News
Policymakers underestimate public support for climate action
New Oxford Smith School research finds that policymakers, politicians and other policy officials greatly underestimate the public’s willingness to contribute to climate action.
World court: states have climate obligations under international law
Countries impacted most by the effects of climate change can claim compensation from other countries responsible for greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new advisory opinion issued by the International Court of Justice. “This advisory opinion is in line with what has been a secular trend in climate litigation towards higher levels of state and corporate accountability,” Dr Thom Wetzer told Pinsent Masons. “In this opinion, the International Court of Justice confirmed that 1.5C is the legally binding temperature target under the Paris Agreement and international law. This calls for urgent action, and the court explicitly noted that states are also responsible for the actions of the private sector. As a result, we should expect renewed legal pressure on states to regulate corporate activities that contribute to climate change. Recognising that trend and the implications for business models is a key part of prudent risk management.”
As extreme heat becomes the new normal, how will it affect a location’s capacity to attract investment?
Investment Monitor looks into the impact of extreme heat on investment decisions, with expert comment from Dr Radhika Khosla. "Increasing heat impacts across the world have raised the demand for cooling, leading to increased energy usage," she said.
Too Little, Too Late? Why India Must Fast-Track Its Net Zero Pledge
Outlook Planet warns that India's unambitious climate goals could see the country fall behind in the global clean energy race. Dr Sugandha Srivastav commented: "We give coal-fired power plants generous long-term contracts that insulate them from competition created by cheaper solar. We have an institutional structure that is at the moment focused on supporting incumbent polluting technology."
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.