News
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."
Democrats Should Say Who’s Really to Blame for the Flooding in Texas
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.
UK parliament debates banning fossil fuel advertising and sponsorship
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.
US carbon removal seen backsliding under Trump — report
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.”
The Vogue Business climate finance glossary
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.
Deadly heat and killer water bomb hit Europe as fatal extremes hit the continent
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."
Americans, this is what you don’t understand about a British heatwave
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.
Europe heat record: Spain and Portugal boil in highest temperatures as wildfires rage across continent fanned by 'suffocating' heatwave while Brit goes missing on Greek island
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."
How unusual is this UK heat and is climate change to blame?
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."