Oxford Climate Alumni Network

05/06/2026

Our Board Chairperson, Daniel Tate, was featured in the latest Alumni Volunteer Spotlight from Oxford Alumni!

⭐ Alumni volunteer spotlight: Meet Daniel Tate (University College, Oxford 2021).

Daniel volunteers as Chair of the Trustee Board of the Oxford Climate Alumni Network (OxCAN), a global alumni community working to unlock ‘climate paralysis’ and drive action on climate change.

‘It has been a pleasure to chair the Trustee Board of OxCAN. The OxCAN team is the ideal combination of high-impact Oxford alumni and passion to address the climate crisis. I’d highly recommend the alumni networks for any alumni looking to connect with the vast Oxford network while making an impact in important causes globally.’

Thank you Daniel and all our other incredible alumni volunteers who help keep the Oxford community connected and focused on tackling urgent global challenges.

Find out how you can get involved ⬇️ www.alumni.ox.ac.uk/alumni-groups

30/04/2026

Sharing the first Working Group OxCAN blog - “Justice & Climate Litigation: Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” by Maisy Bentley (Oxford alumna, Rhodes Scholar, litigation solicitor)!

Women’s rights and gender equality are largely missing from legal responses to climate change, and human rights climate litigation may be perpetuating this omission.

🔍 Of 176 human rights climate cases against governments, only two fell under the “woman” category. Neither has been decided on its merits.

The KlimaSeniorinnen case (older women vs. Switzerland) offers a rare exception — but is it enough?

As Maisy writes:
“If women’s human rights and matters of gender equality are being omitted from climate litigation, then they risk being omitted from the state obligations and practices that are developing through this litigation.”

🔗Read the full blog: https://www.oxfordclimatealumni.org/post/gender-justice-climate-litigation

23/04/2026

Happy Earth Day Oxonians! 🌍 On this special day, we’re announcing details of the launch event of our newest OxCAN Climate Justice Working Group!

Climate justice is more than emissions accounting. It’s about power, ethics, and who pays the price of transition.

Oxford research is already leading the way:
🔹 Inclusive Net Zero projects centering marginalised communities
🔹 A 7‑step just transition roadmap for companies
🔹 Ethical frameworks on who enables vs enacts adaptation

Now, we turn research into action.

Join our launch event!

📅 Wed 6th May 2026 | 4–6pm BST
📍 Oxford (in‑person preferred) + Zoom
🎤 Keynotes & panel: Harj Narulla, Benjamin Sovacool, Nicole Ann Ponce, Hanne van den Berg, Rocky Guzman
➕ Informal mixer afterwards

Open to all Oxford students, faculty, alumni & OxCAN members.

🔗 RSVP link in bio (bit.ly/ClimateJusticeLaunchEvent

NetZero EnvironmentalJustice

14/04/2026

The Boat Race got off to a powerful start on the 4th April this year, with the Oxford women’s team, many of them new to the squad, rising to the occasion in front of millions watching around the world. What began in 1829 with the men’s race, and later welcomed women in 1927, has grown into one of the most iconic sporting traditions, with the women’s race joining the main Tideway course and global broadcast in 2015. This year, OxCAN’s Transport Working Group, Ox10 and the Development Alumni Engagement Team set up at the Fulham Fan zone to offer Oxonian Alumni support.

Behind the spectacle lies months of relentless preparation. Athletes train up to three times a day, balancing intense physical demands with the constant challenge of managing sleep, nutrition, and recovery. Over the course of the year, the entire focus narrows to a single opponent, pushing each rower to the edge of elite performance.

After a decade of Cambridge dominance, Oxford’s victory this year carried real emotional weight. On race day, even the smallest details mattered—a coin toss decided which side of the Thames the crew took. What followed was just 20 minutes, but it was 20 minutes of pure tension, precision, and strength. We could feel the tension watching from both the big screen and the crowded shore of the Thames.

We from OxCAN’s Transport Working Group, Ox10 and the Development Alumni Relations team witnessed Oxford put up a strong fight on both races. Cambridge took the win on the men’s race, but the women’s race was ours to win this year. In the end, for all its history and tradition, the race came down to what’s simple and human: a crew moving as one, giving it everything they have after months of preparation and practice, one unforgettable race. Congratulations to Oxford’s 2026 women’s dark blues for their win!

07/04/2026

Thank you for joining us at The Oxford Climate Alumni Network (OxCAN) and Rhodes Scholars in Britain (RSiB) drinks and conversation in London!

We have gathered a group of Oxonians interested in climate policy, green technology, providing an opportunity to connect among fellow alumni and professionals in an informal setting.

Event Recap:
📍 Location: The Sekforde, 34 Sekforde St., London EC1R 0HA (near Farringdon Station)
📅 Date: Thursday, 26 March 2026
⏰ Time: 18:30 – 21:30 GMT

13/03/2026

How does Africa navigate the complex intersection of energy transition and energy security without compromising development?

Join us for an insightful conversation with one of the continent’s leading voices in energy finance - “Powering Development: The Strategic Pivot between Energy Transition and Energy Security in Africa”

We’re delighted to welcome Wale Shonibare, Director of Energy Financial Solutions, Policy, and Regulations at the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) , for an exclusive OxCAN webinar.

In conversation with Barbara Izilein, OxCAN’s Regional Director for Africa, Wale will unpack:
🔹 The AfDB’s strategic approach to balancing decarbonisation with energy access
🔹 Financing the transition in a continent where 600 million still lack electricity
🔹 Policy and regulatory innovations driving sustainable energy investment
🔹 What “just transition” truly means in the African context

This is essential listening for anyone working at the nexus of climate, development, and finance.
📅 Date: Wednesday 15th April 2026
⏰ Time: 2:30 – 3:30 PM (GMT+1 / BST)
📍 Where: Online (Zoom)

Register here: oxfordclimatealumni.org/events/powering-development-webinar
Can’t make it live? Register anyway, as the recording will be shared with all registrants.

Bring your questions for the Q&A and explore together what energy leadership looks like in the world’s most dynamic continent.

25/02/2026

What if the future of transport looks a lot like its past?

Last week, the Oxford Climate Alumni Network Transport Working Group gathered at St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford, for our “Road Talk” event.  The session provided an opportunity to examine the evolving landscape of transport decarbonisation through the lens of history, innovation, and latest market trends.

We were privileged to hear from two leaders driving this transition:
- Fiona Howarth, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, shared insights on the surging mainstream adoption of EVs and the market forces making electric the rational choice for consumers.
- Luke Williams of the Carbon Technology Research Foundation delivered a masterclass on the battery chemistries powering the revolution, what is here now, and what’s coming next.

Some fascinating takeaways:
* Battery-powered vehicles actually predated internal combustion engine cars, with electric models already on the streets of London in the early 20th century.
* EVs are increasingly being viewed not just as vehicles, but as potential grid stabilisers through vehicle-to-grid technology.
* Advances in sodium-ion batteries promise lower costs and reduced environmental impact.
* Ongoing research into hydrogen fuel cells and even microbial fuel cell technology could further diversify low-carbon transport solutions.

Encouragingly, production costs, maintenance requirements, running costs, and lifecycle emissions are all trending downward. Meanwhile, performance metrics — from range to durability — continue to improve, with some batteries now expected to outlast the vehicles they power.

Are we witnessing the gradual sunset of the internal combustion engine? The momentum behind electric mobility suggests that large-scale adoption is no longer a question of “if,” but “when.”

Visit our webpage https://www.oxfordclimatealumni.org/transport. OxCAN members can join the Transport Working Group by contacting the Director Allan Marega, [email protected] or expressing interest on our webpage.

09/02/2026

Last December, tracks of change were laid down at the Transport for London Museum! 🚇

Our OxCAN Transport Working Group hosted a thought-provoking “Rail Talk,” bringing together alumni and transport enthusiasts to explore the pivotal role of rail in a sustainable future.

From discussing rail electrification and innovation to the future of integrated, low-carbon transit systems — the conversation was as dynamic as the network it covered. It was inspiring to connect, share ideas, and strengthen our community of climate-forward professionals.

A huge thank you to our speakers and to everyone who joined — your passion and insights are what drive this group forward! 🤝

💡 Why we do this:
The Transport Working Group exists to connect, inform, and mobilise. Through events like these, we bridge the gap between thought leadership and actionable change, empowering each other — whether as consumers, managers, innovators, or advocates — to advance sustainable transport in every role we hold.

📣 What’s next?
Ready to continue the momentum? Don’t miss our upcoming Road Transport Talk & Networking Event at St Edmund Hall on 12th Feb!

We’ll be diving into EVs, battery tech, and the road to decarbonisation with experts Fiona Howarth and Luke Williams.
👉 RSVP at [email protected] to secure your spot!

05/02/2026

Happy New Year to our OxCAN community! We are excited to kick off 2026 with a new piece in our Just Climate Transition Blog Series.

In “Moving from Narrative to Action in the Phase Out of Fossil Fuels,” Tzeporah Berman, Chair of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative, takes stock of how far the movement has come, and maps the path ahead toward a fast, fair, and fully funded transition.

For decades, fossil fuels were absent from official climate negotiation texts, including the Paris Agreement. But through persistent advocacy from civil society, Indigenous, youth, health and governmental leaders, that is changing.

🔹 At COP28, the need to transition away from fossil fuels entered UN text for the first time.
🔹 At COP30 in Belém, 24 nations broke new ground by launching the Belém Declaration on the Phase Out of Fossil Fuels.
🔹 This April 2026, Colombia and the Netherlands will host the First International Conference for the Just Transition Away from Fossil Fuels—a forum free from fossil fuel lobbyists, focused on enabling finance, ending subsidies, and supporting vulnerable communities.

Building the right narratives is only the first step, real momentum comes when committed countries create their own diplomatic spaces to negotiate tax and debt mechanisms that enable a just phase-out.

As President Gustavo Petro of Colombia stated: “What is needed to successfully overcome the climate crisis is a revolution of the people. It is a revolution of civilisations that must dialogue with each other.”

Read the full post to understand how we move from words to implementation, and why this moment demands unprecedented international cooperation.

➡️ https://www.oxfordclimatealumni.org/post/moving-from-narrative-to-action-in-the-phase-out-of-fossil-fuels