Somerville College, Oxford has announced that it is to fully divest from its remaining investments in fossil fuels by July 2021. The College, which has an endowment fund of nearly £100m, will reinvest any remaining investments in fossil fuels into “green investments,” a statement on the College’s website said. Somerville has already divested £400,000 worth Read More…
Author: Max Spokes
Oxford to host online European Reception
Oxford will this weekend host an online European Reception, the first time the annual event will be hosted online instead of in the Town Hall. The meeting will be hosted on Saturday by the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Mark Lygo, and will include leaders from Europe as well as across Oxfordshire. Two of Oxford’s Read More…
City Council to invest £50m in retrofitting homes
Oxford City Council (OCC) has announced that it will spend £50m retrofitting and improving the energy efficiency of council housing in Oxford. The investment aims to ensure all council tenants are living in a property which meets at least the UK Government’s Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band C rating by 2030, which is the third Read More…
Oxford City Council awarded funding to decarbonise public buildings
Oxford City Council (OCC) has been awarded £10.9m in funding to reduce carbon emissions in key sites across the city owned by the Council, including the Hinksey Outdoor Swimming Pool. The funding, awarded by the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s (BEIS) Public Sector Decarbonisation Fund, will enable the Council to explore the usage Read More…
St John’s Occupation, one year on: college have “failed to keep their promises”, campaign says
One year on from the pitching of tents on the front quad of St John’s College, the group behind the occupation, which called on the College to remove its investments from fossil fuel companies, have argued that “St John’s have failed to keep the promises they made.” In recognition of the one-year milestone, Direct Action Read More…
‘Greenwashing’ concerns over £100m INEOS donation for Oxford antimicrobial research
Concerns have been raised over the £100m donation from the petrochemicals company INEOS to create a new Oxford University institute to fight antimicrobial resistance, with the Oxford Climate Justice Campaign (OCJC) claiming the donation “is a clear example of greenwashing.”
City Council to provide more emergency lockdown accommodation for rough sleepers
Oxford City Council (OCC) has announced that it expects 20 hotel rooms to be made available to be used as emergency shelter until the end of March for people sleeping rough in Oxford.
Government proposals to deregulate gene editing unveiled at Oxford Farming Conference
The Oxford Blue was able to ask the four ministers about the role of rewilding in supporting more sustainable agro-ecology in the UK, as well as improving biodiversity and tackling climate change.
Oxford professors recognised in New Year’s Honours List
A number of Oxford professors have been recognised for their work in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List, including in social and natural sciences. It was announced that Professor Dieter Helm CBE will be appointed Knight Bachelor, with the knighthood being awarded for services to the environment, energy and to utilities policy. Professor Helm is Read More…
Oxford professor elected President of British Ecological Society
Oxford professor Yadvinder Malhi has been elected as the next President of the British Ecological Society (BES), following an online ballot of members this week. Professor Malhi will take up the post in December 2021, when the current president, Jane Memmott’s term comes to an end. Announcing the news on its website on Wednesday, BES Read More…