Climate Concepts

Understanding what is happening to the climate, what are the impacts and what we can do about it can be confusing. Colleagues in the Oxford Climate Network have dedicated a lot of their time to talking to people about these issues, which we have recorded and collected here to help you. If there are areas of climate science, policy and practice that you would like to understand better then please contact us and we would be happy to help where we can.

What is climate change? How does it impact people and planet? What can we do to tackle the climate crisis?

This animation from the COP26 Universities Network explains the science behind climate change, the impact that climate change is having on the natural world and societies, and what can be done about it.

Climate Science

Climate Change in South Africa - Dr Neil Hart

Arctic Processes and How they Work - Sam Cornish

How do you make a reliable weather forecast? - Dr Hannah Christensen

Dr Hannah Christensen, Associate Professor at Oxford University’s department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics explains that predicting the weather is more than a weather presenter standing in front of a green screen with a few symbols to predict the weather ahead.

What is NetZero?

Informed by Oxford Net Zero, and leading global scientists, this site connects users with research and tools on setting and achieving their net zero climate commitments across sectors and policy landscapes.

Climate Impacts

Extreme weather event attribution - Dr Fredi Otto

Video explaining what extreme weather event attribution is – Dr Fredi Otto

What happens after a storm? - Dr Peter Walton

Storm Eleanor was the latest name given to the extreme weather that hit the UK at the start of January 2018. This was just a week after Storm Dylan struck on New Year’s Eve. Many people have been asking whether these harsh weather conditions are due to climate change.

Yes, climate change can affect extreme weather – but there is still a lot to learn - Dr Fredi Otto

It is not the case that all extreme weather events are being made stronger or more frequent.

Global warming has already raised the risk of more severe droughts in Cape Town - Dr Mark New, Dr Fredi Otto, Dr Piotr Wolski

Water supply systems weren’t designed to deal with altering weather patterns brought about by climate change. This needs to change.

Droughts in East Africa: some headway in unpacking what’s causing them - Dr Fredi Otto, Dr Maarten van Aalst

It’s very easy to assume climate change causes droughts, but they are complex extreme events that result from a combination of drivers.

Climate Action

Climate Ethics - Prof John Broome

Achieving Net Zero - Various speakers

Road to somewhere? Resilient infrastructure for sustainable development - Prof Jim Hall

International Climate Change Regime - Prof Lavanya Rajamani

Lavanya Rajamani delivers a podcast on ‘The International Climate Change Regime: Evolution and Challenges’. In particular she examines the ways in which the Climate Change Regime has evolved and the challenges such evolution has brought in its wake.

Environmental activism goes digital in lockdown – but could it change the movement for good? - William Finnegan

When social distancing measures are eased, will protests return to the streets, or do these events mark a turning point?

Homeschooling during coronavirus: five ways to teach children about climate change - William Finnegan

The emerging field of climate change education offers a few key lessons on how to teach learners of all ages.

Decarbonising the future UK economy - Prof David Hendry

An all-electric-powered society is just going back to a future where we might have been 125 years ago.

How much do people care about climate change? - Dr James Painter

New survey results from 40 countries shows that climate change matters to most people. In the vast majority of countries, fewer than 3% said climate change was not serious at all.

How much do people around the world care about climate change? - Dr Simge Andı, Dr James Painter

Major new survey shows big national variations in levels of concern, polarisation and media usage.

COP24 in coal country: why Poland is Europe’s climate denial capital - Dr Zbigniew W. Kundzewicz, Dr James Painter

The UN climate talks are being held in a nation dominated by cheap coal.

Learning and teaching resources

Maths for Planet Earth

Integrating climate change into the school curriculum, beyond the usual suspects of geography and environmental science. All of the questions closely follow example problems from GCSE and A level past exams.