Business Energy & Industry

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

By Adeyemi Adelekan and Maria Sharmina Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables Posted: February 6, 2025

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 […]

Clean energy superpower – and climate action kryptonite

By Matthew Paterson Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Energy and Environment, Environment Posted: September 18, 2024

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 […]

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

By James Jackson Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Environment, UK economy Posted: August 19, 2024

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 Dr Sampriti Mahanty and Professor Frank Boons Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted: February 6, 2024

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 […]

Accelerating the electric vehicle transition in the UK

By James Jackson Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Science and Technology, UK economy Posted: January 22, 2024

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 Robin Preece, Eduardo Alejandro Martínez Ceseña and Paul Jarman Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Science and Engineering Posted: January 16, 2024

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 […]

Climate change: navigating a clear route for UK shipping

By Simon Bullock, Alice Larkin and James Mason Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted: January 8, 2024

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 […]

Planning ahead: A multi-sector approach to net zero

By Mathaios Panteli, Eduardo Alejandro Martínez Ceseña and Julien Harou Filed Under: All posts, Digital Futures, Energy and Environment, Environment, Inclusive Growth, Renewables, Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: December 13, 2023

With climate change increasing some resources’ uncertainty – and global development making others scarcer and more interdependent – society requires improved planning and policy frameworks to deliver a secure, equitable and resilient transformation to net zero. In this article from our publication On Resilience, Professor Julien Harou, Dr Eduardo A. Martínez Ceseña and Professor Mathaios Panteli explore how […]

Freedom energy: minimising geopolitical risks to reach net zero

By Matthew Paterson Filed Under: Energy and Environment, Environment, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted: November 30, 2023

Geopolitical dynamics are crucial to our thinking about the future of energy and the pursuit of net zero. In this article from our publication On Resilience, Professor Matthew Paterson explores the complexity of alternatives to fossil fuels, the impact of renewables on our energy security, and how policymakers can reduce exposure to the geopolitical risks of the […]

Mapping the divide: Learning from the landscape of local economic performance

By Cecilia Wong and Helen Zheng Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Inclusive Growth, Levelling up Posted: October 12, 2023

Inequality can be sliced many ways. A key aspect of the UK’s picture on inequality falls starkly along spatial lines of geography. So how can mapping spatial differences make policymaking more effective and targeted? In this article, from our Power in Place publication, Professor Cecilia Wong and Dr Wei Zheng discuss the importance of spatial […]