New data shows continuing expansion of climate policies worldwide

Is nature really a security issue?

Alison Smith, a Senior Research Associate in the Ecosystems Group at the Environmental Change Institute, and Dr Timothy Clack, Associate Professor and Director of the Climate Change & (In)Security Programme, explain why halting nature and biodiversity loss is imperative to safeguard UK national security.

Global wildlife trade far larger than estimates suggest, new research reveals

Study identifies more than 107,000 species used or traded globally and warns that major gaps in monitoring make it harder to protect vulnerable species.

Dr Lina Khatib appointed Director of Global Policy and Systemic Risks at the Security Futures Lab

The Security Futures Lab at the Oxford Martin School, University of Oxford, has appointed Dr Lina Khatib as Director of Global Policy and Systemic Risks. She takes up the role on 9 November 2026.

Why demand persists for the horn of a once near-extinct antelope

Family traditions, misconceptions about where it comes from, and a belief that remedies sold in shops are government-approved help explain continued demand for saiga antelope horn in Singapore, according to a University of Oxford-led study published in People and Nature.

Are more food price increases on the way from El Niño?

An exceptionally strong El Niño is happening in the Pacific right now. US forecasters give a high chance that it will become stronger than any El Niño since 1950, and, by one estimate it would be the strongest in 1,000 years.

AI agents could give everyone a lawyer, an accountant and a negotiator. But who gets the good ones?

AI agents are starting to act on our behalf, from dealing with companies to navigating healthcare and the law. In a Perspective published in Nature Machine Intelligence, research led by the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative argues that people with the best agents could pull further ahead, or that widely shared agents could narrow existing gaps, depending on choices being made while the technology is still new.

The power of place: Learning from community-led innovations in Wales

In 1998, Wales made history by becoming one of the first countries in the world to embed sustainable development directly into its devolution laws.

Oxford Martin School launches four new £1 million research programmes tackling global challenges

Following a year-long open competition, the Oxford Martin School has awarded around £1 million each to four new interdisciplinary research programmes addressing major challenges in health, climate, food security and the environment.

UK risks under-preparing for severe climate and nature threats, experts warn

A new Comment led by Professor Paul Behrens brings together experts in climate, nature, health, national security and financial risk to call for a more integrated approach to how governments assess and prepare for climate and nature threats.

Yemen’s Houthis move to control crucial waterway – our research maps the countries most at risk

The advance of the Iran-aligned Houthi rebel group in Yemen has driven more than 130,000 people from their homes since the beginning of September, deepening the humanitarian crisis in an already poor country with a long history of domestic conflict.

The Future of Carbon Markets Isn’t Carbon

Carbon credits are issued when projects such as restoring forests, protecting mangroves or replacing fossil fuels with cleaner energy can demonstrate and verify that they have reduced or removed greenhouse gas emissions. These credits can then be sold, generating a source of revenue.

Flying blind into the AI age

Maike Osborne, Professor of Machine Learning and Co-Director of the Oxford Martin AI Governance Initiative, and Dr Fazl Barez, Senior Researcher and Technical Director of the Initiative, argue that the question of the week – whether AI is slipping out of our control – cannot be answered with the measurement instruments we have, but that improving upon them offers a realistic path for reining in both AI and the companies that own it.

Food manufacturers could achieve nutrition and sustainability gains by changing 10% of products

Leading UK food and drink manufacturers could significantly improve the overall nutrition and sustainability of their products by making changes to 10% or less of their existing product line, according to new research in Nature Food.