Breaking ground in food, energy and nature-based research | World Forum 2024

Three Oxford Smith School programmes share their latest research, as well as an overview of the impact of the Smith School from our Director, Prof Mette Morsing.
Prof Mette Morsing opened the session by highlighting the significant impact of the Smith School, noting its contributions through research papers and education initiatives, such as MSc and executive education programmes. She provided examples including the REACH programme and the Oxford Offsetting Principles, which demonstrate the School’s practical engagement. She mentioned that the School currently runs 11 research programmes, three of which would be presented during the session.
Professor Natalie Seddon then addressed the question of what constitutes effective Nature-Based Solutions (NBS). She explained that her team’s work focuses on understanding how to transition to a world where harm to the environment is minimised. To support this, they are developing an evidence base and creating robust guidelines for those interested in investing in NBS, ensuring that efforts are grounded in science and practicality.
Dr Michael Clark shifted the discussion to the global challenges surrounding nutrition, noting that half of the world’s population is either underweight or overweight. He pointed out that the UK has some of the world’s cheapest food, with households spending only 6-7% of their income on it. His programme focuses on data, evidence, and solutions related to nutrition. He notes that there is a lack of consumer-accessible data, while acknowledging that the latest evidence shows ecolabels have minimal impact on shifting consumer behaviour.
Dr Radhika Khosla explains that heat kills more people than any other extreme weather event, yet it remains a blind spot in sustainability discussions. She described how the cooling programme that she runs addresses health impacts, as well as the other aspects. She further shared insights from a study on the regions of the world that will experience the largest relative rise in temperatures, of which the UK is one. The UK is beginning to experience summer pressures on the health system, similar to the challenges traditionally faced during winter.
Moderator
Professor Mette Morsing, Director, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
Speaker
Prof Nathalie Seddon
Director, Nature-based Solutions Initiative, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
Dr Michael Clark, Director, Sustainable Food Solutions Programme, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment
Dr Radhika Khosla, Associate Professor, Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment