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
article image. woman and child poverty

‘I am terribly hard up’: How looking at historical experiences of women’s offending can help to address current problems of benefit fraud.

Charlotte Wildman author headshot By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, UK economy, Urban Posted:

Women are disproportionately represented in convictions for benefit fraud: in 2019, females made up 55% of the 98 summary convictions and 58% of the 1160 convictions for indictable benefit fraud offences. Since women’s convictions and custodial sentences are acknowledged to cause significant harm to them and their children, it is important to look at strategies that […]

An Asian female agronomist works in a watermelon greenhouse

A silicon revolution for sustainable farming

Professor Bruce Grieve headshot By Filed Under: All posts, Environment, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted:

An increasing population, political pressures, and severe weather events are all putting global food production at risk. The use of AI in agriculture could help farmers and agricultural decision makers to access more accurate data to improve productivity and sustainability. In this article, from our publication On Resilience, Professor Bruce Grieve explores the future of […]

Workplace violence article image - Shop front, workers customers

Workplace violence and aggression – employees on the frontline

Kara Ng author headshotSheena Johnson By and Filed Under: All posts, Growth and Inclusion, UK economy, Urban Posted:

Workplace violence and aggression (WVA) is a serious social issue with profound negative consequences for individuals, teams, organisations, and society. The risk of WVA from the public (third parties) is a growing concern, with evidence indicating that incidents increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even ‘after’ COVID (after pandemic restrictions have ended), increased rates of WVA […]

Image of a path through a green park with a few people walking and cycling through it.

Charting a path to clean air: A community-centred approach to active travel policy

Sheena Cruickshank By Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Urban Posted:

Greater Manchester has amongst the worst air quality in the UK. Air pollution causes many health problems, as well as worsening pre-existing health conditions. Increasingly, Greater Manchester residents are concerned about poor air quality and want actions to be taken. Yet, budgets that could support change are under more and more constraints. In this article, […]

Arms holding a placard in the air with a recycling symbol on it.

Catalysts or constraints? Emerging policies for a circular plastics system in the UK

Headshot of authorMaria Sharmina By and Filed Under: All posts, Environment Posted:

Every year over half a million tonnes of UK plastic waste intended for recycling is rejected due to contamination. The UK also exports more than 60% of its plastic waste burden to other countries. The existing UK plastics system is complex and confusing, but emerging regulations aim to simplify it and promote a circular economy. […]

EV production line - cover image for EV article

Accelerating the electric vehicle transition in the UK     

James Jackson author headshot By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Science and Technology, UK economy Posted:

Following the publication of the industrial strategy in 2017, in which Theresa May attempted to envisage a post-Brexit future, electric vehicles (EVs) were identified as an important opportunity for the UK political economy. Yet, despite the almost annual publications that reiterated the need for EVs to become a significant feature of the UK, attempts to […]

Promoting flood protection: setting a target for 10% improved water retention in towns and cities

Iain White By and Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment Posted:

Every year flooding affects communities around the UK. The Chartered Institute for Water and Environmental Management recently contended that although there has been expert agreement for many years about reforms, policy change has been slow. In part, this is due to the complex governance system within which flooding occurs. In this article, Professor Graham Haughton […]

Sparking change: the rush to electrify

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

The environmental threats of climate change and extreme weather are forcing us to rethink our energy production and usage. As a society, we know how to produce clean low-carbon electricity and deliver it to customers in a reliable, efficient and economical manner. In this article, from our publication On Resilience, Dr Robin Preece, Dr Eduardo […]

No room for drought: Steps to improve the UK agricultural sector’s resilience to drought and water security

By Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment Posted:

In 2022, the UK experienced its fifth driest summer since 1836. Combined with record-breaking temperatures, this led to severe drought conditions across the country, with key agricultural regions as some of the worst affected areas. The drought resulted in widespread reductions in crop yields and harvested areas, as dwindling water supplies in soils, rivers, and […]

Aerial view of a cargo ship in transit

Climate change: navigating a clear route for UK shipping

Alice Larkin By , and Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted:

After a year of devastating climate disasters, nations at COP 28 in Dubai in December signalled the need for the “end of the fossil fuel era”. To meet that ambition, 2024 will need to see a major acceleration in global action to address climate change. Here, Simon Bullock, Alice Larkin, and James Mason from the […]

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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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