Showing articles associated with Galina Alova
Galina is based at the Sustainable Finance Programme of the Oxford Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, currently completing her DPhil degree. Her research focuses on the transition of the global electricity sector towards renewable energy and away from fossil-fuel-based power generation. In her work, she applies machine-learning-based techniques.
Previously at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Galina led work on the extractive sector's decarbonisation as well as on green development finance and natural capital management.
Galina’s experience also includes the role of an economic advisor to the Minister and Permanent Secretary of Industrialisation and Trade in Namibia. She started her career as an economist in the UK and Scottish Governments. In her work, she applies machine-learning-based techniques.
Two of her recent studies were published in Nature Energy and were covered by over 100 news outlets and radio programmes, including BBC, The Guardian, Bloomberg, The New York Times and TIME.
Why is Oxford a good place to work in research related to environmental challenges?
What makes Oxford a great place is the concentration of talent working on a multiplicity of inter-related issues, not limited to climate change and the environment. The opportunity to work closely together with these brilliant minds, create new connections and partnerships, transcending the silos of individual disciplines, is an invaluable asset.
What is the biggest environmental challenge facing the planet right now?
Inaction. We all know what the main environmental challenges for our Planet are ranging from climate change, to water and air pollution, to biodiversity loss. These issues are closely intertwined with socio-economic challenges, such as poverty, inequality, state fragility and health. What poses the highest risk to our ability to cope with these challenges is our path dependence – if we take too few actions in a too misaligned manner and too late.
Despite the challenges, are you optimistic about our future?
I am optimistic, yet it is crucial to remain realistic. Humankind has proven multiple times its ability to reinvent itself when faced with formidable challenges. The development of Covid-19 vaccines is one such example. I am positive that we can still turn our future around, yet the time window to act on pressing environmental challenges is narrowing calling for a concerted well-aligned and timely international effort across all economic sectors.
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