News

Reducing the carbon footprint of academic travel post COVID-19

Prior to the global pandemic, researchers identified an uncomfortable truth: the very meetings and events meant to support the fight against climate change were themselves causing vast greenhouse gas emissions through international air travel. Building on learnings from the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of Oxford researchers have identified new measures, published this week in the journal Nature, that may reduce the carbon footprint of conference travel by up to 90%.

Adobe Stock - Virtual conference
NEWS

Carbon pricing, offsetting needed to tackle climate change

Two articles in the Economist's May 23 2020 edition include comment from Ben Caldecott, Director of the Oxford Sustainable Finance Programme and Associate Professor at the Smith School. New technology can enable better carbon offsetting - for example the use of high-resolution satellite imagery means that it is possible to know exactly when a tree is cut down. The edition also features Smith School research on the green economic recovery from COVID19.

IN THE MEDIA

Guardian: UK infrastructure 'under threat from climate breakdown'

Energy networks, water utilities, communications, transport and other essential services are all at risk due to flooding, heatwaves and other climate change impacts in the UK. A new report from the National Infrastructure Commission features work from ECI's Raghav Pant, Tom Russell, Conrad Zorn, Edward Oughton and Jim Hall, and urges the government to explore plans for resilient infrastructure. [Report: bit.ly/2ZMUebF]

IN THE MEDIA

PM's Council for Science and Technology

Jim Hall, Professor of Climate and Environmental Risks, has been appointed to the Prime Minister's Council for Science and Technology. The CST advises 10 Downing Street on science and technology policy issues across government.

IN THE MEDIA