I have previously written about The Power of Emergency . It seems it never goes away – after all, it is a very useful tool.

Some time ago I joined the Oxford Climate Alumni Network (OxCAN). Its “Director Communications and External Liaison UK” (Andrew Lee) attended my old college four years after I left, so a sense of nostalgia impelled me to join. I realised, given its name, that it was likely to be concerned about climate change, and I joined because I reasoned that it was important to discover what fellow Oxonians were saying regarding this topic. I also assumed – naively, as it turns out – that as an organisation that emanates from the University where I gained a profound lesson in the importance of intellectual challenge, questioning everything, and thinking for oneself, would issue newsletters that contained at least a few items debating and questioning the severity of the “climate crisis”. Perhaps the occasional challenge to the disaster narrative? Maybe a few suggestions that there might be up-sides as well as down-sides? Possibly even someone brave enough to contemplate that UK net zero policies might be more harmful than beneficial? As it turns out – not a chance.

Periodically I receive updates in the form of emails. The most recent one arrived over a week ago, and I thought I would share some of its contents.

The National Emergency Briefing

It commenced with an editorial telling me that we all need to know about this:

The National Emergency Briefing is a UK-wide initiative which aims to communicate the latest scientific evidence on the climate and nature crisis directly to politicians, civic leaders, businesses, faith groups and the wider public. It was organised by the National Emergency Briefing project and brought together experts to clearly present the risks that climate and ecological breakdown pose to: food security, health, national security, infrastructure and the economy.

I was curious, so I checked out the website. Natually it is endorsed, inter alia, by Lord Deben (“The National Emergency Briefing could not be more timely. The science is moving fast, and every year the risks become clearer. Britain has led before, and we must lead again – not with words, but with action to protect our people, our prosperity and our children’s future. But first, all policymakers must ensure they are fully informed”) and by Michael Mann (“I urge all policymakers to engage with this critically important scientific advice. I’d like to see a National Emergency Briefing in every country”). Equally inevitably, the new film is presented by Chris Packham. The objective?

We are calling on the UK Government to stage a prime-time, multi-channel televised national emergency briefing to the nation, launching a major public engagement plan to communicate the scale and immediacy of the risks we face, combat rising disinformation – an essential step in building support for the wartime-scale response now needed.

That’s not all:

The briefing should be: Introduced by the Prime Minister – to signal the highest level of national importance and responsibility….Broadcast at prime time on multiple channels – TV, radio, online, billboards, leaflets, subtitles/translations to maximise reach…Clear about solutions and choices, including the many benefits of acting decisively including warmer homes, lower bills, better health, stronger energy and food security, restored nature and economic resilience….Explicit about lower-likelihood but very high-impact risks, including potential AMOC collapse and other systemic threats….Seriously staged and presented, with a setting that conveys gravity, credibility and national purpose…Trailed in advance, for example: “The Prime Minister will address the nation…”, to build anticipation and legitimacy….Accompanied by a commitment to provide regular updates on emerging risks and progress in managing them.

OxCAN is actively promoting this (“We all need to know about the National Emergency Briefing“). We are told that:

The objective of the briefing has been to create what organisers describe as a “societal tipping point” by presenting an evidence-led case for a televised national emergency briefing and a rapid, large-scale response to the climate and nature crisis, comparable in urgency and coordination to major national mobilisations seen during wartime or the COVID emergency.

The wisdom or necessity of this isn’t questioned – it’s taken as written. As is the by now standard linking of the very real nature crisis with the illusory climate crisis. This is despite the fact that in the UK our futile attempts to “deal with” the so-called climate crisis (in the form of massive renewable energy developments and related infrastructure) is hugely damaging to the environment.

More than 70 MPs have signed the call, as have numerous members of the (unelected) House of Lords and the UK’s devolved legislatures.

But back to Oxford University. Speakers at the Westminster event (opened and fronted by Chris Packham) included a couple of Oxford academics – Nathalie Seddon (Oxford biodiversity professor and nature-based solutions expert) and Paul Behrens (Oxford environmental scientist focused on food systems and sustainability). The summary of Nathalie Seddon’s comments in the OxCAN newsletter is not something likely to raise the hackles of Clisceppers, and the same is pretty much true of Paul Behrens. Nowhere, however, is there any explanation as to why the possible impacts of climate change with regard to nature and food, for those of us in the UK, requires a wartime-like response from the UK, given how insignificant are the UK’s emissions as a proportion of the global whole, especially while most of the rest of the world simply watches from the sidelines while the UK destroys its industry, economy, environment and security in a futile attempt to persuade the rest of the world to follow.

London Climate Action Week (LCAW) 2026

Next up on the newsletter is LCAW. Touted as “Europe’s largest city-wide climate festival”, it is scheduled for June 20^th–28^th 2026. “It will gather thousands of leaders, experts, and citizens for over 700 events focused on accelerating global climate action, decarbonisation, and urban resilience, with key themes including finance, AI, and food systems.” Who needs COPs?

I do wonder what the point is. The talking points are the same as always. Nothing concrete is ever achieved, but the bandwagon rolls on, and plenty of people seem to be making a comfortable living out of it all. It includes a Climate Innovation Forum which will bring together “2,000+ industry, finance, and policy leaders.” At it “discussions will cover carbon accounting, energy system modernization, sustainable finance, critical minerals, and artificial intelligence for climate technology.” Don’t they always? “The week serves as a hub for cross-sector collaboration to turn climate commitments into real-world progress.” Well, that will be a first.

Report Launch – How Can the UK Adapt to Climate Risks?
Oxford launch of the Climate Change Committee’s Well Adapted UK report

I’m afraid I’m a bit late to report on this event, which took place on 1^st June. It featured Dr Richard Millar, Head of Adaptation at the Climate Change Committee, and was described as offering “an opportunity to engage directly with leading experts on climate adaptation at a time when resilience is becoming an increasingly urgent policy priority.” We sceptics should welcome an increasing focus on the need for adaptation, if only there would be some recognition that attempted expensive mitigation measures in the UK are pointless (and also wasteful of vast sums of money that would be better spent on adaptation).

Seminar – Rethinking Methodologies in Epistemology: A Decolonial Approach Through the Lens of Medicinal Cape Plants

I’m afraid I’m too late with this one too – it took place on 4^th June.

Drawing on the concept of Ausi—a Khoekhoegowab term meaning ‘older sister’ and referring to a respected holder of community knowledge—Professor Bam examines how intergenerational understandings of landscape, soil, plants, and cultural heritage have endured despite colonial disruption. The session considers how ‘deep listening’ to Ausi knowledge may challenge the limitations of conventional Western archives and open new pathways for understanding history, memory, and place.

Possibly very interesting, but what it has to do with OxCAN, I’m not sure.

Symposium – Climate Crisis, Learning, and Epistemic Plurality
University of Helsinki

4^th June again, I’m afraid.

How should education respond to climate change in a world shaped by diverse ways of knowing? This cross-disciplinary symposium brings together international scholars to explore learning, climate justice, and educational transformation through decolonial, Indigenous, and plural knowledge traditions.

The event focuses on the challenges and opportunities created by climate transformations across different cultural and epistemic contexts. Discussions will examine how alternative knowledge systems can contribute to more just and effective responses to the climate crisis, while challenging assumptions embedded within dominant educational frameworks.

The programme includes a keynote address by Marcellus Mbah, who will speak on Epistemic Plurality in the Climate Crisis: African Indigenous Ontologies and Decolonial Education.

Make of that what you will. It’s certainly in line with UN COP agendas.

Global Youth Climate Summit
Right Here, Right Now Global Youth Climate Summit

This was on the 5^th June, and apparently was to run continuously for 24 hours. The days of the all-nighter preparing an essay for the following day’s tutorial are long behind me now, so I could have dipped in and out of this at best. It was probably not for me anyway:

The summit aims to amplify youth voices, encourage collaboration across sectors, and showcase practical ideas and solutions for addressing climate challenges through innovation, education and human rights-based approaches.

Climate Tech Hackathon

This was a two-day event, spanning 5^th & 6^th June.

Participants will work in teams on climate-focused challenges, receive mentoring from industry experts, and hear from climate-tech founders. The event begins with welcome drinks and a founders’ panel on Friday evening before a full day of collaborative problem-solving on Saturday.

The Economics of Net Zero – ZERO Institute Summer Reception

Held yesterday, this might have been a great opportunity to have a deep and detailed debate about the pros and cons (because there are cons) related to the economic impact of aggressive net zero policies. Instead:

The event provides an opportunity to explore the economic dimensions of the net zero transition while connecting with members of Oxford’s growing climate research community.

Note that the climate research “community” is “growing”. Of course it is.

Networking Event – Oxford Energy Lunch
ZERO Institute and Oxford Energy Network

If you’re part of a growing community, I suppose networking is pretty important, especially when there’s so much money in play, and 15^th June is your opportunity.

Hosted by the ZERO Institute and the Oxford Energy Network, the event will showcase current initiatives and provide an informal forum for discussion, collaboration and networking. An open-mic session will allow attendees to share announcements, opportunities and questions with colleagues working across energy and climate-related disciplines.

Webinar – The Anthropocene in the Language Classroom
Regenerating Futures, Deakin University

Obviously, it’s not enough to be convinced of the climate crisis. Proselytisation is vital too. Attend this free webinar on 18^th June, and learn “how undergraduate communication skills courses for engineering students can become powerful spaces for climate dialogue and future-oriented learning. Draw… on classroom experiments involving discussion, reflective writing, visual provocations, and oral communication tasks, [to see] how language education can support students in interpreting uncertainty, engaging with socio-ecological challenges, and imagining collective futures.”

Presentation – Climate Change Education
Victorian Teaching and Learning Academy

This is one for our Antipodean contributor, Tony Thomas. It’s a presentation on 29^th July by Peta White, “widely recognised for her work in science and sustainability education and has been a leading voice in advancing climate change education in Australia.”

The session will examine practical strategies for embedding sustainability within school settings while supporting learners to engage critically and constructively with climate-related challenges. It is aimed at educators, school leaders, and others interested in strengthening climate literacy and sustainability across the curriculum.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Truth? Is AI thinking what I’m thinking?

This is a thought-provoking piece by Andrew Lee, my fellow Hertfordian, and it’s nice to see some questioning of part, at least, of the usual narrative. He references a ship he saw with “LNG powered – think green” plastered across its side, and decided to ask AI what it made of the claimed green credentials. He and I liked the same irony identified by GPT:

many of these giant PCTCs are carrying exported vehicles globally, including EVs from China
the transport itself still consumes huge amounts of energy …

Your photo also nicely captures one of the strange features of modern shipping: a vessel moving thousands of cars while presenting itself as environmentally progressive.

There’s more, but that’s enough for today, and it would be good to end on a positive note. However, don’t expect OxCAN to start questioning the climate crisis narrative any time soon. Universities, it seems, have stopped teaching young adults how to think and are more interested in telling them what to think.