sustainability

Driving improvement – socially just green transport solutions

By Karen Lucas Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Inclusive Growth, Urban Posted: March 24, 2025

As the UK transitions to net zero and shifts to low carbon transport, policymakers are faced with the challenge of ensuring that a push for greener transport makes travel fairer and more accessible for those on low incomes. In this article, Professor Karen Lucas explores the detrimental impact of poor public transport connectivity and makes […]

Decarbonising transport: is hydrogen the answer?

By Alice Larkin and Amanda Lea-Langton Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Growth and Inclusion, Renewables, Science and Technology Posted: February 25, 2025

The UK government has enshrined net zero into law, but if it is to meet its targets then big strides need to be made towards decarbonising land-based transport, aviation, and shipping. Unlike most land-based transport, aviation and shipping are considered ‘difficult to decarbonise’. Their long-lived infrastructure, ongoing reliance on energy dense fuels, and issues around […]

Positioning green infrastructure as essential infrastructure in the UK

By Ian Mell Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Energy and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted: February 17, 2025

As the impacts of the climate and biodiversity emergencies become clearer, there is a growing need to rethink how infrastructure is developed and managed in the UK. The planned redundancy of concrete and steel as building materials makes sustainable urban development problematic. However, the EU, via their Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) research programme, and the UK […]

Getting it right: are hydrogen standards good enough?

By Christopher Jones Filed Under: All posts, Energy and Environment, Environment, Renewables, Research and development, Science and Engineering Posted: February 11, 2025

Hydrogen has the potential to be an important industrial feedstock and fuel. There are, however, various ways to produce and use it, leading to diverse supply chains with different environmental implications. Two considerations for the role of hydrogen in a low carbon economy stand out – ensuring that hydrogen production and supply has sufficiently low […]

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 […]

Water reuse for sustainable practices in new housing infrastructure

By Claire Hoolohan, Alison Browne and Ella Foggitt Filed Under: All posts, Cities and Environment, Environment, Urban Posted: February 4, 2025

Demand for water will outstrip supply within the next 25 years in England. Changing patterns of water use – for example, as a result of increasing hygiene standards – are intersecting with long-standing infrastructural challenges of ageing water and sewerage networks. In this article, Dr Ella Foggitt, Dr Claire Hoolohan and Professor Alison Browne assess […]

Harnessing Digital Solutions for Sustainable Housing Expansion: A GIS-Powered Approach

By Richard Kingston Filed Under: All posts, British Politics, Cities and Environment, Digital Futures, Environment Posted: October 17, 2024

The UK government has committed to an ambitious housing strategy of building 1.5 million homes over the next five years to address the chronic housing shortage exacerbated by rising demand, affordability and population growth. This plan must also rectify long-term structural challenges in the housing market whilst ensuring homes are built sustainably. Here, Professor Richard Kingston […]

Regional policy for biomanufacturing in the North-West chemical sector

By Neil Dixon Filed Under: Environment, Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology Posted: October 3, 2024

There is an urgent need for the chemical manufacturing sector to transition to alternative, sustainable carbon-based feedstocks, moving away from reliance on petrochemical sources. Large urban areas, such as the north-west of England, generate substantial amounts of waste rich in carbon, which are processed for energy generation via direct incineration or biogas production. Here, Dr […]

Building the bioeconomy

By Aline Miller Filed Under: Research and development, Science and Engineering, Science and Technology, UK economy Posted: August 29, 2024

Current manufacturing processes across all industrial sectors rely on petrochemicals, either to power them, or as starting points for their product. This over reliance on finite fossil resources is having a detrimental impact on the health of the world and its population. Professor Aline Miller explains how industrial biotechnology can break this addiction to petrochemicals […]

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 […]