Dr Radhika Khosla awarded the title of Professor of Environmental Science and Policy
Dr Radhika Khosla, formerly Associate Professor and researcher at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford, has been awarded the title of Professor of Environmental Science and Policy. The title was awarded through the University’s annual Recognition of Distinction exercise.
An urban climatologist by training, Professor Khosla works at the intersection of science and policy, focused on extreme heat and the rapidly growing global demand for cooling, particularly in the fast-urbanising cities of the Global South.
Alongside her role at the Oxford Smith School, Professor Khosla is Research Director of the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development and Programme Leader in Zero Carbon Energy Use at Oxford’s ZERO Institute. She is also Principal Investigator of the Oxford Martin Programme on the Future of Cooling.
As temperatures rise, demand for air conditioning and other forms of cooling is increasing around the world, with the International Energy Agency projecting that the number of air conditioners worldwide will triple by 2050. That creates a difficult trade-off: keeping people safe in a warming climate without substantially increasing energy demand and greenhouse gas emissions.
Professor Khosla’s research addresses this by bringing together environmental science, energy, urban development and public policy. She was lead author of the United Nations Environment Programme’s Global Cooling Watch reports in 2023 and 2025; the 2023 report provided the evidence base for the Global Cooling Pledge, since endorsed by more than 70 countries. She served as Special Scientific Advisor to the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee for its 2023–24 inquiry into heat resilience and sustainable cooling, and contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Sixth Assessment Report and the UNEP Emissions Gap Report.
Professor Khosla is Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Research Letters and a Fellow of the Energy Institute. Her research has been covered widely in international media, including the Financial Times, New York Times, The Economist, BBC, Reuters and TIME.
Professor Radhika Khosla said:
Extreme heat is one of the most immediate consequences of climate change, and how the world chooses to stay cool will shape energy demand and emissions for decades to come. I am delighted to have been awarded the title of Professor of Environmental Science and Policy, and I look forward to continuing this work with colleagues and students at the Smith School and across the University.
Dr Anupama Sen, Associate Director of Impact and Head of Policy Engagement at the Smith School, said:
Congratulations to Professor Radhika Khosla on this richly deserved recognition. Her work is at the forefront of environmental science and policy. It exemplifies the Smith School’s commitment to research that not only identifies urgent climate risks but also helps shape policy implementation and action around the world.