News
The narrowing legal operating space for climate action
Buttressed by scientific developments, law is catching up with corporate and state climate inaction and a new era of accountability may follow, write Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith and Dr Thom Wetzer in the BMJ.
"The misalignment of state and corporate action with their legal obligations means that in the aggregate, companies and states are breaching their legal duties. It is unpredictable as to who will be held responsible, but recent court decisions suggest that such liability may be just around the corner."
Why Princess Theodora of Liechtenstein enrolled on the Oxford Smith School MSc
H.S.H. Princess Theodora of Liechtenstein’s passion for nature and sustainability began at a young age. Now, she has rolled on the Oxford Smith School’s MSc in Sustainability, Enterprise and the Environment, one of the University’s most applied to master’s programmes per place.
Emissions Are Still Rising. That Doesn’t Mean We’re Failing
Bloomberg’s Lara Williams sets out the significant impact the Paris Agreement has had on innovation, demand for renewables and global emissions, with comment from Professor Cameron Hepburn.
Mark Carney’s journey from climate ‘visionary’ to pipeline promoter
"The stress testing was an important initiative that was widely copied in other countries, said University of Oxford’s Ben Caldecott, director of the Oxford Sustainable Finance Group."
SafeManzi Project Boosts Rural Water Security
The Government of the Republic of Zambia is rolling out a new Results-Based Contract (RBC) to ensure reliable drinking water in government schools and clinics. The RBC is based on the SafeManzi model, which was developed by Uptime Global in collaboration with the University of Oxford.
Computer game developed in partnership with Smith School and SBS researchers wins UNEP award
A video game designed to help players make more sustainable food choices earned an innovation award from the Playing for the Planet alliance.
Mark Carney’s fossil fuel pivot bewilders climate experts and business leaders
Ben Caldecott comments on the Canadian Prime Minister's approach to climate risk at the Bank of England and recent policies in Canada.
Oxford Smith School academics feature in new Bodleian portrait series
Two portrait photos featuring Oxford Smith School academics have been added to the walls of the Bodleian Libraries this month. The photos are part of an initiative called Catalysts, which is celebrating Oxford University's leading innovators in the fields of health, society, and the environment worldwide.
EU Set to Scale Back Sustainability Reporting Rules for Companies
The European Union has slackened its sustainability reporting requirements in a bid to make the bloc more competitive. Dr Thom Wetzer, Director of the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme, warned that the move will de-stabilise and fragment policies that had previously anchored EU firms’ expectations. “There will likely be a wave of litigation against firms at the national level, with litigants seeking to impose transition obligations via domestic legal routes,” he said.
Regulation is king: lessons clean energy must take from water sector reform
The net zero transition will require infrastructure build-out and national coordination at dizzying scale, often relying on private enterprise to bring public good. In this Community Insight post, Ranjita Rajan and Dr Tony Ballance explain how investing in regulatory capacity will be crucial for the green transition.
Scientists warn of severe climate-related risks to UK economy and security
In a first-of-its-kind national emergency briefing in Westminster, Nathalie Seddon spoke to over 120 MPs about nature and climate-related risks to the UK's economy, public health, food systems and national security.
Article 6 in Focus: outcomes from COP30
Dr Injy Johnstone and Sindi Kuci discuss progress on Article 6 at COP30 and the sticking points that remain.