The growth story of the 21st century: the economics and opportunity of climate action

The world stands at a crossroads. The next decade will determine whether we avoid climate, biodiversity, and economic catastrophe – or unlock a new era of sustainable, resilient, and inclusive growth.

Marking the publication of his new book, The Growth Story of the 21st Century: The Economics and Opportunity of Climate Action, Nicholas Stern will challenge the outdated idea that we must choose between climate action and development. Drawing on economics, finance, policy, politics, and behavioural science, Lord Stern will explore why this transformation is essential, what it entails, and how we can achieve it. Lord Stern will present a story of optimism – about how investment and rapid technological advances, including digitisation and AI, can drive change at scale. But he will not shy away from the immense challenges ahead. With clear and practical strategies for national and international action, he will call on leaders, businesses, and individuals alike, ahead of the COP30 United Nations climate change summit in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025, to take the future in our hands, and recognise that delay is the riskiest option of all.

Meet our speakers and chair

Nicholas Stern is IG Patel Chair of Economics and Government and the inaugural Chair of the Global School of Sustainability at LSE. His forthcoming book The Growth Story of the 21st Century: The Economics and Opportunity of Climate Action will be published by LSE Press.

Nicola Ranger is Executive Director of Earth Capital Nexus and Professor in Practice of Natural Capital, Risk and Finance in the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at LSE. She leads interdisciplinary research and policy engagement at the nexus of finance, investment, natural capital, resilience and sustainable development with a global focus.

Dimitri Zenghelis was previously a principal research fellow, and prior to that Co-Head of Policy, at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change. In these roles he was responsible for producing, commissioning and communicating research on the economics of climate change policy. He is a special advisor to the Bennett Institute for Public Policy  at the University of Cambridge and a member of the Productivity Institute. Previously, he headed the Stern Review Team at the Office of Climate Change, London, and was a senior economist on the Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change, commissioned by the then Chancellor Gordon Brown. Before working on climate change, Dimitri was Head of Economic Forecasting at HM Treasury.

Susana Mourato is Professor of Environmental Economics, former Academic Director of LSE Summer School, and Associate of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. She joined the Department of Geography and Environment in 2008, where she was Head of Department from 2017-2020, having previously worked at Imperial College London. In 2021, Susana became the Vice President and Pro-Vice Chancellor (Research).

More about this event

The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment (@GRI_LSE) was established by LSE in 2008 to create a world-leading multidisciplinary centre for policy-relevant research and training on climate change and the environment, bringing together international expertise from across LSE and beyond, including on economics, finance, geography, the environment, science, law, international relations, development and political science.

Launched in 2025, the Global School of Sustainability at LSE (GSoS) is the centre of social science expertise for sustainability impact at LSE. We work in partnerships across the LSE community and beyond to advance pioneering sustainability research and global policy engagement.

Join us on campus or register to watch the event online at LSE Live. LSE Live is the home for our live streams, allowing you to tune in and join the global debate at LSE, wherever you are in the world. If you can't attend live, a video will be made available shortly afterwards on LSE's YouTube channel.

This event is part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science 2025, taking place from 18 October to 8 November with events across the UK.

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