Rupert Stuart-Smith

Dr Rupert Stuart-Smith is a Senior Research Associate in Climate Science and the Law at the Oxford Sustainable Law Programme.

In his research, Rupert advances methods in attribution science to shed new light on the impacts of climate change on health, glaciers, and extreme weather events. He studies how climate science can be leveraged to enhance legal scrutiny of corporate and state climate action and accountability for the impacts of greenhouse gas emissions. Rupert also publishes on the implications of burgeoning climate litigation on climate-related financial risk.

Rupert's recent publications include research on legal scrutiny of states’ dependence on CO­2removal to meet climate targets, the impact of climate change on glacial retreat in Peru in the context of an ongoing lawsuit (Lliuya v RWE) and the evidence needed to bring successful legal claims on the impacts of climate change. His research has been published in leading scientific journals including Science, Nature Geoscience and Nature Climate Change. Rupert's work has been featured in the global media, including by The Guardian, BBC, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Reuters, and Carbon Brief.

Rupert regularly provides scientific advice and training for lawyers and judges, and has authored expert reports for climate lawsuits. He has also worked as a consultant for the Foundation for International Law for the Environment, WWF-UK, Climate Analytics and Vivid Economics. Rupert holds a DPhil and BA(Hons) in Geography from the University of Oxford. Rupert has also received the Alfred Steers Prize from the Royal Geographical Society.