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Can we reduce water demand to 80 litres a day? And what can the government do to support it?

Claire HoolohanAlison Browne By and Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

In a recent consultation, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) requested evidence on measures to reduce personal water use. In this blog Dr Claire Hoolohan, a research fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and Dr Alison Browne, a senior lecturer in Geography explore ways in which the UK Government […]

Are Biofuels the Answer to Kick-Start Decarbonisation in the Shipping Sector?

Andrew Welfle By Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

In this blog, Dr Andrew Welfle, based in Tyndall Manchester and part of the national Supergen Bioenergy Hub, looks at the current state of the global shipping sector and how it can look towards decarbonisation through a commitment to the use of biofuels. The trade and movement of goods and resources is the engine that […]

Why are Local Authorities going against UK Government on fracking?

Sarah Mander By Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

Across the UK, Local Authorities and Devolved Administrations are seeking to use their planning powers to block the development of hydraulic fracturing for natural gas. This is against UK Government policy.  In this blog Dr Sarah Mander from the School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering looks at what all of this could mean for the […]

Advanced materials and electricity: the power to help save the world?

By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering Posted:

In this blog, Dr Richard Fields looks at the need to be creative in developing transformative technologies such as advancements in battery life, in order to stave off an environmental disaster and ultimately safeguard humanity’s survival. • The cost of batteries has fallen faster than even the most optimistic forecasts, which means the future for […]

Science, industry, and government must pull together to solve our plastic addiction

By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Science and Technology Posted:

Mike Shaver is currently Professor of Polymer Science at the University of Manchester in the School of Materials. In this article Mike explores how we should be viewing the use of plastic and also how we can avoid the potential environmental problems from plastic alternatives. Sustainable alternatives to plastic need thoughtful analysis of the whole […]

Setting climate targets: when is net zero really net zero?

By , and Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

‘Net zero’ and ‘carbon neutral’ have quickly become the go-to phrases for ambitious declarations on climate change action. But what do ‘net zero’, ‘zero carbon’ or ‘carbon neutral’ actually mean in practice? As climate action targets are increasingly announced both locally and nationally, it’s even more important that the assumptions involved are properly understood to […]

How policy instrument choice will shape attitudes to negative emissions

Terri Lucas By Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

The 2015 Paris Agreement on climate change has set out commitments to limit the increase in global average temperature to “well below 2°C and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C”. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has concluded that this is still possible, but nearly all of their scenarios assume that it will require […]

Fuel poverty and low-carbon investment: a role for area-based policy?

picture of Stefan By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Growth and Inclusion Posted:

The GMCA plans to launch a five year plan for carbon neutrality in Greater Manchester by 2038 at the Green Summit today. Stefan Bouzarovski, Professor of Human Geography, will be hosting a discussion table at the public sector space within the Green Summit. Here, he blogs about the importance of area-based fuel poverty and energy […]

Worryingly windy weather or a strong tail-wind?

By Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Renewables Posted:

On the 7 March, the long awaited “Offshore Wind Sector Deal” was launched, laying out the UK Government’s vision for the future of offshore wind power to 2030. So far, responses to the deal have been somewhat mixed: it’s been welcomed by various industry players as a sign of the Government’s commitment, but has faced […]

Are small modular reactors back on the agenda?

Professor Richard Taylor By Filed Under: Energy and Environment Posted:

The recent suspension of the Wylfa Nuclear power project has been seen by some as a potential opening for small modular reactors. Here Professor Richard Taylor, the BNFL Chair in Nuclear Energy Systems, at The University of Manchester’s Dalton Nuclear Institute looks at what needs to happen for small modular reactors to actually become part […]

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