Latest news with #LondonSchoolofEconomicsandPoliticalScience
News18
2 days ago
- Science
- News18
‘Pet' Project Made Easy: How AI, LSE Centre Will Help You Understand Your Dog, Cat Better Explained
Last Updated: The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop approaches to study feelings of animals Why is your dog looking sad? Why is your cat doing something new with its toe beans? Not sure if you are actually helping your pet? Soon, artificial intelligence (AI) and science will come to your rescue. The Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), will develop new approaches to study the feelings of other animals scientifically. What will the centre do? According to the LSE website, the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, made possible through a multi-year commitment of £4 million from the Jeremy Coller Foundation, will use the emerging science of animal sentience to design better policies, laws and ways of caring for other animals. Under the leadership of its inaugural Director, Professor Jonathan Birch, the new centre – launching in autumn 2025 at LSE – will harness LSE's interdisciplinary expertise, bringing together LSE's outstanding faculty and students and working with global thought leaders across philosophy, veterinary medicine, evolutionary biology, comparative psychology, neuroscience, behavioural science, computer science, artificial intelligence, economics and law around a shared research agenda and a shared commitment to benefiting other animals. The AI project The centre will also work with stakeholders (in sectors such as science, tech and farming) to explore the ethical use of AI in relation to animals, aiming to develop a code of practice to support the AI industry in ensuring animals and their needs are not forgotten. Professor Jonathan Birch, Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method at LSE and the Centre's inaugural Director, commented: 'The new centre, the first of its kind in the world, will be a place for ethical moonshots. Let's make a world in which all sentient beings are respected, even the smallest ones. Let's make a world where AI is used to benefit all animals, not to facilitate cruelty. Let's make a world in which people are empowered to act in accordance with their love of other animals rather than being nudged towards indifference. Some say these are impossible dreams, but the boundary between the 'possible' and the allegedly 'impossible' is one we aim to move." Jeremy Coller commented: 'We are a speciesist species – only when we have a better understanding of how other animals feel and communicate will we be able to acknowledge our own shortcomings in how we treat them. Just as the Rosetta Stone unlocked the secrets of hieroglyphics, I am convinced the power of AI can help us unlock our understanding of how other animals experience their interactions with humans." view comments First Published: July 20, 2025, 15:06 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
15-07-2025
- Science
- NDTV
AI May Soon Let You Talk To Your Pet, Says New Research Initiative
In a groundbreaking move, the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is set to launch the Jeremy Coller Centre for Animal Sentience, the world's first research centre dedicated to scientifically studying the consciousness of animals, according to The Guardian. With operations beginning on September 30, the 4 million Pounds centre will investigate how humans can better understand non-human animals including pets through advanced technologies like artificial intelligence. Among its many interdisciplinary projects, one of the most exciting is the exploration of how AI could potentially enable communication between humans and animals. By decoding behavioural cues and patterns, researchers hope to develop tools that allow pet owners to better interpret what their animals are feeling or trying to express. However, the centre will also study the potential ethical risks and misuses of such technology, as per the news report. The centre will bring together experts from neuroscience, philosophy, veterinary science, AI, law, and behavioural science to study animals ranging from cats and dogs to insects, crabs, and cuttlefish. "We like our pets to display human characteristics and with the advent of AI, the ways in which your pet will be able to speak to you is going to be taken to a whole new level," said Prof Jonathan Birch, the inaugural director of the centre. "But AI often generates made-up responses that please the user rather than being anchored in objective reality. This could be a disaster if applied to pets' welfare," said Birch, whose input to the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Act led to it being expanded to include cephalopod mollusks and decapod crustaceans. Birch points to separation anxiety: dog owners often want reassurance that their pet is not suffering when left alone for long periods. Futuristic "translation" apps based on large language models could promise to provide that reassurance, but end up causing harm by telling owners what they want to hear rather than what the animal actually needs. "We urgently need frameworks governing responsible, ethical AI use in relation to animals," said Birch. "At the moment, there's a total lack of regulation in this sphere. The centre wants to develop ethical guidelines that will be recognised globally."
Fashion Value Chain
04-07-2025
- General
- Fashion Value Chain
Cheistha Kochhar Award Presented at Ashoka University Convocation, Honoring a Lasting Legacy
The spirit of Cheistha Kochhar's compassion and kindness was celebrated at the Young India Fellowship 2025 Convocation, where Pushpinder, this year's recipient, remarked, 'Cheistha's compassion and kindness still echo in the campus.' The annual Cheistha Kochhar Award, now in its second year, was presented in a moving ceremony attended by Cheistha's parents, who were invited on stage to confer the honor. Cheistha Kochhar Award Presented at Ashoka University Convocation The convocation was preceded by a tree plantation ceremony and a visit to the HDFC Library, where attendees were shown the dedicated Cheistha Kochhar Corner-featuring a collection of her books, graciously donated by her family. Pramath Sinha and Karan Bhola were recognized for their thoughtful invitation and meticulous organization of the event, which underscored the enduring impact of Cheistha's legacy. Events like these, instituted voluntarily, bring warmth and hope to all who knew Cheistha, ensuring her legacy continues to inspire future generations. Late Cheistha Kochhar was a young and dynamic student who was doing her Philosophy (PhD) at the prestigious London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), who lost her life in London in a tragic accident on March 19th, 2024.
Euronews
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Climate cases are increasingly reaching top courts, new analysis finds
People pursuing legal action over climate change are increasingly finding their cases reach the world's highest courts, the largest analysis to date finds. Between 2015 and 2024, 276 climate-related cases ended up in apex courts – such as supreme and constitutional courts – according to the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment, based at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). In a longer stretch from 1995 to the end of 2024, just over 360 cases went the distance. In total, the institute's databases date back to 1986, during which time around 3,000 climate lawsuits have been filed. This provides the analysts with a detailed history from which to track the evolution of climate litigation and its real-world impact. 'Governments and companies are increasingly having to consider the legal ramifications of pushing ahead with oil or gas projects, as they risk being dragged through the courts,' says Catherine Higham, senior policy fellow at the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment. 'The broader impacts of climate litigation are becoming increasingly visible and well-documented. It is no longer a niche concern; it is increasingly seen as a financial risk.' What are the key trends for climate litigation in Europe? 2024 saw new fossil fuel exploration in Europe come under increasing scrutiny by high courts, the report reveals. There were influential supreme court rulings in the UK and Norway - Europe's two largest oil and gas producers - with the latter suspending three North Sea oil field approvals. These cases were partly concerned with the question of whether downstream or 'Scope 3' emissions from fossil fuel projects should be considered by decision makers, an increasing focus worldwide. Of the 2,967 climate cases filed worldwide by the end of 2024, 133 have been filed in the UK - the third highest after the US (well ahead with 1,899) and Australia (164). Interestingly, the authors note, although Europe and North America are the regions with the most apex court cases, they also have comparatively lower success rates. Germany, in particular, has seen a substantial number of unsuccessful cases. These are mostly subnational framework cases filed with the Federal Constitutional Court following the successful decision in Neubauer, et al. v. Germany, in which young climate activists argued that Germany's greenhouse gas reduction goals violated their human rights. Subsequent complaints, brought by young climate activists against individual German states, were all dismissed in early 2022. The Court held that federal states are not independently responsible for ensuring compliance with national climate targets under the Federal Climate Change Act, and therefore, the claims did not meet the constitutional threshold for admissibility. What are the most successful approaches? Of the 276 climate cases reaching apex courts in the last nine years, more than 80 per cent of cases have challenged governments, reflecting a dominant trend of challenging shortcomings in national or subnational climate policies, regulatory failures or inaction. Challenges regarding the 'integration of climate considerations' like Scope 3 emissions into specific projects tend to fare better, with a 44 per cent success rate, than 'government framework' cases about constitutional responsibilities. Cases against corporate defendants appear to have a higher overall success rate. The authors also found that around 20 per cent of climate cases filed in 2024 targeted companies or their directors and officers. 'Climate washing cases have remained as one of the most widely used strategies in corporate litigation in 2024', they say, noting a growing number targeting the use of carbon credits to offset emissions. What important principles have climate cases established? Rights-based climate litigation has been on the rise since 2015, the report says, with a growing number of litigants invoking their fundamental rights to compel governments to act on climate change. The European Court of Human Rights' (ECtHR) landmark 2024 ruling in KlimaSeniorinnen v. Switzerland represents a 'milestone' in this respect. It affirmed state obligations under international human rights and climate law, connected distinct legal regimes, and confirmed that NGOs can have standing in climate litigation. One year on, national courts have begun to engage with the judgment, with mixed results. Some cases, although unsuccessful overall, have nonetheless established important principles that can be carried forward. The Higher Regional Court of Hamm in Germany dismissed a lawsuit brought by Peruvian farmer Saul Luciano Lliuya against energy giant RWE in May 2025. But its ruling confirmed a powerful legal principle: companies can be held legally liable for the harm caused by their contribution to climate change. Another potent ruling came from the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea, which in May 2024 issued an advisory opinion that states have obligations to prevent, reduce and control greenhouse gas emissions from marine sources. 'A two-way street': Cases against climate action are also on the rise Though the number of cases continues to grow, the overall rate of growth in climate litigation slowed down during 2024. And while climate litigation is getting more sophisticated, the long arm of the law is being used against activists and progressive states, too, as 'political headwinds' exert their influence. 'We have seen over the past year not only a further maturing of climate-aligned strategic litigation to promote climate action but we have also recorded a rise in cases pushing back against climate action, which presents new challenges for politicians, businesses and climate activists,' says Joana Setzer, associate professorial research fellow at the LSE institute. 'The situation in the United States shows that litigation is a two-way street and can be used to help climate action and also to slow it down.' Since President Trump took office in the US in January 2025, a wave of litigation aimed at contesting executive actions to roll back climate policy has arisen. However, the researchers note, the federal government is also taking an increasingly aggressive stance against state-led climate action and has begun filing what could be termed 'anti-climate action' cases.
Yahoo
18-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Trump is a big question mark in Iran-Israel conflict, expert says
What will President Trump do in the Iran-Israel conflict? London School of Economics and Political Science professor of international relations Fawaz Gerges says that is the big question for a lot of the world right now. Hear more from Gerges and his take on Trump's role in the video above. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Catalysts here. Sign in to access your portfolio
