To mark the 15th anniversary of the publication of the landmark The Economics of Climate Change: The Stern Review, Nicholas Stern will review progress and look forward to the prospects of success at COP26 and beyond.

Lord Stern will point out that global emissions of greenhouse gases have continued to climb, and the impacts of climate change have become clearer and more worrying. He will describe the evolution in understanding of the economic opportunities and risks associated with climate change, and how the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic could allow action to accelerate. He will argue that a transition to an inclusive, sustainable, and resilient form of development and growth is within our grasp, with growing numbers of countries, companies and communities committing to net-zero targets. Innovation and investment are at centre stage. Collaboration and support across the world will be critical. But he will warn that it is still unclear whether there is the political will to seize this critical opportunity to create a better world.

Meet our speaker and chair

Nicholas Stern (@lordstern1) is the IG Patel Professor of Economics and Government, Chairman of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment and Head of the India Observatory at the London School of Economics and Political Science. He was knighted for services to economics in 2004, made a cross-bench life peer as Baron Stern of Brentford in 2007, and appointed Companion of Honour for services to economics, international relations and tackling climate change in 2017.

Minouche Shafik is Director of the London School of Economics and Political Science. Prior to this, she was Deputy Governor of the Bank of England. She is an alumna of LSE.

More about this event

The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (@GRI_LSE) was established by the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2008 to create a world-leading centre for policy-relevant research and training on climate change and the environment, bringing together international expertise on economics, finance, geography, the environment, international development and political economy.

This event forms part of LSE’s Shaping the Post-COVID World initiative, a series imagining what the world could look like after the crisis, and how we get there.

Twitter Hashtag for this event: #LSESternReview15

Podcast & Video

A podcast of this event is available to download from 15 Years on from the Stern Review: economics of climate change, innovation, growth.

A video of this event is available to watch at 15 Years on from the Stern Review: economics of climate change, innovation, growth.

Podcasts and videos of many LSE events can be found at the LSE Public Lectures and Events: podcasts and videos channel.