How have plants adapted over centuries or millennia to survive and recover from human interference? David Moreno-Mateos and his team are analysing tree species in Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest to find out, and to help inform and improve future restoration practice.
News
Why ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves are a Trojan horse to hide humanity’s destruction of nature
In a thought-provoking feature for The Conversation, Dr Rich Grenyer, Associate Professor in Biodiversity and Biogeography, examines the ethical and ecological concerns surrounding de-extinction, arguing that the allure of reviving species like dire wolves risks diverting attention from the ongoing human-driven destruction of the natural world.
Food policy innovation in the COVID-19 crisis
Saher Hasnain, postdoctoral researcher and coordinator for the Foresight4Food Initiative, writes the first post in a series of reflection pieces and commentaries on food policy innovation in the COVID-19 crisis.
IN THE MEDIA
Insects... the little things that run the world
Insects, those creepy crawlies with six legs that some people love and others hate, are the little things that run the world. In a new blog post, Cecilia Dahlsjö looks at why insects are so key for the planet. The post introduces a special issue of Biotropica on the future of tropical invertebrate research.
IN THE MEDIA
Mapped: How climate change affects extreme weather around the world
A new map from Carbon Brief collates the numerous studies that look at the potential link between climate change and extreme weather such as floods, heatwaves, droughts and storms. For the first time, the map includes the rapid attribution studies carried out by Friederike Otto and the World Weather Attribution team.
IN THE MEDIA
Oxford University bans investment in fossil fuels after student campaigns
The Independent reports that the University has agreed to divest from fossil fuels and commit to a net-zero investment strategy following extensive student-led campaigns and protests.
IN THE MEDIA
Three graphs that show a global slowdown in COVID-19 deaths
There have been numerous graphs and charts mapping the rise of COVID-19 since the pandemic began. In his latest article for The Conversation, Professor Danny Dorling uses smoothed data visualisations to explore the deceleration in coronavirus deaths around the world.
IN THE MEDIA
Coronavirus may slow long-term climate action
There has been a short-term reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as a consequence of measures aimed at limiting the spread of Covid-19. However, after recovery from the current crisis we will still be facing the same policy challenges for meeting our climate targets, and there is real danger that climate action might be delayed, explains Dr Linus Mattauch to Argus media.
IN THE MEDIA
Finalist for the Guardian University Awards 2020
The University of Oxford's #TruePlanet campaign, which featured researchers from across the School of Geography and the Environment, has been selected as a finalist in the Guardian's annual awards. The campaign, which highlighted Oxford's global research on climate, energy, food, water, waste and biodiversity, is shortlisted in the category of marketing and communications.
IN THE MEDIA
Homeschooling during coronavirus: five ways to teach children about climate change
As schools have closed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, many families are finding themselves thrust into homeschooling. William Finnegan, PhD candidate in the Environmental Change Institute's Energy program, offers lessons from the emerging field of climate change education on how to teach learners of all ages.
IN THE MEDIA
The world will recover from coronavirus - but unless we learn from the pandemic, it won't recover from climate change
ECI researchers Kaya Axelsson and Eli Mitchell-Larson provide a perspective on climate change and Covid-19 in the Independent. "Mitigating the effects of the coronavirus pandemic should unequivocally be our top priority right now. But as we emerge from the pandemic, we have the opportunity to begin preparing in earnest for a larger threat: climate change."
IN THE MEDIA
How energy-efficient LED bulbs lit up India in just five years
Dr Radhika Khosla and colleagues explore the unprecedented expansion of India's light emitting diode (LED) bulb market in a guest post for Carbon Brief. Three lessons emerge for future low-carbon technology innovation and market expansion in India and other developing countries.
IN THE MEDIA
