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
stockport

Greater Manchester economy: response to crises

By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Devo, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth Posted:

The coronavirus pandemic has shone a spotlight on the inequalities in our society. Those in comfortable jobs have largely been able to work remotely from home. Those in precarious sectors and occupations have lost the most, particularly in deprived communities. The tighter restrictions imposed on Greater Manchester since the easing of the first lockdown in […]

Group of young people in blue overalls listen to instructor and look happy.

Levelling Up Education: what place-based education could look like

Headshot of Eric Lybeck By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Growth and Inclusion, Urban Posted:

Earlier this year, the government published its much anticipated white paper, Levelling Up the United Kingdom, which outlined 12 interventions deemed necessary to tackle the regional inequalities that have grown in recent decades. In this blog, Dr Eric Lybeck argues that, at root, the government and its economists see this imbalance, not as the result […]

man operating heater

Decarbonising domestic heating

Claire Brown By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Urban Posted:

Home is where the heart is, but with climate change the way our homes are built and required to function is shifting. Overheating is just one example that is being discussed at length within the academic and commercial sectors. Projections for UK homes in 2050 and 2080 show significant issues around overheating and sustained overheating […]

Public transport and the pandemic: perceptions of risk and mitigation

By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Health and Care, Urban Posted:

Throughout the pandemic, public transport has been identified as a significant potential hub of transmission for the disease, with messaging urging people to avoid it wherever possible. Despite this guidance, however, there was little evidence on how great this risk was, or the effectiveness of mitigation measures such as masks and ventilation. In this blog, […]

green infrastructure

Urban greening and meaningful places

Ian Mell By Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Urban Posted:

Green infrastructure provides multi-functional benefits to society in terms of health and wellbeing, biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation and economic growth. In this blog, Dr Ian Mell outlines policy recommendations to effectively integrate green infrastructure in urban areas to create greener, more resilient and meaningful places.   Considerations of access to green or blue spaces […]

Image depicts a nuclear power site

Building nuclear for a greener future

Francis LivensAdrian Bull with beard By , , , and Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering Posted:

The UK’s ambition to achieve net zero by 2050 is an enormous undertaking, and many acknowledge that achieving such a goal requires an increase in nuclear energy capacity and therefore an increase in the number of nuclear sites across the UK. In this blog, colleagues from the Dalton Nuclear Institute; William Bodel, Adrian Bull, Gregg […]

data graphs with world map in the background

Why we must act now to confront the new global digital divide

Chris FosterShamel Azmeh By and Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Growth and Inclusion Posted:

As digital technologies become more widespread, there is a risk that developing countries will be left behind if they cannot afford to invest at the same rate as other countries. In this article, Dr Chris Foster and Dr Shamel Azmeh discuss the dangers of international firms and leading economies dominating the global digital economy, and […]

Computer robot makes micro chip

Can we use autonomous robotic systems in hazardous environments?

Louise DennisMatt Luckcuck By , and Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

Autonomous systems are becoming increasingly commonplace across all facets of modern life, including hazardous environments, where the choices made by machines have the potential to cause harm or injury to humans. But how well do we understand the decision-making process of artificial intelligence, and how does this affect trust in autonomous systems? In this blog, Professor […]

picture of a wood burner

Indoor and outdoor wood burning needs a new way of thinking

Amanda Lea-Langton By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Renewables, Urban Posted:

Biomass combustion, a significant contributor to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), has increased in urban areas due to the growing popularity of wood-burning stoves and biomass boilers. In this blog, Dr. Amanda Lea-Langton, Senior Lecturer in Bioenergy Engineering at The University of Manchester and member of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, outlines policy recommendations […]

Psychedelics for mental health: tripping over red tape

By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Health and Care, Health and Social Care, Science and Technology Posted:

The last decade has seen a new focus on psychedelics as powerful medicines for treating severe mental health issues, including the use of psilocybin for conditions such as PTSD and treatment-resistant depression. However, many of these potentially life-saving treatments, including psilocybin, remain difficult to research due to overly strict drug laws. In this blog, Professor […]

Become a contributor

Would you like to write for us on a public policy issue? Get in touch with a member of the team, ask for our editorial guidelines, or access our online training toolkit (UoM login required).

Disclaimer

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

Policy@Manchester

Manchester Policy Articles is an initiative from Policy@Manchester. Visit our web site to find out more

Contact Us

policy@manchester.ac.uk
t: +44 (0) 161 275 3038
The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK