On the 7 March, the long awaited “Offshore Wind Sector Deal” was launched, laying out the UK Government’s vision for the future of offshore wind power to 2030. So far, responses to the deal have been somewhat mixed: it’s been welcomed by various industry players as a sign of the Government’s commitment, but has faced […]
Beyond technology: addressing the social and sustainability challenges of next generation industrial systems
This week’s annual gathering of the World Economic Forum in Davos will discuss prospects for ‘Globalisation 4.0’, with participants debating how to match a global economy increasingly driven by new technology and the movement of ideas, people, and goods, with citizens around the world looking to ‘take back control’. Professor Philip Shapira from the Manchester […]
Response to the IPCC 1.5°C Special Report
The University of Manchester’s Professor Kevin Anderson responds to today’s report from the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change. The IPCC report meticulously lays out how the serious climate impacts of 1.5°C of warming are still far less destructive than those for 2°C. Sadly, the IPCC then fails, again, to address the profound implications of reducing […]
Expert reaction – Environmental Audit Committee report
The Environmental Audit Committee launched its report on heat-related deaths and included a series of recommendations for the Government. Dr Claire Hoolohan Research Fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, considers how suitable recommendations in this report around water use are, and what additions she’d like to see. Claire’s current project, working with […]
We need creative responses to water stress and climate change, and we need them now.
As the threat of drought becomes a reality in the UK, Claire Hoolohan Research Fellow at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, considers how we might change the way society uses water. With hosepipe bans being introduced how do we look at future water supplies Water shortage, or water scarcity, is about how much […]
Heathrow Expansion in light of the UK’s Climate Change Commitments
Alice Larkin, Professor of Climate Science and Energy Policy at The University of Manchester, along with Dr John Broderick consider if the level of emissions from the Heathrow expansion is in alignment with the UK’s legal commitments on climate change. They argue that the proposed expansion jeopardises these legal commitments, given the absence of a […]
Zero-carbon UK? Let’s make zero mean something
The UK’s minister for energy and clean growth wants to set the UK on a path to a ‘zero-carbon economy’. Marc Hudson and Joe Blakey from The University of Manchester’s Sustainable Consumption Institute ask whether ‘zero-carbon’ will give zero-thought to the emissions from the international supply chains that underpin our economy. What does a ‘zero-carbon […]
What can we expect from Andy Burnham’s Green Summit?
Ahead of Andy Burnham’s Green Summit this week, Julia Kasmire of the University of Manchester’s Sustainable Consumption Institute investigates whether the Greater Manchester Combined Authority will take the necessary steps to take responsibility for achieving carbon neutrality. Andy Burnham has called for a Green Summit which is expected to establish a ‘green charter’ to lay […]
Reducing Plastic Use in Food Packaging with Innovative New Materials
Finding ways to reduce the amount of plastic used in food packaging, while still ensuring products are protected and kept fresh, is an increasingly important challenge. James Baker, Chief Executive Officer of Graphene@Manchester, explains how the answer could lie in the use of novel 2D materials. Changes in consumer perception and behaviour relating to plastic […]