 Goals sit 169 targets to measure progress towards achieving the Goals.
The 17 Goals are as follows:
SDG 1 – End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
SDG 2 – End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
SDG 3 – Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.
SDG 4 – Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
SDG 5 – Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
SDG 6 – Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
SDG 7 – Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
SDG 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
SDG 9 – Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
SDG 10 – Reduce inequality within and among countries.
SDG 11 – Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
SDG 12 – Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
SDG 13 – Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by regulating emissions and promoting developments in renewable energy.
SDG 14 – Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development.
SDG 15 is to: “Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.
SDG 16 is to: “Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.
SDG 17 is to: “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
The full wording of the SDGs is often shortened and expressed in the form of the following graphic:
Weather and climate impact all SDGs
Weather and climate affects just about every aspect of people’s lives and therefore virtually everything RMetS does, through its programs and operations, helps to achieve the SDGs. The rapidly increasing private sector in the provision of weather and climate services is testament to the increased recognition of the value weather forecasts and climate information can bring to a wide range of public and private sector organisations. Weather and seasonal forecasts help farmers grow the food we need more efficiently (SDG2) which in turn leads to reducing poverty (SDG1). Weather warnings of storms and floods save many lives (SDG3). Education in weather and climate at all stages of education is vital in so many ways, not least in understanding the risks of climate change (SDG4). Weather and climate have been clearly shown to impact more on women and the poor exacerbating gender and other inequalities (SDG5), (SDG9). Climate information of rainfall is critical in planning the siting of dams and reservoirs (SDG6) as is information on wind climatology in planning future wind farms (SDG7). Our work in accreditation helps to raise standards in weather forecasting and climate research helping to provide high quality jobs (SDG8). Most industries, infrastructure and communities, including those within cities, are critically affected by the weather and climate (SDG9), (SDG10), SDG11). Improved weather forecasts help farmers and supermarkets produce and deliver the right amount of stock at the right time to reduce food waste (SDG12). SDG 13, Climate action, requires the most reliable projections of future climate on which to base decision making and all actions to conserve, protect and restore ecosystems below water or on land are critically dependent on the weather and climate (SDG14), (SDG15). It has been shown that weather and climate, for example through floods or failure of crops have been contributing factors in major conflicts, such as the Arab Spring (SDG16). And finally, the weather and climate community, including RMetS are important players in partnerships for development around the world (SDG17). These are just a few simple, illustrative examples of how weather and climate have an important role to play in the implementation of the SDGs, but in fact they are inextricably linked.
So, while it is clear that everything RMetS in some way supports SDG implementation there is always more we can do and RMetS is committed to improve and expand its efforts in support of the SDGs.
RMetS Mission and Strategic Objectives
Much of the information presented below and in the following section is extracted from the Strategic Plan of the Society, where you can find more information on RMetS and its programs:
https://www.rmets.org/sites/default/files/RMetS-2024-2026-Strategic-Plan.pdf
Mission
The Society’s mission is to advance the understanding of weather and climate and its application for the benefit of all.
The Society’s mission has a wide remit that looks to support people’s understanding, interest and enthusiasm in weather and climate, whether they are research scientists, enthusiasts, practitioners, students, teachers or members of the general public. It goes further, supporting the development of high-quality science, the next generation of scientists and operational meteorologists, professional development of individuals, accrediting further and higher education courses, informing policy and supporting learning in weather and climate through education and outreach activities.
Strategic Objectives
The strategic objectives define how the Society will achieve its mission in the long term. The Society’s strategic plan will be centred on FIVE strategic objectives.
1. To strengthen the scientific study and application of weather and climate, and related disciplines, through publications, events, partnerships, awards and training.
2. To support, develop and empower weather and climate scientists through professional accreditation, career advice, communication, provision of information and networking.
3. To engage and inspire everyone in weather and climate through events, volunteering, communication, local centres, special interest groups, public engagement and about the work of the Society.
4. To educate and inform society about weather and climate through the support and promotion of weather and climate science in education, outreach and providing public information.
5. To be an independent voice of authority, advice and advocacy for the science and the profession through the promotion of weather and climate science information in policy and decision-making and its relevance to society.
The Society’s mission is to advance the understanding of weather and climate and its application for the benefit of all.
The Society’s mission has a wide remit that looks to support people’s understanding, interest and enthusiasm in weather and climate, whether they are research scientists, enthusiasts, practitioners, students, teachers or members of the general public. It goes further, supporting the development of high-quality science, the next generation of scientists and operational meteorologists, professional development of individuals, accrediting further and higher education courses, informing policy and supporting learning in weather and climate through education and outreach activities.
Cross-cutting Priorities
The Society’s strategic cross-cutting priorities ensure the Society has the capacity and capability to achieve its strategic objectives. This includes having secure and diverse sources of income, a skilled and motivated workforce, strong strategic partnerships, sound governance, excellent marketing and communication activities, effective use of IT resources and an active group of volunteers across all our activities. In addition, the Society will prioritise and integrate diversity and inclusion and our net-zero commitment.
Programmes of Work
The Society’s strategic plan will be achieved through programmes of work. The programmes are as follows:
Membership Development
Events
Scientific Publishing
Education
Professional Development and Accreditation
Science Engagement
Support Activities
How does RMetS support the achievement of the SDGs
This section gives examples of some of the ways that RMetS directly contributes to the implementation of the SDGs. Again, it is just illustrative and is far from comprehensive.
Events
The aim of RMetS events program is to advance the science and its application of weather and climate through delivering face-to-face and online events to a growing and increasingly diverse audience from across the meteorological community and other related disciplines. The Society normally hosts between 50 to 70 events a year, including conferences, and Special Interest Groups, Local Centres and National meetings. Most of these events are run in partnership with others and are free to attend – hosting a blend of virtual, public and live-streamed events.
Examples of events run this year include extreme weather events (SDG3) (SDG13), climate resilient energy systems (SDG7) (SDG13), sea level rise (SDG14) (SDG9), how the weather affects water resources in SE England (SDG6), air quality (SDG3), hydrogen energy (SDG7), gardening and climate change (SDG2), (SDG15), weather related hazards (SDG3) (SDG9), and aviation meteorology (SDG3).
The Society runs two major conferences each year, the RMetS Annual Weather and Climate Conference and the Early Career and Student Conference. The Annual Weather and Climate Conference brings together academics, practitioners and industry to exchange ideas and knowledge. Advancing the science contributes to many SDGs, not least in helping to provide the scientific justification for SDG 13. The Early Career and Student Conference provides an opportunity for students and young scientists to present their work in a friendly environment, providing them with the experience and skills they will need as they progress their careers, directly contributing to SDG4 & SDG8.
Masterclasses that are held to provide support for professionals working in weather and climate, and its operational applications who wish to remain up to date on recent scientific developments in the field (SDG8).
Scientific publishing
Scientific publishing is one of the Society’s strengths and aims to deliver a high-quality portfolio of journals, a book programme and support scientific knowledge management and promotion of the science.
Most, if not all, the papers published in what is a diverse set of journals and publications help to advance knowledge of weather and climate and hence help to advance a wide range of the SDGs, for example (SDG13), (SDG14), (SDG15). RMetS is moving towards making all of its Journals Open Access and hence freely available to all (SDG10).
Education
The Society aspires that every student should leave school with basic weather and climate literacy (SDG4). It also promotes meteorology, as a science and profession, to encourage a more diverse student base to consider a career in meteorology (SDG5), (SDG10). The Society endeavours to maintain and raise the profile of weather and climate by responding to Government and Exam Board consultations and develop resources to support new curricula and exam specifications. MetLink is the Society’s education website, www.MetLink.org, and provides weather and climate resources aimed at primary and secondary school teachers.
But RMetS supports lifelong educational needs, from the youngest to the oldest, from those with little or no previous knowledge to some of the world’s leading experts, from enthusiasts and amateurs to professionals and all of them support SDG4.
Accreditation
The aim of the Society’s accreditation activities is to build a stronger meteorological profession through relevant, recognised and valued schemes. The Society is recognised as the professional body for meteorology in the UK, and offers independent recognition and regulation around professional development for meteorology and meteorologists. The Society defines the scope of its accreditation activity as recognising excellence in people and in organisations and their continuing professional development. In this way those working in the field of weather and climate undertake continuing professional development and have their skills independently recognised strengthening both their own skills but raising those of the sector as a whole (SDG8).
Science engagement
The aim of the Society’s science engagement activities is to advance the understanding of weather and climate outside of UK formal education settings and increase awareness of the science and its applications through collaboration with science and communication partners to maximise reach and share resources. The Society recognises the importance of engaging in conversations and providing evidence-based information about weather and climate. By being an active participant in these discussions the Society can provide constructive contributions that represent the interests of meteorology whilst increasing its visibility as an independent, authoritative voice on weather and climate.
The Society is actively involved in Government on areas around weather and climate change, including providing advice and expertise that helps inform policy makers as well as authoring statements and briefing papers (SDG13) (SDG17).
Each year the Society is involved with more than 150 media enquiries for TV, radio, print and online reports, (SDG4). These often occur during times of extreme weather (SDG3), to ensure the public are both informed and engaged with the latest weather and climate news stories.
Awards and prizes
The Royal Meteorological Society recognises excellence in meteorology and related disciplines through its Awards and Prizes. The independent recognition these prizes bring to individuals is valuable to them in their careers, SDG(8).
Support activities, operations and practices
The Society is also committed to contributing to the achievement of the SDGs through its day-to-day activities, operations and practices.
The Society undertakes a number of support activities including: support to the headquarters team through training and development (SDG8), building maintenance (SDG9) and office management. The Society has also recently introduced Private Health and Salary Sacrifice schemes for staff (SDG8).
The Society has made a Net Zero commitment that aims to raise awareness of sustainability and pathways to net zero and to lead by example through our commitment to becoming a net zero organisation (SDG13). Through a range of activities including replacing an old gas boiler with heat pumps powered by renewable electricity from a verified supplier, the Society has met its commitment to achieving net zero direct emissions (Scope 1 and Scope 2) where we have direct control by 2025. The Society will also work towards net zero indirect emissions (Scope 3) by 2030, subject to full feasibility assessments. A large component of the Society’s indirect (Scope 3) greenhouse gas emissions comes as a result of our scientific publishing activities. We have therefore initiated a Pathway to Net Zero project with our publishers, Wiley.
The Society aims to lead by example and encourage the meteorological community to be both diverse and inclusive making the best use of the talent that exists in all parts of society to provide access to the world of science, technology and the profession of meteorology for all (SDG5), (SDG8), (SDG10). The Society’s Diversity and Inclusion plan embeds the importance of our diversity and inclusion strategy in everything the Society does and aims to deliver on a progression framework.
The Society has changed the way it provides food and refreshments at events to be vegetarian (SDG3), provided by local providers (SDG8) with strong sustainability credentials (SDG12). This year we introduced bamboo badges, replacing the older plastic badges. These badges are made in the UK, reusable, and the inserts are recyclable. The badges have been an enormous su345cess with our event delegation with comments not only about their appearance but their environmental impact as well (SDG3).
Summary
Because of the all-pervasive impact of weather and climate throughout society virtually all RMetS does contributes to the achievement of the SDGs in some way. As part of the development of its next Strategic Plan, the process for which begins in late 2025, the Society will seek ways to further integrate the SDGs into its activities. Without pre-empting this process, ways of doing this could include:
1. The adoption of a tool to measure the Society’s impact across each SDG. There are several tools available for doing this an example of which is shown below.
2. The development of action plans for each of the Society’s programmes of work, its support activities, operations and practices.
3. A programme of engagement with key stakeholders, partners, suppliers and members to, if necessary, make them aware of the SDGs and then to seek ways to involve them in ways the Society can increase the positive impact it has on the SDGs.
In summary, the Society will continue to seek ways to maximise its contribution to the achievement of the SDGs in order to help the world towards a more sustainable future for all.
5 November 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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November 4, 2025New Co-Editors in Chief of the International Journal of Climatology
kathryn.wolak
04 November 2025
We would like to update you on some changes to the International Journal of Climatology Editorial team.
We are sad to announce that Bill Collins stepped down as Editor in Chief for IJoC on October 31st at the end of his term. Bill joined the journal in 2021 and during that time has contributed greatly to the development of the journal and will be greatly missed. Bill is succeeded by Chris White who has already been a fantastic support to the journal as a Deputy Editor in Chief over the last four and a half years. Chris and Enric Aguilar will make a great Co Editor in Chief team going forward. Taking Chris’s position on the Senior Editorial team is Thanos Athanassios, a former winner of the International Journal of Climatology’s Editor Award. Congratulations to Chris and Thanos for your new roles on the journal and good luck to Bill in all your future endeavours.
There have also been some changes to the Editorial Board team. Two of our longstanding AEs have chosen to step down from their roles at the end of 2025 – John Abatzoglou and Ian McKendry. We are so grateful for John and Ian’s work on the journal over their many years at IJoC and wish them all the best. We would like to welcome the following Associate Editors: Dr Mohammed Sarfaraz Gani Adnan (Brunel University, UK), and Dr Masoud Rostami (Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany), who both started on September 1st, Dr Thomas Ballinger (University of Alaska Fairbanks, USA) and Dr Oleg Skrynyk (Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute, Ukraine) who both started on October 1st, and Dr Pushp Tiwari (University of Hertfordshire, UK) who started on November 1st.
To see our full Editorial Board and International Advisory Board, please visit the journal website.
4 November 2025
RMetS – General [...]
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