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How to kickstart productivity growth in the UK’s towns and cities?

By , and Filed Under: Devo, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up, UK economy, Urban Posted:

The UK’s urban centres are key to driving up economic and productivity growth. However, many post-industrial towns and cities are underperforming. In this article, Dr Marianne Sensier, Dr Kate Penney and Michael Francis from The Productivity Institute, describe their findings from a place-based study of Rochdale and explain what the government and metro mayors can […]

Photograph of boat

Rattling the supply chains: creating a more sustainable way to do business

Photograph of man By Filed Under: All posts, Environment Posted:

As global supply chains account for approximately 80% of global greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable supply chain management is not merely an ethical aspiration; it is a strategic imperative with far-reaching implications for economic, environmental, and social wellbeing. In this article from our publication, On Infrastructure, Dr Arijit De explores what steps policymakers and regulatory bodies […]

Industrial blue containers in background with large piles of sand in front.

Can hydrogen help decarbonise small industrial emitters?

Maria SharminaHeadshot of Dr Vincenzo Spallina. By and Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Environment, Inclusive Growth, Renewables, Research and development, Science and Technology, UK economy Posted:

Decarbonising industry, among other hard-to-abate sectors, is a high priority in the UK as the country embarks on a pathway to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The government’s focus to date has been on the decarbonisation of large-scale energy-intensive industries. However, more than a fifth of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions come from […]

Plastic bottles which have been crushed together into cubes.

Plastics policies are changing the game—but are SMEs being left behind?

Headshot of authorMaria Sharmina By and Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables Posted:

The UK plastics policy landscape is undergoing major changes. While consultations stress the importance of avoiding harm to SMEs, policies often lack concrete measures against such harm. Research by the University of Manchester indicates that current and forthcoming plastics policies, shaped by these consultations, would affect stakeholders across the plastic supply chain differently, with SMEs […]

Article image - offshore wind farm

Clean energy superpower – and climate action kryptonite

Prof Matthew Paterson By Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Energy and Environment, Environment Posted:

The government have identified climate action as a core mission set out in their manifesto. Framing this in terms of Britain becoming a ‘clean energy superpower’ has generated considerable initiative around renewed climate action, but in this article, Professor Matthew Paterson outlines how this approach creates policy gaps – and potential political problems. Labour has […]

Green finance article image - trees in Canary Wharf

New governments bring new opportunities: a way forward for green finance?

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

Following the result of the general election in July 2024, the new Labour government is now responsible for ensuring the UK gets back on track with its Net Zero objectives. Green finance has become a burgeoning area of climate politics and financial markets, raising the question over how the new government might utilise it to […]

What does a ‘metal intensive’ future entail?

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

Critical metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper and manganese, are key to the path towards net zero. The UK Government released their Critical Minerals Strategy in early 2023, which sets out to improve the resilience of the critical metal supply chain. In this article from our publication ‘On Resilience’, Dr Sampriti Mahanty and Professor […]

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 […]

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 […]

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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