News
We mapped all 117,116 of England’s farms – here’s why that matters for transition finance and net zero
Dr Hassan Aftab Sheikh explains the potential impact of his new research, which mapped farms across England. "We see this foundational work as a first step in providing open-source information for financial institutions and corporates who are engaged with the agricultural sector."
Article 6 at Bonn 2025: The Age of Operationalisation
Insight piece from Injy Johnstone and Sindi Kuci, covering updates on the progress made in operationalising international market and non-market based cooperation under Article 6 during the 2025 Bonn Climate Conference.
6 ways a heatwave can seriously impact your mental health
Women's Health explores the serious health implications of heatwaves with Dr Laurence Wainwright. 'The evidence is clear that key areas of the brain – especially those responsible for solving complex cognitive tasks, such as problem-solving, reasoning and maintaining attention – are impaired by heat stress, which occurs when the body's temperature is elevated beyond its normal resting temperature of around 37c,' says Dr Wainwright.
Finalist: Research Institute of the Year
The Smith School has been shortlisted in the edie Net Zero Awards 2025 in a new category which shines a light on the educational bodies, think tanks and NGOs that have worked tirelessly to ensure that discourse on net-zero is grounded in evidence.
Uninsurable mean uninvestable: pricing in physical and litigation risks
At this year’s Oxford Sustainable Finance Summit, a panel investigating the risks of climate litigation found these are increasingly factoring into assessing financial outlook for firms. 'Net Zero Investor' also reports on the role of insurance as corporates begin to battle over who should be liable for costs caused by physical damages.
The solutions redesigning a waste-free future
What if we lived in a world without waste? Cameron Hepburn joins this RE:TV special feature to discuss how we can continue to add value and produce goods and services while transforming economies to a point where they not damaging the environment.
Zonal pricing is dead – here’s how the UK should change its electricity system instead
The UK Government recently decided against zonal pricing for electricity, which would have adjusted prices based on local generation and demand, but may have also caused “an immediate increase in the energy bills." In The Conversation UK, Anupama Sen and Sam Fankhauser and Cassandra Etter-Wenzel call instead for investment in energy storage solutions, such as batteries, which could reduce reliance on gas and lower wholesale prices by storing surplus renewable energy.
“A reckless gamble” – states are over-relying on CDR in climate targets, finds Oxford research
New University of Oxford research reveals that many countries are banking on large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) to meet their climate targets despite uncertainty around its feasibility and effectiveness.
Ed Miliband’s State of the Climate Address – Oxford Smith School experts react
On Monday afternoon Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, gave an inaugural “State of the Climate” address in which he laid bare the impacts of climate change on the United Kingdom.
Nature-friendly farming budget swells in UK – but cuts elsewhere make recovery fraught
Professor Nathalie Seddon analyses the complexities of the UK Government's funding boost for nature-friendly farming, and finds that spending on tech still vastly outweighs the money invested in nature.
Would a ban on fossil fuel advertising usher in a new era of corporate responsibility?
Alexis McGivern, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Research Fellow at Oxford Net Zero and the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, reflects on yesterday's parliamentary debate and explores whether the proposed ban on fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship in the UK could usher in a new era of corporate responsibility. 
Concept of ecological civilization 'inspiring'
James Thornton, incoming Professor of Practice at the Oxford Smith School and previous Director of Client Earth, comments on China's "ecological civilization" concept, stating that it is "the most advanced globally of any approach for humans living harmoniously with the planet."