SGFC Seminar – Presentation: 'Climate Change: What Now?' + Fireside Chat: 'The Science for Survival – What Now, What Next?'

[Update] Following Prof Ralf Toumi’s (Imperial College London, Grantham Institute) presentation on ‘Climate Change: What Now?’, we are excited to announce that he will be joined by Prof Winston Chow (Singapore Management University, IPCC Working Group II) for a newly added fireside chat segment. Don’t miss this rare dialogue between two of the world’s leading climate scientists on extreme weather, global responsibility, and what it means for business and policy.

Presentation: Climate Change: What Now?

Professor Ralf Toumi’s presentation will highlight the latest developments in climate science and how they are shifting our understanding of the Earth system. One rapidly growing area of research is the attribution of disasters to climate change. This field is profoundly shaping public understanding, accelerating the push for mitigation policies, supporting the establishment of loss and damage funds, and driving climate-related litigation.

He will also examine the profound impact of climate tech innovation on mitigation efforts and review the evolving international policy landscape driving greenhouse gas reduction.

Fireside Chat: The Science for Survival – What Now, What Next?

Climate science has never been clearer. So why is action still falling short?

In this timely exchange, our two distinguished academics will come together for the first time to break down today’s climate realities. From extreme weather to the growing responsibilities of governments and companies, they will explore what the latest climate insights mean for decision-makers—especially at the intersection of science, policy, and business.

Date: Thursday, 31 July 2025
Time: 4:15–5:45 pm (Registration starts at 4:00 pm)
Venue: Seminar Room 3-1 (Level 3)
Singapore Management University
Lee Kong Chian School of Business
50 Stamford Rd, Singapore 178899

Agenda

4:00–4:15 pm	Registration
4:15–5:00 pm	Presentation: Climate Change: What Now? Prof Ralf Toumi
5:00–5:45 pm	Fireside Chat: The Science for Survival – What Now, What Next? • Prof Ralf Toumi • Prof Winston Chow • Moderator: Nikki Kemp, Executive Director of SGFC

Speaker Profiles

	Prof Ralf Toumi Co-Director, Grantham Institute - Climate Change & Environment; The Grantham Institute for Climate Change - Faculty of Natural Sciences Prof Toumi was awarded his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He was then appointed a temporary lecturer in the Chemistry Department in Cambridge and became a Fellow in Physical Chemistry at Christ's College. In 1994, he moved to the Physics Department at Imperial College as a Lecturer, was promoted to Professor of Atmospheric Physics in 2005, and served as Head of the Space and Atmospheric Physics Group from 2014 to 2020. Since 2020, he has been the Co-director of the Grantham Institute - Climate Change and Environment. He is also a Co-Investigator at the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment. Over his career, his research has covered a wide range of topics in climate science, atmospheric chemistry, and physics. He has supervised 34 PhD students and leads Europe's largest research group on tropical cyclones.
	Prof Winston Chow Professor of Urban Climate, Singapore Management University; Co-Chair, Working Group II, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Winston Chow is a Professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow based at Singapore Management University’s (SMU) College of Integrative Studies (CIS) and is the research pillar lead for urban infrastructure at SMU's Urban Institute. He has been a Principal Investigator for the multi-institute Cooling Singapore initiative since 2017 and currently leads inter-disciplinary research on how Singapore’s urban climate risks will change as its climate warms, as well as examining measures to reduce these risks. He teaches Undergraduate and Executive Development courses on climate change and urban sustainability at CIS and is also mentoring CIS students interested in sustainability issues and developing courses for SMU's Master of Sustainability programme. In 2023, he was elected as Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, and he will help lead the Seventh Assessment Cycle for the IPCC during a critical decade of global climate action.

Prof Ralf Toumi
Co-Director, Grantham Institute - Climate Change & Environment; The Grantham Institute for Climate Change - Faculty of Natural Sciences

Prof Toumi was awarded his PhD from the University of Cambridge. He was then appointed a temporary lecturer in the Chemistry Department in Cambridge and became a Fellow in Physical Chemistry at Christ's College. In 1994, he moved to the Physics Department at Imperial College as a Lecturer, was promoted to Professor of Atmospheric Physics in 2005, and served as Head of the Space and Atmospheric Physics Group from 2014 to 2020. Since 2020, he has been the Co-director of the Grantham Institute - Climate Change and Environment.

He is also a Co-Investigator at the UK Centre for Greening Finance and Investment. Over his career, his research has covered a wide range of topics in climate science, atmospheric chemistry, and physics. He has supervised 34 PhD students and leads Europe's largest research group on tropical cyclones.

Prof Winston Chow
Professor of Urban Climate, Singapore Management University; Co-Chair, Working Group II, The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Winston Chow is a Professor of Urban Climate and Lee Kong Chian Research Fellow based at Singapore Management University’s (SMU) College of Integrative Studies (CIS) and is the research pillar lead for urban infrastructure at SMU's Urban Institute. He has been a Principal Investigator for the multi-institute Cooling Singapore initiative since 2017 and currently leads inter-disciplinary research on how Singapore’s urban climate risks will change as its climate warms, as well as examining measures to reduce these risks. He teaches Undergraduate and Executive Development courses on climate change and urban sustainability at CIS and is also mentoring CIS students interested in sustainability issues and developing courses for SMU's Master of Sustainability programme.

In 2023, he was elected as Co-Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) Working Group II on Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability, and he will help lead the Seventh Assessment Cycle for the IPCC during a critical decade of global climate action.

SGFC Seminar – Presentation: ‘Climate Change: What Now?’ + Fireside Chat: ‘The Science for Survival – What Now, What Next?’