News

This opinion piece references a new report co-authored by Dr. Mireia Ginesta into the causes of the recent catastrophic floods in Texas. She emphasized that additional studies will be needed over the coming months to assess precisely what effect climate change had on the storm.

Alexis McGivern, Head of Stakeholder Engagement, gave her analysis on Monday's parliamentary debate on the banning of fossil fuel advertising, and warned firms that there's a "genuine risk" to their business if they continue serving fossil fuel clients. 

The Trump administration is giving up its potential to lead on carbon dioxide removal, reports Politico. "Our research shows that countries with longstanding oil and gas industries are uniquely positioned to take the lead on carbon dioxide removal, if public investment is prioritised now,” commented Oxford Smith School researcher, Siyu Feng. “Well-targeted policy support for carbon removal can accelerate deployment in the right sectors and, if designed carefully, will complement rather than compromise broader climate goals.”

Professor Mette Morsing, Dr Amani Maalouf and Mathias Weidinger contributed videos to Vogue's climate finance glossary on the topics of natural capital, ESG and emissions trading schemes. 

Radhika Khosla commented on the dangers of extreme heat in this Daily Mail article on the recent European heatwave. "Populations in urban areas like London are particularly susceptible to extreme heat as the concrete and asphalt absorb and re-emit the sun's radiation, amplifying its impact on our bodies," she said. "For this reason, outdoor workers are particularly at risk and should take regular breaks to hydrate in the shade."

When humidity is higher, it is harder for sweat to evaporate from our skin, which is the main way that we lose heat. “When you have air around the body that has high levels of water, it becomes much harder for the body to cool itself down,” said Dr Radhika Khosla.ford.

Dr Radhika Khosla and Dr Laurence Wainwright were quoted in the Daily Mail on the health and mental health impacts of heatwaves. "Spikes in relative humidity also result in a higher occurrence of suicide. Learning to adapt to the increasing frequency of heatwaves brought by climate change will mean taking account of all its impacts – including on our state of mind," said Dr Wainwright.

Dr Khosla warned that populations in urban areas like London are "particularly susceptible to extreme heat as the concrete and asphalt absorb and re-emit the sun's radiation, amplifying its impact on our bodies. For this reason, outdoor workers are particularly at risk and should take regular breaks to hydrate in the shade."
 

Scientists are clear that the current heatwave in the UK has been "boosted" by climate change, wrote the BBC. Dr Radhika Khosla commented that air conditioning and other cooling systems "become crucial to maintaining health, productivity and quality of life amidst rising temperatures."

Reuters reported on London Climate Action Week, which saw a boost in attendance this year due to concerns over the political environment in the United States. "We have gone much bigger on LCAW this year - we are hosting several events and putting considerably more effort (in) than in the past," commented Alexis McGivern, Head of Stakeholder Engagement at Oxford Net Zero.

While temperatures rise across the world, Dr Radhika Khosla warns that many heat action plans implemented by governments are missing "hyperlocal targeted" responses to heat risks. “Often where the actions are taken may not be where the most vulnerable are," she explained.

Parts of America are currently suffering from a stifling heatwave. Dr Radhika Khosla raised the issue of overreliance on air conditioning in an article for Time Magazine. "Air conditioners are not the most climate friendly solutions because they're extremely energy intensive... they're so energy guzzling, they place quite a large strain on the [fossil fuel] electricity grid," she said.