Dear Colleague, welcome to our Spring Newsletter – The Fast Forward, providing you with an update on everything that’s been happening from the Bennett Institute for Innovation & Policy Acceleration.
Update from Bennett Director, Benjamin Sovacool
Understanding how people around the world imagine a future shaped by climate interventions reflects the Institute’s mission to improve governance through inclusive, evidence‑based insight. Since the Institute's launch I've been actively engaging communities across 22 countries to bring public perspectives directly into climate policy conversations. Challenging dominant narratives and supporting more democratic, globally informed decision‑making.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about tax system design. This includes working with the States of Guernsey on the introduction of their first ever Goods and Services Tax, and new research uncovering a looming AI tax gap, and what OECD economies should do about it.
Internationally, I’ve been working with a group of 70+ leading economists, scientists, and national statisticians to raise concerns with the UN High-Level Expert Group on Beyond GDP, providing Secretary General Guterres a more rigorous assessment of options and opportunities. We’ve also completed a report on productivity and sustainability in Brazil with Itaúsa, thanks to generous philanthropic support from The Villela Marino Fund.
With a focus on the EU landscape I have been continuing to lead the Transport and Mobility section of Berlin’s Senate Climate Advisory Board, commissioning a study on a Zero Emission Environmental Zone for the city. The introduction of which would put Berlin on an expedited pathway towards reaching their 2030 climate targets.
This January I also joined the 3rd Lead Author Meeting of the IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities in Oslo, with 100+ other leading scientists, scheduled for release in 2027.
Welcoming our new Senior Institute Manager, Katie Hiscock
Katie joined the Institute in January bringing expertise in research programme management and delivery, having worked collaboratively with senior academics, funders, policymakers, and external partners across multiple higher education institutes and private sector organisations. Prior to joining us she served as Senior Operations Manager for the UKRI-funded Energy Demand Research Centre at Sussex, providing strategic and operational leadership across a national consortium of 14 universities.
Bennett Symposium 2026; Zero Hour for Energy Policy: Researching the Race to Net Zero
In February we hosted our second annual Symposium, exploring the pressing issues and challenges that underpin the acceleration of climate change policies. Convening influential voices across the climate and energy landscape to unpack the urgent issues driving policy decisions in the UK and Europe, and to look ahead to the next cycle of the IPCC reports.
In a ceremony led by the Chancellor at Winter Graduation, we celebrated our benefactor, Peter Bennett. Whose vision, generosity, and belief in the transformative power of higher education have reshaped research landscapes across the UK and beyond.
The Bennett Institute at Sussex was founded on Peter’s belief that rigorous scholarship and real‑world problem‑solving must go hand in hand.
Dr Kumar is internationally recognised for his leadership in environmental economics, natural capital accounting, and sustainability policy, with a distinguished career spanning the UN Environment Programme, national governments, academia, and global research networks. His appointment is a tremendous honour for the Institute and reflects our commitment to world‑class, impact‑driven research and policy engagement.
PhD Spotlight
From climate impacts on financial and health systems, to people‑centred urban climate policy, the governance of emerging AI technologies, and pathways to decarbonising hard‑to‑abate sectors, our PhD candidates are advancing research that speaks directly to today’s most pressing policy challenges. In this latest story we spotlight their diverse work, highlighting new publications, policy engagement, fieldwork, and community-building activities across the Bennett Institute and beyond.
Get in touch with us if you would like to know more.
As a world-leading research centre focused on bringing about societal impact and the progress of humanity, our mission is to accelerate the development of urgently needed policies and practices to tackle society’s greatest challenges.
University of Sussex Business School, Jubilee Building, Falmer, Brighton, United Kingdom BN1 9SL
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