In 2020, NASA climate scientist Kate Marvel stated that we are more certain humans are causing climate change than we are that smoking causes cancer: 97% of climate scientists agree that climate change is real and that human activity is driving it. So why is it that we seem to hear more debate on climate change and humanity’s involvement in it than debates on the harmfulness of cigarettes? Part of the answer is that the consensus itself has become a target. The more settled the science gets, the harder some actors have worked to muddy it, and it appears to be working. In 2024, The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report named mis- and disinformation the single biggest short-term risk facing the world, ahead of extreme weather, conflict, and economic instability. This is not a climate-specific ranking, but rather it's mis- and disinformation topping the list of everything the world is worried about, and climate change appears to be one of its favourite targets. A summer of records Climate change usually gets talked about as a distant, future problem, but this year made that narrative hard to sustain. On 25 May, Kew Gardens hit 34.8°C, which was provisionally the highest temperature ever recorded in May in the UK. It was broken again the very next day, at 35.1°C. Then June delivered the UK's hottest day of the year so far at 37.7°C in Norfolk on the 26th, also making it the sixth hottest day ever recorded in the UK. We weren't alone: France recorded its hottest day since records began (44.3°C), plus a new June record of 40.9°C, and others breaking national monthly temperatures, including Denmark, Spain, Austria, Croatia, Belgium, Czech Republic, Hungary and Switzerland. This illustrates how climate change is increasingly being experienced in the present day. It’s not through a single anomalous event, but by records falling repeatedly and in quick succession, across borders and in the space of a few weeks. Scientists are clear that this isn't just an unusually warm summer, but that it’s the signal of a warming climate, consistent with decades of projections. And yet, a Guardian analysis this year found that the vast majority of UK news coverage of the June heatwave left out any reference to the climate crisis altogether. The bigger problem: misinformation is now a top global risk The World Economic Forum's Global Risks Report ranked mis- and disinformation as the number one short-term global risk in 2024, and in the 2026 report, it came second only to geoeconomic confrontation. In August 2025, EDMO (the European Digital Media Observatory) found that climate was amongst the most targeted topics for online disinformation campaigns across the EU. So what exactly is misinformation, and how does it differ from disinformation? Misinformation is false or out-of-context information presented as fact, regardless of whether the person sharing it means any harm. Someone reposting a misleading graphic because they genuinely believe it is spreading misinformation. Disinformation is misinformation with intent: ‘information’ deliberately created or shared to deceive. Both do damage. A UK government review concluded that climate mis/disinformation is actively holding back and slowing down our response to climate change, and that powerful actors - including corporations and interest groups - have knowingly spread misleading narratives to protect their own interests. Case study on weather maps To use a recent example to frame how mis- and dis-information occurs today, the side-by-side images of a UK weather map below - one in greens and yellows, the other in deep reds - are presented with a caption implying broadcasters have deliberately changed the colour scale to make the same temperature look more alarming than it used to. This claim goes viral almost every summer, and it has been thoroughly debunked every time. The Met Office did update its colour scale in autumn 2021, but for accessibility reasons. The old scale relied on shifts in hue, which is hard for colour-blind viewers to read. The new scale uses a gradient from light to dark within each colour, making it far easier to interpret. Crucially, the scale is fixed and isn't adjusted map-by-map to exaggerate a particular forecast. It's a small example, but it's a useful one, because it shows exactly how climate misinformation tends to work in practice: take something true and mundane (a colour scale changed for accessibility), strip out the context, and reframe it as evidence of a conspiracy. The bigger patterns to watch for Climate misinformation tends to fall into recognisable categories: Climate denial rejects the basic science that burning fossil fuels is warming the planet. It's the oldest tactic, dating back to the late 1980s, when groups like the Global Climate Coalition were formed specifically to sow doubt about the emerging evidence. Climate delayism (sometimes described as a subtler form of denial) doesn't reject the science outright. Instead, it finds reasons to delay acting on it. Researchers at the Mercator Research Institute have identified four broad tactics: Redirect responsibility: making it about individual choices (BP's personal carbon footprint calculator is a classic example) or "whataboutism" that points to other countries' emissions instead of taking action at home. Push non-transformative solutions: leaning entirely on things like carbon capture instead of also reducing fossil fuel use. Emphasise the downsides: overstating the economic cost of net zero while ignoring the cost of inaction. Surrender: the fatalistic "it's too late, so why bother" narrative. What's being done and what you can do In June 2026, C40 Cities (chaired by Mayor Sadiq Khan) launched City Climate Facts, an initiative to help cities monitor, pre-empt and respond to coordinated climate disinformation campaigns. But as ever, monitoring is the easy part, and enforcement is where things get stuck. Platforms are slow to act, and false claims travel faster than corrections which means the most reliable line of defence is still each of us knowing how to spot it. Your call to action: three quick checks before you share Next time a climate claim crosses your feed, especially one that feels dramatic, try this: Check the source and the date. Is this from a credible outlet or scientific body? Is the image or claim actually current, or has it been recycled from years ago? Ask what's being redirected. Is the post nudging you toward blaming individuals, other countries, or "the algorithm," rather than engaging with the actual evidence? Look for the tactic, not just the topic. Is it outright denial, or one of the four delay tactics - redirect, non-solution, downside, surrender? Naming the pattern makes it much easier to spot next time. None of us can fact-check everything, but we can pause before we hit share which is exactly what makes disinformation campaigns harder to run.

We have a special guest blog this month from Kate Whitehead. Kate works for Natural England with a remit of Connecting Children with Nature. Her role includes facilitating join up between environmental, education and health sectors, collating research and best practice to support policies that enable schools to unlock the multitude of benefits nature can offer for children’s learning, development and wellbeing. Engagement with nature offers a multitude of benefits for children, supporting learning, wellbeing, health, and social development. School grounds have the potential to be far more than maintained outdoor spaces, when well-managed they can provide nature-rich environments that support wildlife, climate resilience, pupils, and local communities for years to come. This potential is increasingly recognised across the education sector, and many schools are already creating new habitats and making environmental improvements to their sites. But habitat creation is only the first step. At Natural England we kept hearing stories of tree saplings being mown or wildflower meadows failing to establish because their long‑term management needs were not fully understood. In response, Natural England has been working with the Department for Education to support schools to increase the biodiversity of the school estate, including through the development of a new training course: Managing School Grounds for Biodiversity The challenge for many schools is knowing how to move from conventional grounds maintenance to nature‑positive management, while still meeting safety, access, and operational requirements. This course has been developed to address exactly that gap. Whilst designed for school grounds keepers and estate managers, its relevance reaches well beyond the school gate, as the principles and practices it covers apply equally to anyone managing public spaces, from hospital grounds and community gardens to parks and open spaces. It is free to access, requires only an email address to enrol, and takes approximately 1-1.5 hours to complete. The course draws on guidance originally developed by the National Biodiversity Data Centre Ireland, carefully adapted for an English audience in collaboration with the Natural History Museum, the Royal Horticultural Society, and many more organisations from across the sector. Sensory garden at Geashill National School (Copyright National Biodiversity Data Centre) It collates best practice on habitat creation, climate adaptation, planting for pollinators, and growing food, giving school grounds managers a comprehensive, authoritative resource they can put to use straight away. During its development we consulted with industry as well as the environment sector and were delighted with this feedback from a Grounds Advisor at Norse Group: “Such a positive course that successfully engages both education and industry. It’s lovely to focus on working together to enhance the environment and improve sustainability for all. The included links are such a useful addition as is the downloadable PDF on completion.” Leave playing pitches unmown over the summer to let wildflowers grow (Copyright: Juanita Browne) Supporting implementation of the DfE Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy DfE’s Sustainability and Climate Change Strategy calls on schools to improve biodiversity on education estates, with their recently published Education Estates Strategy including commitments to improve school sustainability, prepare schools and school grounds for climate change and to increase access to nature. Schools across the country are taking steps to improve the biodiversity on their sites with a third of all the schools already having signed up to the National Education Nature Park. While the creation of new habitats is a vital step, ensuring their long-term success depends on informed, ongoing management. School grounds keepers, estate teams and contractors need the skills and confidence to look after these spaces and this course is designed to provide exactly that support. Please do share this course with networks, stakeholders, schools, teachers, and anyone else that may have interest! Contribute to the CSCEN Blog If you're interested in contributing to the CSCEN Blog, get in touch with us at environment.network@energysecurity.gov.uk. We'd love to hear your ideas!

We have a special guest blog this month from Livvy Rowe. Livvy is a Mental Health Strategy Lead in the Department of Health and Social Care. Livvy and her team are responsible for supporting the development of the new Mental Health Strategy for England, and lead cross-government engagement on the structural determinants of mental health. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Climate change and mental health can reinforce a vicious cycle- but there is a powerful opportunity to turn this into a virtuous one Mental health is a state of wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community. As well as having intrinsic value to us as individuals, good mental health cuts across every government mission- whether its supporting participation in school and work, driving economic growth, or even enabling climate action. The state of the nation’s mental health The mental health of the population has been worsening over recent decades. According to an ongoing independent review, commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care, the prevalence of anxiety and depression in England has risen from around 15-16% in the early 1990s to around 23% in the mid 2020s, with the most acute rises observed among young people. Young people are also experiencing higher levels of loneliness, loss of confidence and more functional impairment i.e. their mental health difficulties have become more disruptive to their everyday lives. Climate change is negatively impacting mental health Climate change is a risk multiplier which is further harming population mental health in the UK. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) recently published an assessment of climate impacts on mental health in the UK, which found: · Climate change is directly impacting mental health and wellbeing; · Climate change is impacting the social and economic determinants of mental health and wellbeing; · Impacts are not distributed evenly, with children and young people, some occupational groups, and those with pre-existing difficulties at heightened risk. It’s perhaps unsurprising that people in England who experienced flood water in their homes were more likely to report high levels of post traumatic stress disorder compared to those whose houses were not flooded. But even a 1°C increase above ambient temperature was associated with a 0.9% increase in mental health-related morbidity. UKHSA’s report also found evidence linking extreme heat to suicide. Flooding has impacts on mental health and is becoming more frequent. Credit: Chris Gallagher-Unsplash As well as these direct impacts, we know awareness of climate change can itself be a cause of extreme worry and distress. A global survey of 10,000 young people found 84% were at least moderately worried and 59% were extremely worried about climate change. Furthermore, over half of child and adolescent psychiatrists in England are seeing children and young people who are distressed about the climate crisis or the state of the environment. But this is not the whole story. Nature and climate action have huge benefits for mental health Nature is very protective for our mental health. In fact, just a 10% increase in access to green and blue spaces, such as parks, gardens and ponds, has been associated with a 7% reduction in the odds of developing a mental health condition like depression or anxiety. This is even after adjusting for social and economic factors. Having access to more green spaces can have positive impacts on mental health. Credit: Hilal KH-Unsplash Supporting people with mental health needs to access nature-based activities has been found to improve mental health and wellbeing outcomes and generate a return on investment of £2.42 for every £1 invested. Furthermore, net zero interventions have also been linked to improve mental health outcomes. For example, a randomised controlled trial of thermal home upgrades for older adults in Australia, reducing exposure to cold conditions over the winter, was found to significantly improve mental health. The National Institute for Health Research is now investigating a wide range of co-benefits for mental health associated with climate action. This includes expanding urban green spaces, improving public transport, supporting active travel like walking or cycling, and increasing the energy efficiency of homes. Mental health can be a driver of climate action What is really interesting about the links between mental health and the environment, however, is the emerging theory of a virtuous cycle between mental health and climate action. Better mental health gives people more agency, ability to engage with others and have purpose in their lives. These factors are essential in supporting collective climate action and the resilience of communities and individuals to climate shocks. The new cross-government mental health strategy, to be published later this year, aims to get to the heart of what people need to stay well, and to meaningfully participate in their schools, workplaces and communities. We know that supporting good mental health cannot just be a responsibility for the health system because so many of the levers to influence mental health sit well beyond the NHS. Evidence-based guidance for building positive mental health includes the Act Belong Commit framework, often summarised as do something, do something with someone, and do something meaningful. Fostering individual climate action - where people are active, connected to others, and motivated by purpose - is at its core, also a mental health intervention. An innovative project is now underway in London to connect climate action with mental wellbeing, helping communities to create local climate solutions whilst also improving their mental health. The project will take place over 3 years and will generate useful insights on how we might build stronger, more resilient communities for people and planet. For now, my challenge to this network is: How can we design our work to support both better mental health and climate action? (Please comment below or email environment.network@energysecurity.gov.uk with your thoughts) If you are interested in finding out more information, please reach out to Livvy: Olivia.Rowe@dhsc.gov.uk. Contribute to the CSCEN Blog If you're interested in contributing to the CSCEN Blog, get in touch with us at environment.network@energysecurity.gov.uk. We'd love to hear your ideas!

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Training for you... Want to learn more about... The environment? Nature? Climate change? Sustainability? Net Zero? And plenty more in between? You have come to the right place.... Get some some self-paced free training that will fit around your schedule. Jump straight to the free providers to explore yourself or keep reading to review our course recommendations. We have a list of some of the best resources available but if you know of any others, let us know at..... environment.network@energysecurity.gov.uk . Free Providers... Policy Profession OpenLearn One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership UNSCC FutureLearn SDG Academy edX Supply Chain Sustainability School Apolitical Coursera En-ROADS Carbon Literacy Project Carbon Literacy is the unique low-carbon culture tool that creates the culture shift necessary for decarbonisation. It provides civil servants with the knowledge and motivation to make informed choices and speak confidently about why they're taking action to address the scale and urgency of the climate emergency. The Carbon Literacy Project is a globally unique organisation. The project was recognised by the UN at COP21. As of September 2025, over 142,000 citizens have been certified as Carbon Literate. Policy Profession The Policy Profession Unit’s Climate, Energy and Environment Policy Hub is an online resource that support government policy and non-policy professionals working within the climate, energy and environment policy domain. It contains a training catalogue, career profiles, and features dedicated resources on the Environmental Principles Duty and climate adaptation policy. It is part of the Climate and Environment Career Anchor project, a two-year programme improving support for climate, energy and environment expertise within the policy profession. It is a live project and as new resources are developed they will be released on the hub. To access the hub you will need to register to the Policy Profession website. OpenLearn by The Open University OpenLearn is a free learning platform, delivered by The Open University as part of its Royal Charter commitment to support the wellbeing of the community. There are over 1000 free courses, topical and interactive content, videos and online games on OpenLearn. Most content is available to anyone with a general interest, and each free course is set at a particular level to indicate the amount of previous educational experience expected to study the unit within the stated hours. All the free nature and environment courses are listed here. Top 6 suggested courses: Climate change Climate change and renewable energy Climate change: transitions to sustainability Working with our environment: an introduction Introducing environmental decision making Introducing the environment: ecology and ecosystems The One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn) The One UN Climate Change Learning Partnership (UN CC:Learn) is a joint initiative of more than 30 multilateral organizations helping countries to achieve climate change action both through general climate literacy and applied skills development. The UN CC:Learn knowledge-sharing platform provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ for accessing climate change learning resources and services offered by the UN system. The UNCC:Learn platform is the single largest dedicated learning platform on climate change - with a specific focus on developing country needs. The UN CC:Learn Course Catalogue is free to access, once you register an account. Top 6 suggested courses: Net Zero 101: What, Why and How Climate Change: From Learning to Action Introduction to Sustainable Development in Practice Introduction to Sustainable Finance Introduction to Green Economy How to prevent e-waste? UNSSC | United Nations System Staff College Similar to UNCC:Learn, the UNSCC provides a range of courses designed to support the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Through its Knowledge Centre for Sustainable Development, which was opened in 2016, UNSSC helps accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through learning, training, and knowledge management. It does so in collaboration with and in support of the UN system, civil society, academia, the private sector and other partners. Top 6 suggested courses: Digital4Sustainability Learning Path Circular Economy Approaches for Sustainability Sustainable Lifestyles Circular Economy and the 2030 Agenda The Paris Agreement on Climate Change as a Development Agenda Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development SDG Academy The SDG Academy offers high-quality resources and guidance on education for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with the mandate to enrich the field of sustainable development and advance Agenda 2030. The SDG Academy offers over 40 free, open educational resources from the world’s leading experts on sustainable development. Top 6 suggested courses: Climate Change Science and Negotiations Climate Change: The Science and Global Impact Water: Addressing The Global Crisis Feeding A Hungry Planet One Planet, One Ocean How to Achieve the SDGs or What will it take to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030? FutureLearn FutureLearn is an online education provider based in the UK that offers online courses, popularly known as MOOCs or Massive Open Online Courses, from top universities and institutions around the world. It is free to join and study the majority of courses on FutureLearn, but you can also buy course upgrades which gives you access additional features such as tests and certificates. Top 6 Suggested courses: Planet Earth: Understanding and Protecting our Environment Tackling Environmental Challenges for a Sustainable Future Environmental Impact Assessment Ecology and wildlife conservation Planet Partners: Tackling the Climate Crisis Together Unleash Your Potential: Sustainable Futures edX edX is a massive open online course (MOOC) provider created by Harvard and MIT. It hosts online university-level courses in a wide range of disciplines to a worldwide student body, including some courses at no charge. Most courses are free, and similar to FutureLearn you can pay extra to have graded assignments/exams and a certificate afterwards. Top 6 suggested courses: Climate Change: Carbon Capture and Storage Climate Change: Financial Risks and Opportunities Introduction to the Natural Capital Approach Energy Within Environmental Constraints Introduction to Water and Climate Climate Solutions Supply Chain Sustainability School Launched in 2012, the Supply Chain Sustainability School (SCSS) is a free virtual learning platform around sustainability, with the aim to upskill those working within, or aspiring to work within, the built environment sector. SCSS learning covers the three core pillars of Sustainability – Environmental, Social and Economic – looking at key issues ranging from carbon management through to combatting modern slavery. These courses are particularly relevant for those working in public sector procurement or adjacent roles. Top 6 suggested courses: Carbon Reduction, Offsetting and Net Zero Carbon Footprinting & Measurement The Circular Economy Supply Chain Mapping and Modern Slavery Introduction to Social Value Embedding Sustainable Procurement Apolitical Apolitical is a social learning network for government used by over 250,000 public servants globally. It provides access to communities for public servants to connect and exchange ideas and provides online courses designed with the needs of public servants. One of the main topics is ‘climate’. Under this theme, apolitical runs courses to get public servants familiar with climate innovations to help public servants make the best decisions about climate policy. Top 6 suggested e-learning courses: An introduction to Green Growth Communicating climate change Public Servants and Climate Change: Reaching Net Zero Collaborating with Indigenous Communities to Address Climate Change Climate change and mental health Centring Equity in Climate Action Coursera Coursera is an online course provider founded in 2012. It works with Coursera works with universities and other organizations to offer online courses, certifications, and degrees in a variety of subjects. Coursera courses last approximately four to twelve weeks, with one to two hours of video lectures a week. These courses provide quizzes, weekly exercises, peer-graded and reviewed assignments, an optional Honors assignment, and sometimes a final project or exam to complete the course. They have many courses on climate change, many of which are free. Suggested e-learning courses: Global warming 1: The Science and Modelling of Climate Change Climate change and human rights From climate science to action Global energy and Climate Policy Climate Change mitigation in developing countries Bending the curve: climate change solutions Global Climate Change policies and analysis En-ROADS En-ROADS provides a climate simulator tool with interactive training materials that has manifested into its own globally renowned and prestigious climate training offering. En-ROADS’ training model is crafted by self-led training materials for a single user, with opportunity to attain an ‘Ambassador’ status once becoming fully qualified, with users obtaining the ability to train others. En-ROADS is a global climate simulator that allows users to explore the impact that dozens of policies — such as electrifying transport, pricing carbon, and improving agricultural practices — have on hundreds of factors like energy prices, temperature, air quality, and sea level rise. The climate simulator tool- En-ROADS- helps people make connections between things they care about and the possibilities available to help ensure a resilient future. Users can quickly see the long-term effects of the global climate policies and actions they imagine.