Researchers at the Environmental Change Institute (ECI) were delighted to welcome Barry Sheerman MP to their research centre at the University of Oxford today.
Mr Sheerman, MP for Huddersfield, is the Chair of the Labour Back Bench DEFRA Committee and is part of several all-party parliamentary groups focused on climate change and global warming. These parliamentary groups have initiated a number of commissions linked to the environment including The Hydrogen Energy Group, The Clean Air Commission, The Westminster Commission on the Renaissance of the River Thames and the European Clean Cities Initiative.
Mr Sheerman has always been a proponent of evidence-based policy to tackle the climate crisis and the aim of the visit was to share examples of the impactful work being done at the ECI with a view to working together to enable change through the government policy process. He said:
We are keen to build closer contacts with the expertise of universities that have both a competence and interest in environmental areas. That is why I’m interested in working together with the ECI to tackle the challenges that face our country and our planet.”
L-R: Prof Yadvinder Malhi, Ecosystems programme lead, ECI; Dr John Ingram, Food Systems programme lead, ECI; Dr Tina Fawcett, Energy programme lead, ECI; Prof Myles Allen, Climate programme lead, ECI; Prof Michael Obersteiner, Director, ECI; Barry Sheerman MP, Dr Tom Harwood, Associate Director, ECI; Dr Nicola Ranger, Resilience and Development programme lead, ECI; Dr Connie McDermott, Land, Society and Governance programme lead, ECI; and Caitlin Hafferty Postdoc Researcher.
Throughout his career Mr Sheerman has focused on education and the environment. He set up the cross-party think tank, Policy Connect, and established and chairs the Westminster Commission on Autism and the Westminster Commission on Road Air Quality.
Michael Obersteiner, Director of the ECI, said:
You mention that you are focused on evidence-based policy and the ECI is the factory where the evidence production begins. Climate anxiety is a real and growing concern, but climate change is fixable. The ECI strives to demonstrate that practical solutions exist and can make a difference.”
After meeting researchers at the ECI, Barry enjoyed lunch at nearby Linacre College where he spoke to the Principal Dr Nick Leimu-Brown about the latest initiative to clean Oxford’s rivers.
L-R: Dr John Ingram, Food Systems programme lead, ECI; James Wallace, CEO, River Action UK; Anna Eavis, CEO, Oxford Preservation Trust; Barry Sheerman MP, Dr Nick Leimu-Brown, Principal, Linacre College; Prof Michael Obersteiner, Director, ECI; and Prof Myles Allen, Climate programme lead, ECI.
Dr Leimu-Brown said: “Campaign group River Action found the Thames River to have worryingly high levels of E. coli in the lead up to this year’s Boat Race and three members of the Oxford crew suffered from stomach upsets.
“For regular users of England’s waterways this was no great surprise. Rowers have become sick from training and racing on the Thames for many years. Nor is it news that Thames Water – our regional water company – is discharging billions of litres of untreated sewage into the river.
“The terrible quality of Thames water does not just have an impact on our athletes. It also affects all of us who walk along, picnic by, punt or swim in the river. It impacts valuable wetland habitats causing loss of biodiversity.”
As Mr Sheerman established the Westminster Commission on the Renaissance of the River Thames, the organisations River Action UK and Oxford Preservation Trust were also invited to the lunch.
Oxford Preservation Trust cares for precious water-meadow along the Thames and Cherwell rivers. The charity works to enhance their biodiversity and to find nature-based mitigations for flooding.
It’s hoped that the event will bring all parties together to find solutions to environmental change.