Policy@Manchester Articles

Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues

Policy@Manchester Articles
Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues

Not immaterial: Why the UK must play to its strengths in quantum technology

By Filed Under: British Politics, Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

The UK Science and Technology Framework has recently been announced by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, with Quantum Technologies (QTs) identified as one of five critical technologies. But what is needed to realise this vision – and should the UK invest everywhere, or target its areas of expertise? Here, Professor Richard Curry outlines how the country […]

Sellafield nuclear plant

How can “Great British Nuclear” make a great difference?

Adrian Bull with beard By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

The announcement of Great British Nuclear (GBN) is a long awaited positive step. GBN clearly now faces a monumental workload and a range of challenges as it sets the ground for new nuclear build in the UK. In this article, Professor Adrian Bull emphasises the need to engage with development companies rather than just ‘starting […]

Family sorting recycling

Trashing the future: failures of UK plastic recycling policies and next steps

By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Science and Technology Posted:

We are all familiar with the problem of plastic waste – which has a devastating effect on marine life and oceans.  Plastic recycling seems complex and difficult and we are right to be concerned about the impacts waste plastic is having on our ecosystems. The One Bin to Rule Them All (One Bin) project team […]

Long in the tooth: is water fluoridation out of date?

By and Filed Under: All posts, Health and Care, Health and Social Care Posted:

One ongoing intervention to tackle tooth decay in parts of the UK is the provision of fluoride in drinking water. But such moves aren’t always popular with the communities involved.  There is also a lack of evidence based on contemporary populations. Here, Dr Michaela Goodwin and Professor Michael Kelly outline the findings of a new […]

Graphene institute building

Graphene as a regional-global innovation model

James Baker By Filed Under: British Politics, Budget, Growth and Inclusion, Levelling up, Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology, UK economy Posted:

A new national policy report has identified the graphene innovation ecosystem at Manchester as a regional hub for international partnership and investment. In this article, James Baker explores how this success demonstrates that research and development (R&D) investment into specialist regional clusters like Graphene@Manchester provides national government with an excellent return on investment as they […]

nuclear power pant by the sea

Location, location, location: finding sites for nuclear power plants

Adrian Bull with beard By Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Renewables, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Expanding nuclear power should be a key priority as the government aims to cut its carbon emissions. However, finding suitable sites to accommodate the proposed plants raises new questions. In this article, based on the Dalton Nuclear Institute’s position paper, Siting implications of nuclear energy, Professor Adrian Bull gives his view on how policymakers can […]

Plastic bottles without bottle caps.

The Plastic Problem: moving from a linear to a circular economy.

Thomas Franklin By Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Technology Posted:

Plastics have enabled society to progress at an unprecedented pace and have facilitated momentous advances in technology. However, it is the inherent durability of plastic which largely accounts for both its success and the plastic waste problem we now face. Our behaviour and choices as consumers or producers of plastic waste are of great importance […]

River in Flood

Under the weather: Reimagining mobility in the climate crisis

S Sodero headshot By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment Posted:

Transport systems are essential to the movement of people, things, and services. When disrupted, as during severe weather, social and economic costs are high. Communities are vulnerable to extreme weather – whether in Canada or in the UK. In this article, Stephanie Sodero, drawing on research using Atlantic Canadian hurricane case studies, explores how communities […]

A swarm of asteroids in front of the Milky Way galaxy

Space rocks: the need for an international approach to space resource utilisation

photo of Katherine Joy wearing a black top By and Filed Under: All posts, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Extraction of Earth’s resources is vital for the advancement of modern infrastructure and technology. However, Earth’s resources are limited, and their continued use for the expansion and growth of humanity has resulted in their depletion. Mining is often destructive, we have little control over the global distribution of economically viable reserves of rare materials, and […]

A space brick.

Green space: off-world habitation could stimulate sustainability on Earth

Image of Aled Roberts By Filed Under: Science and Technology Posted:

NASA’s Artemis program aims to return humans to the lunar surface by 2025, before establishing a sustained human presence on and around the Moon by the end of the decade. This so-called Lunar Gateway will then be used as a staging point for future missions to Mars. With estimated project costs approaching $100 billion, a criticism of […]

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Articles give the views of the author, and are not necessarily those of The University of Manchester.

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