Finding Solutions To The World’s Most Urgent Challenges
The Oxford Martin School brings together the best minds from different fields to tackle the most pressing issues of the 21st century.
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All NewsWork with nature to unlock economic prosperity, says major Oxford study
Nature-based solutions involve working with and enhancing nature to address societal challenges – such as climate change - in ways that benefit local communities and biodiversity. A comprehensive review of the economic impacts of nature-based solutions, published today in PLOS Climate, concludes they can unlock prosperity by boosting local economies, increasing agricultural productivity and creating jobs.
How insurance fuels action for development, climate and biodiversity goals
This week sees three major international conferences with the potential to shape the future of development – the G7, the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings and the United Nations Biodiversity Conference. A common theme is how to mobilise private sector investment and innovation for development and biodiversity and climate goals. As global leaders sit down with financiers to find solutions, insurers should also get a prominent seat at the table. We argue that insurance plays five crucial roles in unlocking innovation and investment and give examples of how insurers are already helping to protect and restore nature.
Systemic Resilience researchers work with World Bank on climate shocks
The Oxford Martin Systemic Resilience Initiative recently demonstrated its expertise in advancing practical solutions to manage global shocks – particularly those related to climate and nature risks in emerging market and developing economies (EMDEs) – by holding a series of thought leadership discussions and executive teaching workshops attended by World Bank leaders and over 30 senior officials from Ministries of Finance and financial regulators from more than 20 countries.
New programmes focus on AI threats, ‘second-life’ EV batteries and digital pandemic tools
The Oxford Martin School has announced three new programmes for 2024 that aim to develop research solutions to the most pressing 21st century issues. They will tackle the critical challenges of how we can improve our ability to detect attacks on AI systems; effectively redeploy electric vehicle batteries through ‘second-life’ schemes when they reach the end of their life; and optimally and ethically employ digital tools during a pandemic.
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Upcoming Events
All EventsBook talk: 'As If Human: Ethics and Artificial Intelligence' - Nigel Shadbolt in conversation with Charles Godfray (fully booked)
Intelligent machines present us every day with urgent ethical challenges.
'Chinese global messaging campaigns on Western social media platforms' with Dr Naima Green-Riley
In the People’s Republic of China, a number of social media platforms created in the West, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, are restricted by the Great Firewall.
'How innovation in the private sector can help address major 21st century challenges' Warren East in conversation with Charles Godfray
Using examples from the energy transition, climate change mitigation and healthcare, Warren East, former CEO Rolls-Royce & ARM, will explore the interplay of novel technologies and major societal challenges, as well as the obvious and less obvious barriers to the take up of new ideas.
'Fighting misinformation on social media: the role of economic research' with Prof Sergei Guriev
Following the rise of social networks and the spread of disinformation and misinformation on social media, political scientists, social psychologists, and media scholars have proposed and studied several instruments to slow down propagation of false news.
Recent Videos
All Videos'Crafting a new global order? The United Nations and international politics in the 1990s' with Prof Fabian Klose
Book talk: 'Wicked Problems: How to Engineer a Better World' with Guru Madhavan
'Factors affecting quality of life in adults with epilepsy: insights from South Africa' with Nwabisa Mlandu
Go Deeper
Our long reads take an in-depth look at the outcomes and impacts of our research programmes
Programmes
View allWildlife Trade
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Food Sustainability
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Antimicrobial Resistance Testing
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Ethical Web and Data Architectures
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Global Epilepsy
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Future of Development
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Agile Initiative
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Systemic Resilience
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AI Governance Initiative
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