News
Significant fall in cost of financing renewable energy projects
New research from the Sustainable Finance Programme tracks how the financing costs for energy projects, measured through loan spreads, have changed over the past 20 years and finds that financial institutions are viewing renewables as less risky and coal as more so. Oil and gas financing costs have exhibited significantly less change.
National COVID debts: climate change imperils countries' ability to repay
As the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank Group convene their spring meetings, researchers from the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment find that most governments' astronomical borrowing during the pandemic pays scant attention to the effects that climate change could have on their ability to repay the debt.
Alternative proteins: how Big Food can accelerate the transition to net zero
A new working paper from the Smith School describes the rapid growth of corporate venturing in the alternative proteins sector, and why this could represent a step-change in the transition of global food systems to net zero.
Climate policy in the United States is at an inflection point
A new report demonstrates that for the first time, a majority of Americans live in a jurisdiction with a net zero emissions target. Furthermore, US companies accounting for at least $5.2 trillion in yearly sales have committed to net zero.
BBC: Climate change: Africa's green energy transition 'unlikely' this decade
New research uses machine learning to predict that total electricity generation across the African continent will double by 2030, with fossil fuels continuing to dominate the energy mix and posing potential risk to global climate change commitments. The study, published in Nature Energy, was led by Galina Alova with co-authors Philipp Trotter and Alex Money.
The Telegraph: How can we create a greener future?
As UK citizens, should we all be doing more to make our money matter? Writing in the Telegraph, Ben Caldecott, Director of Oxford's Sustainable Finance Programme, encourages individuals to invest in companies that can prove their environmental credentials. "Getting our capital to speed up the transition to environmental sustainability is a key lever and one of the most important ones we have."
Times of India: Shift to net-zero buildings is not only cheap now, but viable too: India finds solutions
The Times of India covers new research from Radhika Khosla and international partners across North America, Europe and Asia, finding that cheap technology and sufficient skills already exist worldwide to achieve net-zero energy buildings at costs in the range of traditional projects. The article explores net-zero solutions and the implications of the study in Delhi.
Bloomberg: Investors Gauge Future Climate Risks With Satellite Imaging
Asset managers are analyzing pictures and data taken from outer space to predict the physical impacts of global warming, writes Bloomberg Green. The article explores pioneering work by Smith School partner Lombard Odier to use geospatial data in risk analysis. It also explores new research from the Spatial Finance Initiative at the Smith School, led by Ben Caldecott.
Scientific American: The World Needs to Ramp Up Solutions for Greener Cooling
'A proliferation in traditional air conditioning meant to protect people from intense heat could also exacerbate global warming,' writes Scientific American. This in-depth article explores cutting-edge research from Radhika Khosla and colleagues at Oxford's Future of Cooling Programme as they explore sustainable cooling and reveal its impacts on each of the sustainable development goals.
Forbes: China Just Promised To Go Carbon Neutral By 2060
But how can China to achieve this goal? Yangsiyu Lu, researcher at the Smith School, suggests the country ought to focus on three key policy areas: coal, technology innovation in electricity generation, and nature-based solutions.
The Wall Street Journal: BP Bets Future on Green Energy, but Investors Remain Wary
The Wall Street Journal covers BP CEO Bernard Looney's plans to tilt the British energy company away from oil, hoping to profit instead from wind and solar power. With comment from Cameron Hepburn.
The Guardian: Only one in 10 utility firms prioritise renewable electricity
New research finds electric utility companies are undermining the global transition to net zero emissions. Only 10 percent of companies have prioritised renewable capacity and many of those continue to invest in fossil fuels as well. The study, led by Galina Alova, was published today in Nature Energy.