Ronald Oxburgh, Baron Oxburgh Explained

Honorific Prefix:The Right Honourable
The Lord Oxburgh
Birth Date:1934 11, df=yes
Alma Mater:University College, Oxford
Princeton University
Thesis Title:Geology of the eastern Carabobo area, Venezuela
Thesis Year:1960
Doctoral Advisor:Harry Hammond Hess
Awards:Bigsby Medal (1979)
Spouse:Ursula, Lady Oxburgh
Children:3

Ernest Ronald Oxburgh, Baron Oxburgh, [1] (born 2 November 1934) is an English geologist, geophysicist and politician.[2] Lord Oxburgh is well known for his work as a public advocate in both academia and the business world in addressing the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and develop alternative energy sources[3] as well as his negative views on the consequences of current oil consumption.

Early life

Oxburgh was born in Liverpool on 2 November 1934. He remained there with his family throughout World War II, despite Luftwaffe air raids. He attended Liverpool Institute High School for Boys from 1942 to 1950. He is a graduate of the University College, Oxford and Princeton University (PhD) (1960) where he worked on the emerging theory of plate tectonics[4] with the famous geologist Harry Hammond Hess.

Career

Oxburgh has taught geology and geophysics at the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. At Cambridge he was Professor of Mineralogy and Petrology, head of the Department of Earth Sciences and President of Queens' College. He has been a visiting professor at Stanford, Caltech, and Cornell. From 1988 to 1993, Lord Oxburgh was chief scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence, and Rector of Imperial College London from 1993 to 2000.[5] He was a member of the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education that published an influential report in 1997.[6]

During 2004–05 Oxburgh was a non-executive chairman of Shell, the UK arm of Royal Dutch Shell. His tenure was remarkable in that while chairing a fossil fuels giant he expressed his "fears for the planet" because of climate change, sought new energy sources, and urged the global community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.[7]

Lord Oxburgh was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council (Singapore), as of 1 January 2002, and is a member of the International Academic Advisory Panel of Singapore and the University Grants Committee (Hong Kong).[8] He is honorary president of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association,[9] chairman of Falck Renewables, a wind energy firm,[10] an advisor to Climate Change Capital. He was chairman of D1 Oils, plc, a biodiesel producer, in 2007, and a director of GLOBE, the Global Legislators Organisation for a Balanced Environment.[3]

In March 2010, he was appointed as the chairman of an inquiry into the research conducted by the Climatic Research Unit following the Climatic Research Unit hacking incident.[11] The report,[12] released 14 April 2010, found that "...work has been carried out with integrity, and that allegations of deliberate misrepresentation and unjustified selection of data are not valid." Critics asserted Oxburgh's ties with businesses that stood to profit from the decision created a conflict of interest.[13] [14] The University of East Anglia did not see any conflict of interest,[15] stating,

"The choice of scientists is sure to be the subject of discussion, and experience would suggest that it is impossible to find a group of eminent scientists to look at this issue who are acceptable to every interest group which has expressed a view in the last few months. Similarly it is unlikely that a group of people who have the necessary experience to assess the science, but have formed no view of their own on global warming, could be found."[16]

Personal life

While at Princeton University, Oxburgh was joined by his fiancée, Ursula, whom he married in the university chapel. They have three children.[17] An outdoorsman, Oxburgh enjoyed orienteering and running marathons until knee surgery limited him to mountain hikes with his wife.[2]

Awards and honors

Selected bibliography

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: List of Fellows. 29 October 2014. 8 June 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160608094405/http://www.raeng.org.uk/about-us/people-council-committees/the-fellowship/list-of-fellows. dead.
  2. Web site: Lord Oxburgh, KBE, FRS HonFREng . Ljmu.ac.uk . 31 July 2006. 24 August 2010. dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060807000723/http://www.ljmu.ac.uk/Graduation/82477.htm . 7 August 2006 .
  3. Web site: D1 Oils – News . D1plc.com . 31 December 2007 . 24 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100223044726/http://www.d1plc.com/news.php?article=113 . 23 February 2010 .
  4. E. R. OXBURGH . Flake Tectonics and Continental Collision . Nature . 239 . 5369 . 202–204 . Nature.com . 1972-09-22 . 10.1038/239202a0 . 1972Natur.239..202O . 4186536 .
  5. http://www.imperial.ac.uk/aboutimperial/imperial_people/pastrectors/oxburgh The Lord Oxburgh, KBE, FRS: Rector 1993–2000
  6. Web site: Higher Education in the learning society: Main Report. https://web.archive.org/web/20150211022652/http://www.educationengland.org.uk/documents/dearing1997/dearing1997.html. dead. 11 February 2015. Education England. 10 February 2015.
  7. News: UK | Shell boss 'fears for the planet' . BBC News . 17 June 2004 . 24 August 2010.
  8. Web site: Lord Ronald Oxburgh . A-star.edu.sg . 24 August 2010.
  9. Web site: CCSA – Staff . Ccsassociation.org.uk . 24 August 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100818211305/http://www.ccsassociation.org.uk/about_ccsa/staff.html . 18 August 2010 .
  10. Web site: No more cheap energy, says expert: The University of Western Australia . News.uwa.edu.au . 26 November 2009 . 24 August 2010.
  11. News: Chair announced for climate probe . 22 March 2010. BBC News. 22 March 2010.
  12. Web site: Evidence - Evidence - The Independent Climate Change Email Review - Library - UEA.
  13. News: David Adam, environment correspondent . Scientists cleared of malpractice in UEA's hacked emails inquiry | Environment | guardian.co.uk . The Guardian . 14 April 2010. 24 August 2010 . London.
  14. News: Lord Oxburgh the climate science peer has a conflict of interest . London . The Times . Ben . Webster . 23 March 2010.
  15. https://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/26/uea_oxburgh_statement/ Anglia defends Oxburgh's eco network ties
  16. Web site: CRU Scientific Assessment Panel announced – University of East Anglia . UEA . 22 March 2010 . 24 August 2010.
  17. News: UK | Profile: Lord Oxburgh . BBC News . 2004-06-17 . 2010-08-24.
  18. Web site: MPs, Lords and offices – UK Parliament . Biographies.parliament.uk . 2010-04-21 . 2010-08-24.
  19. Web site: All-Party Parliamentary Group for Earth Sciences: home page . Bgs.ac.uk . 2000-04-05 . 2010-08-24.
  20. http://www.seh.ox.ac.uk/index.php?section=263 Fellows and Staff > Honorary Fellows > Rt. Hon. The Lord Ernest Ronald Oxburgh
  21. Web site: Climate Change Capital's Lord Oxburgh Wins Platts Life Time Achievement Award . Climate Change Capital . 2007-11-15 . 2010-08-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110708164802/http://www.climatechangecapital.com/news-and-events/ccc-in-the-news/climate-change-capital%E2%80%99s-lord-oxburgh-wins-platts-life-time-achievement-award.aspx . 8 July 2011 .
  22. Web site: National Academy of Sciences . Nasonline.org . 2010-08-24.
  23. Web site: Ronald Oxburgh . German Academy of Sciences Leopoldina . 1 June 2021.
  24. Web site: University of Leeds – Lord Oxburgh of Liverpool . Leeds.ac.uk . 2009-07-21 . 2010-08-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100405040919/http://www.leeds.ac.uk/info/30310/honorary_graduates/250/lord_oxburgh_of_liverpool . 5 April 2010 .
  25. https://www.energyinst.org/events/view/4400 Melchett Medal awarded to Lord Oxburgh

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