Expert insight, analysis and comment on key public policy issues
By Andrew Welfle Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
The UK could generate almost half its energy needs by 2050 from UK biomass sources, including household rubbish, agricultural residues and home-grown biofuels. Unless we plan and invest for this, we will waste a great opportunity, argues Andrew Welfle. As much as 44% of our total energy requirement could be met by the potential abundance of […]
By David Schultz and Vladimir Janković Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
Policymakers at home and abroad need to stop conflating climate change and climate resiliency, and start doing more to ensure our infrastructure can cope with extreme weather, say Prof David Schultz and Dr Vladimir Janković, High-impact weather events, such as the UK floods earlier this year, are often accompanied by discussion of whether the events were associated with or enhanced by climate change. This view […]
By Maria Sharmina Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
The Ukraine crisis has focused attention on Western Europe’s dependence on Russian oil and gas supplies. But the significance of Russia’s energy policy is much wider than this – and could be central to the global response to climate change, explains Dr Maria Sharmina. Russia has a pivotal role in shaping the future direction of […]
By John Broderick Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
Last week a Lords Select Committee report backed “all out” development of a UK shale gas industry, pointing to compatibility with UK climate change commitments. But this conclusion flies in the face of a wealth of evidence to the contrary, writes Dr John Broderick. The message from last week’s House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee […]
By Claire Hoolohan Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
Last week Quorn announced it will invest £30m in its County Durham factory following significant sales growth in recent years. Claire Hoolohan argues that Quorn’s success is a signal to governments, policy makers, academics, and others that the time has arrived to move forward on the sustainable food agenda. Reducing the amount of meat in […]
By Daniel Welch and Nicola Spurling Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
Sustainable consumption is all too often framed in terms of individuals’ choices. The social practice perspective offers an alternative model, argue Dr Daniel Welch and Dr Nicola Spurling. “Do you find it easy to follow a sustainable lifestyle? Do you switch off every light? Plan each meal to avoid food waste? Why is behaviour change […]
By Kevin Anderson Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
In November 2013, Brendan May wrote a piece for the Guardian’s Environment Blog on ‘Why more environmentalists should fly’. In this article, Professor Kevin Anderson, Dr Dan Calverley and Maria Sharmina respond, strongly arguing the case against having more jet-setting greens. It was with growing dismay that we read Brendan May’s blog post, in which […]
By Alice Larkin Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
At last week’s Conference of the Parties (COP) in Warsaw, key figures met to discuss the small matter of how to combat climate change by cutting carbon emissions. Dr Alice Bows-Larkin travelled there with colleagues, using research to highlight to policy players just how much carbon emissions need to be cut if catastrophic temperature rises […]
By Francis Livens Filed Under: Featured, Science and Technology Posted:
The UK is to get its first new nuclear power station in a generation. Professor Francis Livens reflects on a policy shift that has seen nuclear power emerge from the wilderness to become a much-hailed clean source energy that will ‘help keep the lights on’. But, he warns, if nuclear is to be our future, […]
