The Grantham Institute Annual Lecture 2024 is given by trailblazing politician, environmental activist and author, Caroline Lucas.

The links between the rise of populism, and the acceleration of the nature and climate emergencies, are complex and increasingly inextricable. The extreme right will exploit any and every opportunity to sow discord, and weaponising climate action has now become a major feature of their playbook. At the same time, planetary collapse will create exactly the conditions in which the politics of the populist hard right thrives – chaos, fear and division.

Preventing Earth system collapse and preventing the rise of the extreme right are therefore twin tasks that have to be tackled together. This can seem an intractable challenge, until we recognise that it is bold climate action itself which is the best way to neutralise the populist threat. Because if it is to be successful and sustainable, climate action requires exactly the nationwide investment, democratic renewal, community resilience and active hope which are the strongest antidotes to the rise of populism.

It is precisely by tackling the isolation, exploitation, insecurity and inequality that drive the search for simplistic answers that we can have our best chance of both achieving climate action commensurate with the scale of the challenge, and countering the rise of the extreme right. Far from being a distraction, rebuilding communities, developing resilience and fostering hope are essential to addressing the climate and nature emergencies.

Caroline Lucas will be drawing on her extensive experience in grassroots activism and political leadership to share her vision for bold climate action to combat populism and rebuild our communities. Lucas is joined by Professor Tahseen Jafry, Founding Director, Mary Robinson Centre for Climate Justice, Glasgow Caledonian University, Jon Alexander, Co-founder, New Citizen Project and author of CITIZENS: Why the Key to Fixing Everything is All of Us, and Zamzam Ibrahim, Climate justice consultant, former President of the National Union of Students and co-founder of SOS-UK for a panel discussion. Opening remarks are provided by Prof Sir Brian Hoskins, Chair, Grantham Institute, Imperial College London.

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