GDI’s team will build on a sustained and world-leading record of environment and development research within the Institute. Most notably, the ongoing project that is exploring the effects of reforestation drivers on both forests and rural poverty, while the recently launched project is interrogating the social risks and benefits of increased use of data in conservation. Members of these project teams have already published impactful research, including a recent Nature Ecology and Evolution assessing the ecological and social impacts of Indigenous territories in Brazil.

Taking place over 3.5 years, the observatory team will combine large-scale geospatial and socioeconomic analyses with in-depth qualitative case studies in Mexico, Brazil and Ghana. A separate stream of work will aim to identify evidence gaps, expanding the thematic and geographical remit of the observatory to regions such as Indonesia or South Africa.

The award will also support Ghana-based researchers exploring the relationship between political settlements and the Just Energy Transition in Africa. Project lead Dr Abdul-Gafaru Abdulai, Associate Professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Ghana Business School and Honorary Research Fellow at GDI, explains: “The observatory represents a significant opportunity to develop our understanding the contested forests of Ghana, while strengthening ties between GDI and the University of Ghana. Bringing together big data, which will highlight changes in forest cover, land rights and socioeconomic indicators, together with an in-depth political economy analysis of what is driving these changes will help us to identify and champion approaches that benefit both people and the environment.”

Read more about research covering within GDI.

As extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, floods, and freezes become more common due to global heating, understanding how soil microbes – critical for healthy ecosystems – respond is crucial.

These microbes play a key role in natural processes like carbon cycling, which helps determine how much carbon is stored in the soil and how much is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, a major driver of global heating.

Researchers from The University of Manchester, working with a network of scientists across Europe, collected soil samples from 30 grasslands in 10 countries. They experimentally exposed the samples to simulated extreme weather events under controlled laboratory conditions to find out how the microbes would respond.

The team found that microbial communities in soils from different parts of Europe each reacted in unique ways to the extreme events. For example, soils from cooler, wetter climates were particularly vulnerable to heatwaves and droughts, while soils from dry regions were more affected by floods.

However, the scientists also found encouraging patterns and signs of consistency. In particular, microbes that can "pause" their activity and go dormant—essentially waiting out tough conditions—in any weather condition.

The findings are published today in the journal .

, Senior Lecturer in Earth and Environment Sciences at The University of Manchester, said: “Soil microbes are vital for our ecosystems. Their ability to adapt or struggle with climate change has a direct impact on soil health, plant growth, food production and carbon storage.

“By understanding the microbes’ ‘survival strategy’, we can better predict and possibly mitigate future impacts of these extreme weather events, giving us crucial insights to safeguard vulnerable regions.

“But our research highlights just how complex and varied the effects of climate change can be. The fact that local conditions play such a huge role in how vulnerable soils are means that a "one-size-fits-all" approach won’t work when it comes to protecting soil ecosystems, suggesting tailored strategies will be key.”

Each sample site represents the diversity of biogeographic regions present in Europe: alpine (Austria), subarctic (Sweden), Arctic (Iceland), Atlantic (Oxford and Lancaster, UK), boreal (Estonia), continental (Germany), Mediterranean (Spain and GR, Greece) and steppe climate (Russia).

The research offers a key first step in predicting how microbial communities respond to climate extremes, helping inform conservation efforts and climate policies around the world.

, who conducted the research while at The University of Manchester, now a Professor of Earth Surface Science at the University of Amsterdam, added: “This study is one of the largest of its kind. By working across multiple countries and ecosystems, we have been able to provide key insights that could guide future research and environmental management strategies ensuring the health of our ecosystems in the face of increasing climate challenges.”

Launching in February 2025, the JUST Centre will work closely with communities in five regions of the North of England (West Yorkshire, West Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater 91ֱ��, and Tyneside) while also generating comparative research in other regions of the UK.  It will collaborate with partners across local, regional, and national government, business, and civil society to co-produce joined-up solutions to meet climate goals while improving citizens’ quality of life.  

It will use an innovative mix of data science and participatory methods to research and map existing low-carbon living initiatives and generate evidence about what works where, why, and for whom. This will enable researchers to support better government decision-making and demonstrate to all people and communities the real improvements in quality of life that are possible if we link decarbonisation with regeneration.

The Centre brings together a team of interdisciplinary social scientists at the Universities of Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Lancaster and Newcastle. The Institute for Community Studies at the not-for-profit organisation is the core partner.

Additional partners are Citizens UK, the Local Government Associations for England and Wales, the Scottish Sustainability Network, the British Chambers of Commerce, the NHS Confederation, the Runnymede Trust and the Institute for Government.

Commenting on the announcement, JUST Centre Director and Principal Investigator, Professor Sherilyn MacGregor said: “To meet the challenge of the climate crisis and the UK’s net zero targets, we need to decarbonise our economy and do so quickly, but without leaving whole regions or communities behind.  ‘Joined-up’ means bridging the gaps between myriad but presently disconnected, evidence-based interventions and policies focused on sustainability and net zero transitions.  

ESRC Executive Chair Stian Westlake said: “Our centres carry out interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research in the social sciences that seeks to change the world for the better. They allow ESRC to make sustained investments in strategically important areas, giving researchers the freedom to research topics in depth.

“The climate crisis is one of the most serious challenges the world faces. To successfully transition to a zero-carbon economy, we need to make sure no one is left behind. The JUST Centre will show us how to include everyone as we transform our country and economy, finding new opportunities and putting power in the hands of local communities.”

Stephen Aldridge, Director, Analysis and Data at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), adds: “Net zero poses both huge economic, social, and other challenges and offers no less huge opportunities for the UK - nationally and sub-nationally. To tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities, policymakers and others need evidence – especially evidence on what works and what works most cost-effectively.  

“The Centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) is precisely the institutional innovation we need and one I, my team and my department will work closely with across all policy areas. I look forward immensely to engaging with the Centre.”

Professor Paul Monks FRMetS, FRSC, FInstP, Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) said: “Achieving net zero by 2050 requires a wide-reaching transformation of the UK economy and offers an incredible opportunity for jobs, secure energy and growth all across the country. It will improve our health, our quality of life and our overall prosperity. We must support and empower people to participate in the transition. I welcome the establishment of this research centre and its work to ensure a fair, inclusive pathway to net zero.” 

An alarming level of microplastic fragments were found to be present throughout the intertidal mudflat sediments within the Medina Estuary, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).  

Microplastics are particles which measure less than five millimetres, and exist in an array of shapes and forms. They cause pollution by entering natural ecosystems from a variety of sources, including run-off from land-based sources and wastewater discharge from Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).  

Liberty Turrell, who works as a volunteer for the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, collected mudflat sediment from 16 sample sites during low tides for her BA (Hons) Geography dissertation. Analysis of the mud under laboratory conditions discovered three different microplastic shapes: fibres, fragments and beads. Microfibre was the most frequent occurring microplastic shape (99% of all microplastics were microfibres) occurring at all 16 sites.  

Microplastics pollution occurs in estuarine sediments around the world - however, the results from the Isle of Wight are particularly alarming. For comparison, the median value of microplastic concentrations found in the Medina Estuary exceeds the values of estuaries studied in China and India by more than two-fold. 

Jamie Marsh, director of nature recovery (Wilder Wight, Solent & Seas) at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said: “The estuary’s mudflats are of significant ecological importance. They support a diverse variety of wildlife providing habitats and breeding areas for a huge array of species including wading birds, crustacea, invertebrates and fish, all of which thrive within the Medina’s intertidal mudflats.  

“The discovery of the high level of microplastics, and of microfibres in particular, in this precious environment is truly staggering. Microfibres cause a significant risk to wildlife as they can easily bundle together. The entangled fibres form a clump and pose a great threat to marine species as the bundles act in the same way as larger plastic items by blocking feeding passageways in the gastrointestinal tract. This can obstruct the movement of food, disrupt the digestive process and cause eventual death.” 

The study also reveals that wastewater discharge from two CSOs with high annual spill rates is a major source of microplastic release into the aquatic environment, and are likely responsible for the immense quantities of fibres reported throughout the Medina Estuary. Dodnor Lane and Fairlee CSO’s together discharged wastewater into the upper estuary for 2,932 hours in 2023 (over 225 total spill events) according to Event Duration Monitoring datasets published by the Environment Agency.  

Professor of Physical Geography said: “Research at the University of Manchester has shown that the microplastic contamination of riverbeds is a clear signal that wastewater treatment is not taking place as it should. Effective treatment can remove up to 95% of the microplastic load in wastewater.  

“Microplastic contamination of the Medina Estuary is a concern because it is an area of ecological importance. The Medina Estuary receives high volumes of untreated wastewater from Southern Water assets and the presence of primary microplastic particles provides a clear link to the wastewater system."

"This research helps to resolve a global critical gap in the current studies of microplastics in estuaries," said report author Liberty Turrell. “Unfortunately, the results are shocking. The severe contamination of estuarine environments affected by wastewater discharge takes place across the world and sadly this includes the Isle of Wight. The results clearly show that the prevalence and abundance of microplastics found in the intertidal mudflat sediments highlights a severe contamination issue of the Medina Estuary.”

According to data published by the Environment Agency (2024), there were 464,056 monitored ‘spill’ events into waterways by water companies in England during 2023, a 54% increase from 2022. The 29,494 spills into waterways in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight by Southern Water lasted a total duration of 317,285 hours (Environment Agency, 2024). Spill events are responsible for the release of huge quantities of microplastics into our waterways. 

The ‘Zero Carbon Without a Net’ initiative is part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability strategy which was launched last July, and subsequently won the 2023 . Now, the University is being honoured for its dedication to sustainability on an international scale.

The awards featured 95 finalists from 28 countries, with the University coming first in the ‘’ category, which focuses on assessing the steps that institutions are taking - or are planning to take - to reach their sustainability targets.

Recognising the innovative and pioneering initiatives in sustainability, the celebrate the projects undertaken by further and higher education institutions who are striving for a sustainable future.

The University’s initiative focuses on decarbonising its operations to secure a zero-carbon future by 2038. Progress already made includes:

• The landmark deal signed in May 2024 that will see up to 65% of the University’s electricity demand supplied through a brand-new renewables project.
• Completion of the first phase of building decarbonisation projects including the newly refurbished building which now has the infrastructure to support zero emissions.
• A further £25m pledged to decarbonise the University, taking the zero-carbon budget to £175m.

The Green Gown Award judges commented: “The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s “Zero Carbon Without a Net” initiative is candid and ambitious. The approach of clearly assessing reality in relation to ambitions is very important and ensures that the approach taken is sincere, going beyond intentions to focus on transformation. Its scientific approach, detailed planning. And substantial internal funding demonstrates a deep institutional commitment to sustainability.”

The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Environmental Sustainability strategy builds on the University’s core goals of Teaching and Learning, Research and Discovery and Social Responsibility and stresses the need to embed sustainable practises into all University plans, policies and processes.

The strategy also highlights six priority operational areas, all linking back to the United Nations Sustainability Goals: Construction and Refurbishment; Risk and Climate Resilience; Responsible Procurement; Resource Management; Valuing Nature; Travel and Transport. 

“We are incredibly delighted to be recognised internationally for our decarbonisation plans, which are firmly grounded in science, with our zero-carbon target set in collaboration with experts from the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research” said Julia Durkan, The University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Head of Environmental Sustainability. “This award not only acknowledges our ambitious plans but also celebrates the collective efforts of our colleagues who have made this initiative a reality.  We’re proud to be part of the international effort to tackle climate change, and we know achieving these goals requires continuous, urgent action and global collaboration.”

City of Trees is an independent charity that plant, look after and promote a culture of trees across Greater 91ֱ��. They work with volunteers across the region, as part of their ‘Citizen Forester’ programme to enhance green skills, boost health and wellbeing, and to help tackle the climate and biodiversity emergency.

Aligned closely with the University’s values and social responsibility agenda, both City of Trees and The University of Manchester are passionate about making the region even better, one tree at a time.

In the University's special bicentenary year, it is partnering with City of Trees on several initiatives:

• The University's International Relations team signed the first agreement City of Trees earlier this year, kicking off the partnership which has been growing throughout the bicentenary year. The new agreement and initiative is a positive step in looking at the small changes with big impact that we can make as an institution
• The new agreement and initiative was officially launched at the International Friends of Manchester Day on 10 October, whereby the University made a donation on behalf of each international delegate to City of Trees. City of Trees will then plant a tree in Greater 91ֱ�� to represent each international delegate who attended the event - signifying that international colleagues continue to be a crucial part of the growth and development of both the University and the city.
• For our 200th year specifically, the University is working with City of Trees to plant 200 trees across new woodland sites in Greater 91ֱ��.
• From 7-9 October the University hosted the THE World Academic Summit and chose to make a charitable donation to City of Trees on behalf of each delegate attending, to the total of £1,500.

The University of Manchester is truly excited to be supporting City of Trees and partnering with them on these activities, which will foster into the future.

Mining has a very bad reputation. It is often assumed to be one of the worse land uses – destroying and polluting the environment and creating barren, moon-like landscapes. Where mining occurs in areas of high biodiversity, it is considered a serious threat.

But in the eastern rainforests of Madagascar, over 10,000 people mining for sapphires didn’t cause more damage to the forest than farmers clearing land for agriculture, which remains the most important driver of deforestation in this area.

focuses on quantifying the effects of sapphire mining on the forests of Madagascar. My discoveries challenge some of the preconceptions about the impacts of small-scale mining. I show that, despite being attention-grabbing, some forms of mining can be surprisingly low-impact and less damaging than other land uses.

In October 2016, a valuable deposit of sapphires was discovered by people searching for gold within the protected rainforests of the Ankeniheny-Zahamena corridor in eastern Madagascar. These rainforests are really important for biodiversity as they are home to many unique species , including lemurs such as the indri and black and white ruffed lemur. Word of the sapphire discovery quickly spread. Within weeks from across the island were illegally mining in the Bemainty valley deep within the forest.

Miners used shovels to dig pits between 1m and 3m deep in the valley floor to extract river sediments. They used handmade sieves and water from the stream to sieve the sediment and search for gems. The work was hard, living conditions in the hastily constructed settlements were poor, and the rewards were uncertain.

Unlucky miners left the site poorer than they arrived. Some struck it rich, while others made enough money to survive and perhaps save a little extra to invest in education, land or businesses. This type of mining, termed artisanal and small-scale mining, is not unique to Madagascar. It is widespread, supporting an estimated people around the world.

The mining rush at Bemainty attracted international media attention due to fears over its environmental impacts, with it was causing substantial deforestation and threatening endangered lemur populations. This caused amongst conservationists.

aimed to evaluate the deforestation claims. To properly assess the impact of something, an essential step is to estimate what would have happened without it: the counterfactual. To roughly calculate how much deforestation would have happened at Bemainty without mining, my colleagues and I used the average area of deforestation within a set of control forest areas, chosen to be as similar as possible to Bemainty but crucially, without mining. We then compared deforestation at Bemainty to this counterfactual.

We found that mining at Bemainty did not cause more deforestation than we estimate would have happened anyway from other causes. In this area, the biggest driver of deforestation is shifting agriculture, where people cut and burn patches of forest on slopes to grow rice for a few years in a rotational cycle. We showed that more than 10,000 people mining in the area did not cause more deforestation than several hundred people clearing forest for farming. The impacts of the artisanal gem rush need to be considered within this broader context.

Limited negative effects of mining on deforestation at Bemainty could be for several reasons. First, the sapphires were found within river sediments, confining mining to the valley floor.

Second, much of this area had been cleared for farming decades before when the first settlers arrived. Third, the miners did not use heavy machinery, and sapphire mining does not use toxic chemicals (like the ).

The variability of small-scale mining

More broadly, these results highlight that the environmental impacts of artisanal mining are very variable. They depend on the scale, methods, machinery and chemicals used, and the environmental impact of alternative land uses that people might be doing otherwise, like farming or cutting down trees to make charcoal. Although in some places artisanal and small-scale mining is causing major environmental problems, where mining is small-scale and doesn’t use heavy machinery or chemicals, environmental effects may be similarly limited.

However, in many countries this variability is not considered in policies towards artisanal mining. Policies tend to or otherwise stopping artisanal mining, but often have . I believe that these one-size-fits-all policies are strongly influenced by negative preconceptions about mining and the worst case scenarios, and not necessarily specific evidence, which is lacking for many countries.

Treating all mining as the same needs to stop. Artisanal mining provides income for millions of poor people around the world who, despite the challenges, decide it is their best – and perhaps only – option. Given its importance, policymakers need to rethink their preconceptions. Where mining has a low environmental impact, more open-minded, flexible policies are needed to regulate it in a way which balances the needs of poor communities with biodiversity conservation.

, Postdoctoral Researcher in Sustainable Land Use,
This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The ‘Bee Cup’ scheme is a joint project between the University, 91ֱ�� City Council and which will see the implementation of a reusable cup scheme across campus.

Several café locations will be involved in this scheme – including the Student’s Union, Benugo and numerous locations on Oxford Road, such as the Royal Northern College of Music, Eighth Day and Bold Street.

To take part in this initiative, staff and students need to download the app; at UniCafés only, customers will receive their first Bee Cup drink for free. After finishing their drink, customers must return their Bee Cup to one of the participating locations where it will be scanned into the app, washed, stored and reused.

Customers will incur a £5 charge if their cup is not returned within 14 days. The price of disposable cups will increase from 20p to 50p to encourage customers to take part in the Bee Cup initiative.

Thousands of single-use cups are bought, used and discarded across multiple campus café locations every year. Though many of these cups are considered compostable, they cannot be recycled easily and are instead disposed of as general waste.

Sophie Jones, Community Engagement Lead, said: “In Our Nature is a partnership programme dedicated to supporting communities and individuals across 91ֱ�� to connect the climate crisis with practical actions we can all take to reduce carbon, save money and learn new skills.

“We’re delighted to be supporting the Bee Cup returnable cup scheme as part of our Community Support offer; helping to reduce waste and enable individuals to make more sustainable choices every day.”

The Bee Cup scheme was developed as part of the University’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy launched in 2023. The strategy outlined a plan to reduce the University’s carbon footprint, promote sustainability in teaching, learning, research and innovation, and reduce its negative environmental operational impact.

Alison Shedlock, Director of Campus Services, said: “We are so excited to be launching the Bee Cup and working with partners in the city. I hope that the university community embraces the scheme so that we can significantly reduce the number of single use cups purchased on campus and reduce our carbon footprint, with the objective to expand the scheme across 91ֱ��.” 

• The Bee Cup initiative launches today in UniCafé locations. 

With most volcanic activity taking place underground unobserved, for the first time scientists have been able to capture vesiculation kinetics in basaltic magmas in real time. Published today in , the study sheds new light on one of nature’s most astonishing phenomena.

Volcanic eruptions differ drastically, ranging from gentle effusive lava flows to highly explosive events - or sometimes switching between the two at a moment’s notice.

At the worst end of the scale, volcanic eruptions eject massive volumes of magma and volcanic gases into the air. This causes catastrophic local damage and often prompts wide-reaching global effects too, like air traffic space closure and changes in weather patterns.

Scientists highlighted that eruptive style is influenced by how gas dissolved in magma is released. Contrasts can be drawn between how a waiter opens a bottle of champagne in a restaurant, and how champagne pops when shaken by Grand Prix winners. Despite both bottles having the same amount of gas, the champagne leaves the bottles at vastly different speeds.

Volcanic eruption styles depend on how easily magma decouples from gas during ascent, with stronger gas-melt coupling leading to more explosive reactions. This study allowed scientists to observe and quantify real-time bubble growth and coalescence in magma as it reaches the surface.

The pressure vessel used in the laboratory experiments was thick enough to contain vast amounts of stored energy, and X-rays (the I12-JEEP synchrotron beamline from Diamond Light Source) were used to see through the magma sample and make the observations.

, Research Associate in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at The University of Manchester and lead author of the study, commented: “The experimental results obtained in this study through the combination of our novel vessel apparatus and X-ray synchrotron radiography, offer an improved understanding of coupling and decoupling between magma and volatiles during ascent in the conduit. This study provides insights into processes leading to eruptive style transitions and, ultimately, has fundamental implications for hazard assessment and risk mitigation in area of active basaltic volcanism.”

Pressure in the chambers could be increased or decreased in a controlled way, allowing scientists to see how expanding bubble walls are broken during coalescence at different pressures and temperatures, from 10km in the magmatic plumbing system right up to the conduit beneath a volcano.

The study is a result of a NERC-NFS large grant awarded to The University of Manchester, in addition to the universities of Bristol, Durham, Cambridge and Arizona State in the USA. A UKRI FLF project grant was also awarded to 91ֱ��, and the study was completed in collaboration with colleagues at ESRF in Grenoble, France who developed the novel experimental pressure vessel with windows used in the study.

The growth rates sourced from this new technique confirm previous estimations that used numerical and theoretical modelling. This study contributes to a better understanding of magma behaviour and will greatly improve knowledge of volcanic processes, in addition to helping with future hazard assessment and risk mitigation in areas of active volcanic activity.

The study, published in by scientists at The University of Manchester and led by the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), has found that currents sped up, slowed down, changed direction, and sometimes reversed direction completely, depending on the varying and uneven surfaces and features found on the ocean floor.

Previous models suggested that these currents would be continuous and steady. These findings will help scientists to understand the deep-sea pathways of nutrients that sustain deep-sea ecosystems, as well as assessing where microplastics and other pollutants accumulate in the ocean.

By better understanding how deep-sea currents interact with the seafloor, scientists can now more accurately interpret the deposits they leave behind. Those deposits act as long-term recorders of past climate change and can provide important clues about the potential impacts of future ocean changes. 

The seafloor is the final destination for particles such as sand, mud, organic carbon that provides food for seafloor organisms, and even pollutants. Accumulations of these particles in the deep sea are used to reconstruct past climates, natural hazards and ocean conditions. This provides valuable archives of climate change that extends far beyond historical records.

The lead scientist on the project, Dr Mike Clare of NOC, said: “It is important to understand the behaviour and pathways of currents that operate in the deep sea, to determine pathways of natural and human-made particles. This information helps identify where pollution is coming from, which ecosystems it will interact with, and how to make sense of the records preserved in deposits.

“However, there have been very few direct measurements made of currents that flow across the seafloor in deep waters. Most are made high above the seafloor, over short timescales, and only at individual locations. Until now we have not understood how dynamic seafloor currents can be in the deep sea.”

The new study, which involved researchers from the UK, Canada, Germany and Italy, analysed data from an extensive array of sensors to determine the variability in seafloor currents over four years. Thirty-four deep sea moorings were deployed in up to 2.5 km water depths, equipped with high-frequency Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers - likened to an underwater speed camera that measures seafloor currents.

The study’s lead author, Dr Lewis Bailey, formerly of NOC and now at University of Calgary, said “The ocean bottom currents offshore Mozambique are far more variable than we expected. Just like currents in the upper ocean, their intensity changes between seasons and can even flip backwards and forwards over the course of several hours.”

from The University of Manchester, and a co-author of the study, added: “Seeing how these currents behave is a bit like observing the weather in 91ֱ�� - always changing and often surprising. But observing change in the deep sea is really challenging and, until now, we have had a poor understanding of what background conditions are like in the deep-sea.”

Professor Elda Miramontes from the University of Bremen, also a co-author of the study, said: “These are the first measurements of deep-sea currents across such a large area, long duration and so close to the seafloor. This makes them extremely valuable as they will help improve our models for reconstructing past changes related to climate change in the ocean.”

Dr Mike Clare of NOC, added: “The deep sea can be extremely dynamic and this study underlines the importance of sustained observations, which provide critical information on understanding the ocean. More detailed observations are critical for understanding the important role bottom currents play in transporting sediment, carbon and pollutants across our planet.”

The full study “Highly variable deep-sea currents over tidal and seasonal timescales” was published in Nature Geoscience: .

“We’ve been working to restore the moorlands of the Peak District and South Pennines for the last 21 years,” said Tom Spencer, Senior Research and Monitoring Officer at Moors for the Future Partnership. “This restoration work is based on scientific evidence and the research with The University of Manchester and the University of Newcastle shows the natural flood management benefits of planting sphagnum and the opportunities for upscaling to extend these benefits, especially considering the increased risk of extreme weather events.”

"This study is exciting because it shows that small changes over large areas really can stack up to make a big difference,” said Newcastle University’s Dave Milledge, who also worked on the study. “It also demonstrates that it is possible to make changes that are good for carbon storage, for ecosystems and for people downstream, as well as showing that changes in the hills can make a difference further downstream. But we need to remember that different places and different interventions will behave differently - not all peatland restoration will deliver flood risk benefit, nor should it be expected to."

“These findings are very promising in terms of the potential flood risk reductions that can be achieved by using upstream Natural Flood Management interventions in the peatland headwaters of the catchment,” said David Brown from the Environment Agency. “Utilising detailed plot-scale observations and upscaling using the modelling approach has demonstrated what could be possible - the trick now is to continue with the upland restoration.”

Matthias Honegger, Senior Research Associate at Perspectives Climate Research, said: “No matter your preference on the long-term role – if any – of SRM in managing threats of climate change to human lives and nature, ignoring the topic will not resolve anything. Cautious and deliberate guidance and collaboration on SRM research and its governance are key.”

Julie Vinders, Senior Research Analyst at Trilateral Research, added: “The Co-CREATE project takes a neutral stance on Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and rather focuses on defining the conditions for responsible research. This research is crucial to facilitate informed discussions about SRM and prevent hasty or unilateral deployment of a technology that is not fully understood.”

Dr Peter Irvine, Lecturer at University College London, summarised the project: "Solar Radiation Modification covers a range of different interventions, each with their own potentials, limits, and risks. The Co-Create project will bring together a scientific and technical understanding of these details, with an interdisciplinary assessment of the issues, and stakeholder perspectives to develop robust principles and guidelines for SRM research governance."

The Nile is one of the longest rivers globally and spreads over 11 countries in East Africa, supplying water, energy production, environmental quality and cultural wealth. However, the use of Nile resources has been a long-standing source of tension, often overshadowing opportunities for cooperation and mutual benefit.

But as the demand for energy, water, and food in Africa is steadily increasing, the study, led by The University of Manchester in collaboration with regional organisations, offers a glimmer of hope at a resolution.

The research, published today in the journal , moves away from traditional water-centric agreements, and presents a detailed simulation of the combined energy-water system to reveal how different scenarios of international energy trades could help alleviate the Nile water conflict.

First author Dr Mikiyas Etichia from The University of Manchester, said: “Traditionally, water disputes in transboundary river basins like the Nile have been approached through a water-centric viewpoint. However, sharing benefits of water resources, such as hydro-generated electricity, crops and fisheries can result in a win-win situation.”

Co-author Dr Mohammed Basheer, Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, added: “In the Nile Basin, energy-river basin benefit-sharing projects have been implemented in the past at a small scale, but detailed tools like the one presented in the paper can help create actionable large-scale proposals.”

At the heart of the dispute lies the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) - a large dam on the Blue Nile River in Ethiopia constructed to improve Ethiopia's electricity access and to export electricity to neighbouring countries. The project sparked tensions between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt over water rights and access.

The simulator, designed by the scientists using open-source technology, covers 13 East African countries, including those within the Nile Basin, to model potential energy trade agreements between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt.

By increasing electricity trade, countries can simultaneously address water deficits, boost hydropower generation, reduce energy curtailment, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.

Corresponding author from The University of Manchester, said: “The energy trades tested in this study provide the countries a range of solutions that are likely in their national interest.

“The study highlights the value of detailed multisector simulation to unpick the complex interdependencies of large multi-country resource systems. Implementation of the arrangements proposed here would need to be further assessed from governance and legal perspectives to become viable proposals. If successful, they could contribute to sustainable resource management and regional stability.

“We are hopeful the new analytical tools or their results will be taken up by the negotiating parties.”

Mountain ranges covering vast areas of the world are warming much faster than surrounding lowland areas, triggering huge reductions in snow cover and rapid upward movement of dwarf-shrubs, such as heather.

Scientists at The University of Manchester have found that these changes are disrupting the timing of crucial alpine ecosystem functions performed by plants and soil microorganisms.

The research, published today in the journal and funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council, shows that high mountain ecosystems may be less capable of retaining the important nutrients needed to sustain plant growth and maintain biodiversity in these harsh environments.

Every year, seasonal changes in mountain ecosystems prompt large transfers of nutrients between plants and microbial communities in alpine soils. Following snowmelt in spring, plants start to grow and compete with soil microbes for nutrients, thereby triggering a shift in the storage of nutrients from soil to plants. This transfer is reversed in autumn, as plants die back, and nutrients are returned to the soil within dead leaves and roots.

During alpine winters, snow acts like an insulating blanket that allows soil microbes to continue functioning and store nutrients in their biomass and enables plants to survive cold alpine winters. Climate change is predicted to cause an 80-90% loss of snow cover by the end of the century in parts of the European Alps and advance the timing of snowmelt by five to 10 weeks.

Prof Michael Bahn, a collaborator on the project from the University of Innsbruck, said: "Declining winter snow cover is one of the most obvious and pronounced impacts of climate change in the Alps. Its effects on the functioning and biodiversity of alpine ecosystems are a major concern for people living in Alpine regions and beyond.”

The scientists from The University of Manchester, in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck, Helmholtz Zentrum München, and the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, carried out the work on a long-term field experiment in the European Alps. The findings highlight the detrimental effect of climate change on seasonal transfers and retention of nutrients between plants and soil microbes.

For scientists, understanding how ecosystems respond to multiple simultaneous climate change impacts remains a major challenge. Interactions between direct and indirect climate change factors, such as snow cover change or less obvious ones such as dwarf-shrub expansion, can lead to sudden and unexpected changes in ecosystem functioning. These effects are impossible to predict by studying climate change factors in isolation.

Mr Khan, who has represented 91ֱ�� Gorton in Parliament since 2017, also toured the 91ֱ�� Air Quality Supersite – one of the largest locations in the UK dedicated to air quality research – and took part in a roundtable discussion with senior academics.

Supported by the University’s endowment fund, the Firs upgrade delivered state-of the-art greenhouse facilities that support expert research on food security and climate change. They comprise 14 climate controlled growing compartments which simulate an assortment of different growing environments around the world ranging from tropical to sub-arctic.

The 91ֱ�� Air Quality Supersite, also located on the University’s Fallowfield campus, is home to a mobile research laboratory that gathers detailed data on the contents of harmful urban air pollution.  It is one of three air quality supersites across the UK established as part of a £6 million investment by the Natural Environment Research Council. 

Mr Khan was welcomed by , Professor , Professor and Dr Oliver Hughes, who all joined the roundtable discussion.

Professor Coe, a Professor of Atmospheric Composition and Director of the 91ֱ�� Environmental Research Institute, said: “It was a pleasure to meet Mr Khan and lead the tour of the 91ֱ�� Air Quality Supersite which has the capability to work out where the gases and particles that pollute our air are coming from and how they form.

“We are immensely proud of the role The University of Manchester plays in this area of academic research and the potential this work has to reduce air pollution on a global scale.”

Professor Cruickshank, a Professor in Biomedical Sciences and Public Engagement, recently published an on the Policy@91ֱ�� website addressing how better community engagement can encourage more people to use modes of ‘active transport’ – such as walking and cycling - and reduce air pollution in high risk areas.  

She said: “My colleagues and I regularly engage with policymakers.  Having an opportunity to brief Mr Khan on our ongoing activities and exchange ideas was a useful part of this process.

“My article, published by Policy@91ֱ��, highlights the way that involving and empowering communities can identify key priorities to tackle pollution in neighbourhoods to enhance their lives.

“Greater 91ֱ�� has among the worst levels of pollution in the UK, with poor air quality estimated to contribute to around 1,200 premature deaths each year in the city region.

“That is a shocking statistic which underscores how important it is to involve local communities in the drive to reduce the impacts of air pollution.” 

Afzal Khan MP said: “It was a privilege to visit the Firs Environmental Research Station and the 91ֱ�� Air Quality Supersite which are shining beacons in climate change and air quality research.

“My roundtable meeting also provided a fascinating insight into the many research activities taking place on-site.

“We face huge global climate challenges, and it is heartening to see the work going on here in 91ֱ�� to formulate evidence-based solutions to help address them.       

“I thank the University’s policy engagement unit, Policy@91ֱ��, for putting such an interesting programme together.”

The scheme close to Kale Street will help combat the area’s disproportionate exposure to air pollution, improve the health and wellbeing of local people and improve public safety away from major roads.

Nine signs  put up along the various entry points to the attractive 15 minute walk  will contain digitally interactive QR codes, which when scanned with a smartphone will direct the public to various webpages.

The pages contain information about local ecology and how plant species support 91ֱ��'s biodiversity.

They also details the history of the site and the local community groups that manage it.

Daniell Musaheb, Ardwick Climate Action said: “Green Routes represent community action directly tackling our community’s issues, with a need to address air pollution and public safety at its core.

“We are honoured at the support the project has received from our partners which has undeniably contributed to its success.

“We hope to see further tangible outcomes for our community and that this is the first step in realising a fairer balance in 91ֱ��.

“Ardwick is disproportionately affected by air pollution, and the public safety of local people is compromised due to the lack of infrastructure to support green transportation.”

To  celebrate the launch, the group are organising lavender planting. Representatives from a range of groups including Clean Cities, Friends of the Earth 91ֱ��, Asthma and Lung UK, Mums for Lungs and Living Streets UK will talk about air pollution, road safety and green routes in 91ֱ��.

And a guided walk from the A6 will show participants  why the Green Route is so badly needed.

Since 2022, ACA has conducted in partnership with The University of Manchester which showed that local communities are an important way understand where local sources of pollution are and barriers to less polluting forms of travel.

One of the researchers, said: “Collaborative working between local communities and our researchers was vital to understand the barriers for active travel and the issues that most impacted residents.

“By engaging with communities we can promote awareness of the risks of pollution to health and do more meaningful research that best meets the needs of those most impacted by pollution.

She added: “This research highlighted real issues encountered by residents of high levels of pollution and dangerous roads with fast moving traffic.

“There is a lack of crossings across busy roads which makes it very hard for residents to get around safely.

“We are so excited about the green route and we really hope it makes a difference to residents for their health and wellbeing as they can avoid some of the traffic and pollution and enjoy the incredible biodiversity created by the planting done by ACA.”

Read more about the research

Caption: Ardwick Climate Action’s aims are to regenerate and rewild areas for the community, offering a series of green spaces that serve to educate and engage local people.

🌳 Trees can make farms more sustainable – here’s how to help farmers plant more.

— The University of Manchester (@OfficialUoM)

Written by , Postgraduate Researcher,

Imagine making one change to a farm field so that as well as producing food, it also generated building materials, fuel and fodder. At the same time, this change would nourish the health of the soil, regulate the micro-climate and support pest-controlling wildlife. In fact, it could even produce a whole other crop.

All these things could be possible by simply planting trees amid crops – and not just trees, but also shrubs, palms and bamboo.

This approach to farming is known as agroforestry, and it could improve the sustainability of agriculture worldwide. On a large scale, it could help mitigate climate change by in land that can still serve other purposes. Countries can even towards their reforestation commitments.

There is for planting trees on farms in south Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. But a lot of these plots – on average, less than 2 hectares (or two football fields). Any use of space has to really earn it.

So, how do we ensure trees work for farmers and the planet? India, where the last two decades have seen phenomenal changes in agroforestry, offers some insight.

India’s agroforestry experiment

India’s first effort to get more trees on farms started in 1999 with the Lok Vaniki scheme in Madhya Pradesh, a state in central India. The state government started the scheme to help farmers with degraded land secure additional income from timber and provided them with saplings of teak.

The scheme had a troubled start. The Indian supreme court had banned all tree felling except that permitted under the forest working plan three years earlier. Before farmers could sell the timber they grew, their request to fell the tree would need to be approved by the government.

Farmers were apprehensive about planting something they may not get permission to harvest, and teak trees take 20 years to yield timber. A cumbersome process for obtaining permits and high transport costs for small and marginal farmers scuppered the scheme.

The state responded by exempting certain trees from felling regulations. By 2014, India had a national agroforestry policy that offered farmers saplings and simpler procedures for harvesting and transporting trees. Still, the tree cover on farms didn’t budge. In fact, the last decade has seen in trees on farms in India, according to a study I contributed to.

The decline was pronounced among mature trees. Once these gnarled veterans had shaded open wells on farms and kept water from evaporating in the sun’s glare. Now deeper bore wells could be dug, rendering such trees obsolete.

The expansion of mechanised farming put a premium on treeless fields where tractors and farm vehicles could easily manoeuvre. Attacks by fungal parasites claimed other trees.

Some farmers were unsentimental. In interviews, many said they saw few benefits from trees, which could prevent sunlight from reaching crops. But the decline of native trees on farms like neem, mahua and jamun, once prized for their medicinal oils and nutritious fruit, , particularly in the poorest regions.

Trees on farms, not tree farms

While farmland trees dwindled across India, . These are essentially farms growing .

These plantations largely comprise exotic and fast-growing trees like eucalyptus, poplar and casuarina, which are all exempt from felling regulations. Enticed by the prospect of generating carbon credits on the international carbon market, and by demand for pulpwood for making paper, farmers with some of the smallest plots in India tried switching their crops to block plantations.

When the price of carbon credits dropped with the of the UN’s clean development mechanism in 2012, these small farmers were left with little to show for it. later confirmed that many would have been better off keeping their land for agriculture.

Although there is for pulpwood and timber in India, it is likely to favour farmers who can plant in large areas, cover harvest and transit costs, and wait for returns from plantations – a situation small and marginal farmers can ill afford.

These exotic plantations are either. For instance, eucalyptus consumes a lot of water and soil nutrients, leaving the land less fertile for future cultivation. Its leaves and flowers are less useful to birds than many native trees.

There is a rush globally to plant more trees on farms without considering what farmers will do with the tree in 20 years, or how it may interfere with crop production. This problem is not unique to India and has been noted elsewhere, .

Trees should still be encouraged on farms; preferably native trees that are beneficial for local diets and medicine. So far, though, the trend in India and elsewhere has been towards block plantations of exotic trees – a phenomenon largely driven by the lure of carbon credits.

The focus should be on supporting small and marginal farmers to grow native trees sustainably. Scattered trees of many species on small farms have bigger benefits for farmers and the environment than single-species plantations.

For that to happen, though, there has to be some way of financing this process. If carbon credit mechanisms can recognise this model of agroforestry and help small farmers add trees to their cropland, it would be a big shift in the right direction.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

UNEP accreditation grants our University the privilege to submit written contributions, participate in the work of UNEP’s Governing Bodies, such as  and the Committee of Permanent Representatives, and be granted observer status to the Assembly and its subsidiary bodies.

The University is delighted to have been awarded such status and looks forward to using its outstanding research contributions in environmental sustainability to influence and drive further change through such a prestigious organisation as UNEP.

Atmospheric chemists from the , University of Manchester, and University of York are working together to quantify the gases and aerosols that come from stoves in people’s homes. 

Wood burners - the biggest sources of small particulate matter nationwide

The popularity of using wood burners has increased in recent years, in response to severe cold snaps and the rising cost of gas and electricity. 

In the UK, wood burning in homes is the main direct source of airborne particulate matter less than 2.5 micrometres in diameter (known as PM2.5), and accounts for a high fraction of particles with carcinogenic potential in urban areas. 

Exposure to PM2.5 particles can result in serious health impacts - especially for elderly people and people with respiratory illnesses. 

Stove in a lab - a scientific test facility to capture wood burner emissions

Scientists are using a state-of-the-art test facility, in a 91ֱ��-based laboratory, to study emissions from domestic heating stoves. 

By using a wood burner in a controlled environment alongside specialised pollution monitoring equipment, researchers are replicating a range of conditions and real-life scenarios.

Dr Marvin Shaw, research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and the University of York, said: “Recent studies of combustion in household woodburners suggest that operational conditions, such as ignition, reloading, maloperation and use of unconventional fuels are a large and unaccounted for source of pollution in the UK. This project brings together national expertise in order to understand how the operation of these wood burners affects the emissions of gas and particulate pollutants.”

The high-resolution data they are collecting will begin to build a detailed insight into real-time emissions during stove operation in people’s homes. 

, a research scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science and The University of Manchester, explained: “Currently emissions predictions assume that wood burners are operated correctly and the appropriate fuels are used. However, we suspect that many wood burners are not used correctly, with people likely to overstack fuel or burn unseasoned woods. Our laboratory experiments will investigate the effects of gas emissions that condense in the air and form particulate matter after they are emitted." 

The air pollution research project they are working on, known as CondensabLe AeRosol from non Ideal Stove Emissions - CLARISE, brings together expertise in biomass burning experiments, emissions monitoring, atmospheric complexity analysis, and regional modelling.

The initiative, funded by a Defra Air Quality Grant, seeks to understand the motivations behind burning solid fuels in homes and gardens, improve community knowledge and influence behaviour and improve public health in Greater 91ֱ��.

Smoke from log burners, domestic fires and garden bonfires contain tiny particles called particulate matter (PM2.5) that can damage people’s health, increasing the risk of respiratory conditions, such as asthma, and lead to more serious health conditions. 

The study – led by The University of Manchester on behalf of Greater �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s 10 councils – aims to understand the link between household burning practices (indoor and outdoor) and local air quality.

Over the next two years, the research partnership will help inform a public health campaign across the city region to raise awareness around the negative impacts of domestic burning, with the aim to reduce particulate matter emissions through reduced and cleaner burning habits.

The survey will run until February 2024 and invites both people who burn at home and those that do not to take part.

Those that complete the survey can enter a draw to win one of five food vouchers. The link to the survey can be found

In conjunction with the study, Greater 91ֱ�� has launched an to educate residents about the health impacts and regulations surrounding domestic burning. Over 40 air quality monitors will be strategically placed across the region to better understand the link between domestic burning and PM2.5 air pollution.

The study is one of many research projects at the University which is looking into the

Residents who do need to burn this winter are being encouraged to follow these guidelines:   

• Find out if you are in a – if so your stove needs to be Defra-exempt and you must only use approved fuel.    
• Only burn clean seasoned wood with a moisture content of less than 20% or dried for a minimum of two years, or use ‘Ready to Burn’ approved manufactured solid fuels.   
• Do not burn rubbish or general waste.   
• Get your chimney swept each year and your stove checked.   
• Do not let your fire smoulder overnight. 

Take part in the survey

Since the third UN climate change summit, held in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan, different mechanisms have been trialled to raise money and help countries reduce deforestation and restore degraded forests. First there was Kyoto’s clean development mechanism, then the UN-REDD programme initiated at COP13 in Bali in 2008. Voluntary carbon market schemes came into effect after COP21 in Paris in 2015, but all met with limited success.

In some cases, these schemes with communities that have tended and nurtured forests for generations, restricting their access to the forest for fuel, grazing and food. Meanwhile, deforestation has proceeded under the aegis of global markets hungry for beef, palm oil .

The world is far off track to reduce deforestation to zero by 2030, or meet its target of restoring over 350 million hectares.

At the current climate talks, COP28 in Dubai, Brazil has proposed a “tropical forests forever fund” with an outlay of US$250 billion, which would to conserve or expand their forests. But how can the world be confident that the result will be different this time?

The work of one academic, Nobel laureate Elinor Ostrom, can tell us why previous efforts to restore forests have failed – and what a more effective approach might look like.

Bundles of rights

Nearly 295 million people in developing countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America live on land that has been identified as . The right to extract timber or plant trees ultimately lies with the state in these places, so it is up to the state to set targets for increasing tree coverage or how much carbon the land stores, regardless of how it affects the .

Over 73% (about 3 billion hectares) of global forested land is . One of the arguments for allowing governments to retain ownership of these forests, including the right to manage them, is the notion of the “tragedy of the commons”: in the absence of an all-powerful governing entity, people will overuse shared resources.

In fact, Ostrom’s work on the commons in forests, fishing grounds and grazing pastures shows that communities tend to protect and sustainably use common resources – provided they have rights, tenure, and the ability to decide rules for managing them.

A recent examined forest commons in 15 tropical countries, where governments own the forest but have allowed local communities informal or customary rights of use and management. The authors noted that these forest commons had a high variety of tree species, and offered enough fodder and fuel wood to sustain livelihoods in the local community. The wealth of biomass in these forests indicated a lot of carbon was also being stored.

These findings seem to affirm that forests used and managed by Indigenous and rural communities can support global objectives for carbon and biodiversity, while meeting the needs of local people.

Ostrom’s research identified five important that allow communities to sustainably manage a parcel of land in such commons. These are: access, withdrawal, management, exclusion, and alienation.

Access and withdrawal rights are the minimum required for communities to go into a forest and collect timber, flowers, leaves and grasses for their subsistence and to sell commercially. The most important of these rights, at least in terms of forest restoration, is management rights, including the right to decide where and what type of trees to plant in order to restore a forest.

But Ostrom found that these rights are worthless unless imbued with secure “” – in other words, confidence that land users would not be arbitrarily deprived of their rights over particular parcels of land.

Attempts by governments to provide partial management rights to local communities in recent decades have when it comes to restoring forests. For example, India has attempted to revive degraded forests since 1991 through its joint forest management programme, which offers partial rights to communities that are invited to help prepare a management plan. But without legally binding rights or secure tenure, this approach has shown .

In contrast, India’s forest rights act 2006, the first of its kind globally, provided local communities that had traditionally used an area of forested land with . The result has been restored forests and communities benefiting from increased sales of bamboo and tendu (leaves for rolling tobacco), .

Empower forest communities

To restore Earth’s forests and mitigate climate change, states should devolve management rights to the communities in these land parcels and grant them secure tenure.

But how should these commons be governed? Ostrom’s many years of research are, again, a useful guide. She for clear boundaries defining the community’s rights, rules for forest use, the rights of all members of a community to participate in making those rules (including women and marginal communities), collective decision-making on managing resources, effective monitoring, graduated sanctions for rule violations, conflict resolution mechanisms, and a nested governance structure when multiple communities have rights over the same resources.

There are clear limitations on Indigenous and forest-dependent communities to access the finance that might aid them in their restoration work. Brazil’s proposed fund, and existing climate finance mechanism such as REDD+ and the green climate fund, must be made accessible to these forest communities. This would be easier if they had secure rights and tenure, with a clear set of management rules.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The Green Gown Awards celebrate the innovative and change making initiatives and projects in sustainability across the further and higher education sectors, and the University of Manchester claimed the top prize for work supporting its new Environmental Sustainability strategy, which launched in July 2023.

The judges said that they were “impressed with the honest, forward looking, innovative, transferrable, scalable and holistic approaches involving carbon budgeting to help deliver the University’s Zero Carbon Masterplan with effective ongoing evaluation and realistic assessment of outputs yet to be realised.”

The team collected their award at a ceremony at the Titanic Hotel in Liverpool on Thursday, 30 November.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor, said: “Winning the prize is a powerful signal to our community about the seriousness with which we are working to our zero carbon target. Our entry is a great example of academic and professional services staff working together and success would be valuable recognition for them.”

Richard Smith, Head of Environmental Sustainability at The University of Manchester, added: “We are thrilled that the University has been recognised at this year’s Green Gown Awards.

“We pride ourselves on basing everything we do on what science demands of us. Our target was devised by our colleagues at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and achieving it requires consistent, urgent action.  

“The work on this initiative has been shared with other HE institutions and city neighbours as we rise to the challenge of climate change together. This award is testament to the hard work and dedication of all our colleagues involved in putting this initiative together and making it come to life.”

So far, the University has secured £157.3m of funding from internal and external sources to deliver its sustainability goals.

It has already begun implementing the strategy with its first air-source heat pumps now in operation, and its first heat pump-only building in construction ready to go live early next year, with much more to come. 

The Environmental Sustainability strategy builds on the University’s core goals of Teaching and Learning, Research and Discovery and Social Responsibility and stresses the need for all decisions to be taken in the light of our existing carbon commitments.

It also highlights six priority operational areas, all linking back to the United Nations Sustainability Goals: Construction and Refurbishment; Risk and Climate Resilience; Responsible Procurement; Resource Management; Valuing Nature; Travel and Transport.

Charlotte Bonner, CEO, EAUC, who deliver the Green Gown Awards, said: “The Green Gown Awards celebrate the most innovative and impactful work being done by those working in the post-16 education sector. The projects, initiatives and people showcased through the awards this year are, as ever, inspirational – it’s been a privilege to be part of the judging. I look forward to seeing them flourish in future and to using their examples to springboard further action for sustainability.”

The 2023 UK & Ireland Awards are held in association with UK Research and Innovation. Now in its 19th year, the 2023 results showcase 20 Winner and 17 Highly Commended institutions.

Read more about and the other .  

Find out more about environmental sustainability at The University of Manchester.

A new special feature published today (November 21), in the (PNAS), which was guest edited by researchers from The University of Manchester, the Institute for Ecological Economy Research (IÖW), and Harvard University, presents new findings about transitions in electricity, food and mobility systems.

These findings synthesise, elaborate and apply research on sustainability transitions, which has progressed significantly over the past decade, generating novel insights about the dynamics of transitions. This research shifts the focus from sustainability goals and targets to the real-world change processes that could help to meet those targets. The special feature contains 15 articles that present new insights on transitions to a wider sustainability science audience, policymakers, and practitioners.

Large-scale, long-term changes of systems needed

“The central challenge of our age is how to make development sustainable – to assure that it advances people’s well-being in the here and now without unfairly constraining the ability of people elsewhere, or in the future, to advance their own well-being”, says William Clark, professor at Harvard University and director of its Sustainability Science Program. “That requires transitions, by which we mean significant large-scale, long-term changes in the actors, institutions, technologies, and resources that make up consumption-production systems.” The papers in the special feature analyse these changes for electricity, mobility, and food systems. In addition, they address crosscutting issues such as the destabilisation of existing systems, the role of shocks, and the governance of transitions.

Core aspects of transitions research: multi-level interactions, solutions, process of change

“This special feature makes three contributions to the pursuit of sustainability: highlighting the importance of multi-level interactions in sustainability transitions, a focus on solutions (innovation), and a deeper and more differentiated analysis of the processes of change”, explains , professor of sustainability transitions at The University of Manchester. “It is interesting to see that transitions in the electricity, mobility and food systems are currently unfolding at different speed and depth. This is due to different techno-economic developments and socio-political activities. They have progressed farthest in the electricity system. In the (auto)mobility system they are beginning to unfold, and in food systems they appear to be in early phases.”

The papers demonstrate the multi-dimensional nature of sustainability transition processes which cannot be reduced to purely technological or economic explanations. Instead, they show the importance of understanding sustainability transitions as multi-level, systemic, incomplete, and contested processes, in which innovation plays an essential role that is always shaped by and contributing to social, political, economic, and cultural developments.

Deeper transitions are slower

“One of the important findings from across the special feature is that transitions are often about reconfiguration rather than substitution of existing systems, and that there are tensions between depth and speed of change: the deeper a change, the more difficult and slower it tends to be. It is also important to recognise that the governance of transitions is highly political and can be very politicised. There are winners and losers”, states Florian Kern, transitions researcher at the Berlin-based Institute for Ecological Economy Research. “While recognising various complexities, the special feature also shows how transition processes can be accelerated and steered in more sustainable directions. This is crucial, because historical transitions were often slow, decade-long processes, while time is pressing for the polycrises of the present.”

The Special Feature on ‘Sustainability transitions in consumption-production systems’ in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences is published open access and can be found here: . 

 

The analysis of the small-spotted catshark, zebrafish, European seabass, and the three-spined stickleback is published in the journal .

Though scientists already know that the warming of our rivers and oceans causes direct physiological stress to fish, this study shows the impact on their developing embryos has a deep-seated effect on their gene expression patterns as adults.

These changes may also affect their capacity to respond to future changes in temperature, having consequences for surviving climate change in their adult life.

Scientists have failed to find consistent differentially expressed genes implicated in biological changes linked to global warming.

However, the University of Manchester analysis suggests different phenotypes identified in later life may occur through changes in the organisation of the transcriptome - the genetic code as it is read – one crucial element of life itself.

Their findings, using sophisticated modelling, show that transcriptomes of developmentally warmed fishes are characterised by an increased disorder in the way genes interact, implying a less structured, more ‘random’ set of gene interactions.

Professor Holly Shiels, from The University of Manchester, said: “Climate change is a major threat facing animals. As the world’s oceans and rivers continue to warm the physiological and population level stresses exerted upon fishes will continue to grow.

“If we are to predict and mitigate the consequences of global warming, it is crucial we understand how it influences an animal’s biological capacity to respond to future environmental challenges.”

Dr Dan Ripley, from The University of Manchester, said: “Our findings suggest that exposure to elevated temperatures during the development and growth of an embryo may influence the ability of fish to respond to future challenges they face in later life.”

Dr Adam Stevens, from The University of Manchester, added: “In our study, we found that developmental warming influenced the relationships between genes. The ‘plumbing’ of the system was changed, with knock-on consequences for how it then functions in adulthood.

“This was absent in animals reared under ‘control’ conditions.”

The embryos were held in either control conditions, representing everyday temperatures, or warmer treatment conditions, representing future conditions under climate change.

Following embryogenesis, all fish were moved to control conditions, simulating adult fish in the wild moving to find areas at their preferred temperature.

Despite living in their preferred temperature range as adults, genomic differences were found between the groups related to the temperatures they experienced as embryos.

These differences were associated with an altered capacity to respond to future warming as adults.

• The study was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Higher Education Innovation Fund through the University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Knowledge and Innovation Hub for Environmental Stability, and the pump priming fund through the University of �Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s Cardiovascular Division.

A University of Manchester academic has won the inaugural Royal Meteorological Society Education Award in recognition of his long record of teaching excellence.

David Schultz, Professor of Synoptic Meteorology, was nominated for the award that celebrates people and teams who have made outstanding and exceptional contributions to meteorology and related disciplines. 

The award citation states that Prof Schultz was the “most worthy recipient of the Royal Meteorological Society’s Education Award” and that “his commitment to the teaching of meteorology, and to furthering the careers of young people has drawn praise from many generations of students.”

Prof Schultz has a long record of innovation and producing materials and tools that benefit the wider educational community as well as his own classes. He authored the book , to help atmospheric scientists with communication skills.

He also led the development of , which was the first freely accessible real-time weather and air-quality forecasting portal for the UK, as well as the development of an online open course called .

Prof Schultz has been recognised by his students and colleagues on a number of occasions. He won School and Faculty Teaching Awards ten times, the University Teaching Excellence Award three times and the Student Union’s Outstanding Research Supervision award.

Prof Schultz will accept the award at a ceremony later in the year.

He said: “I am extremely honored to receive the first Education Award from the Royal Meteorological Society. Throughout my life, I wanted to be a teacher and a mentor to others. This award is a testament to all those who supported my efforts to achieve that: my parents encouraged my curiosity, my teachers pushed me to be a better student, and my wife shares my passion for excellent teaching.

“Importantly, I want to recognise my PhD thesis advisors Lance Bosart and Dan Keyser who—through their teaching and mentorship—inspired me to teach through active-learning methods, which better engage students in their own independent learning.  

“The development of the web-based tools, as well as my textbook, would not exist without their inspiration and guidance. Finally, I want to thank all my students over the years who have provided feedback to help me develop into a better educator."

The Royal Meteorological Society’s awards reflect the breadth of work in the meteorological community. The Education Award is bestowed annually for weather and climate teaching excellence, in recognition of significant and sustained commitment to the delivery and/or support of teaching and learning, or the development and use of innovative teaching or training resources related to weather, climate and related applications.

Because most respiratory viral infections, such as flu, have seasonality with peaks in activity in different seasons, many researchers around the world investigated the potential link between COVID-19 and the weather for clues to how the disease spread.

Hundreds of studies were carried out within the first two years of the outbreak and were published quickly to understand and control the infection. Nearly all studies reported a positive relationship.

Now, scientists at The University of Manchester and Nanjing Agricultural University in China, say that many of these peer-reviewed scientific journal articles contained weaknesses or flaws that has affected the reliability and accuracy of the results.

They call for the process by which the research was published to be revisited.

David Schultz, Professor of Synoptic Meteorology at The University of Manchester, said: “During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a desire to publish scientific news quickly due to the dire situation the world was facing, but now we realise that this speed came at the expense of the quality of the research.

“Many of the publications we analysed were fatally flawed, raising concerns about the quality of this research.”

The research, published in the journal, , conducted a critical analysis of the reliability of 289 peer-reviewed empirical publications.

They found that 97% of those studies reported an association between one or more weather variables and the transmission of COVID-19. However, 38% of those studies did not account for a time lag between the date of infection and the date of reporting. This means that the studies were incorrectly investigating the weather on the day that the COVID-19 case was reported rather than the day the infection occurred.

The review also found that the time period of the data used in these studies was problematic.

Lead author Dr Ling Tan, from Nanjing Agricultural University, said: “Most studies used data from the early months of the pandemic where temperatures were rising during the transition from winter to summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It was also a period of exponential growth in transmission of the virus across vulnerable populations—for example, China where the virus originated. Thus, the rapid growth in new cases was often correlated with the seasonal increase in temperature, making determining the subtle effect of the weather difficult.”

When looking at the publication process, the researchers’ analysis raised more concerns, including the rapid acceptance of highly cited articles. They found that the ten most-cited publications were accepted within only 10 days of submission, with three accepted the same day that they were submitted. Usually, this level of scrutiny takes weeks.

Dr Tan said: “Science can correct itself through various means: peer review by scientific experts to improve or reject submitted manuscripts, published corrections, comment–reply exchanges between authors and other scientists, and retraction of fatally flawed studies. But, we saw little of this kind of scrutiny by other scientists.”

Prof Schultz added: “We hope to shed some light on the problems with these articles and offer recommendations for publishing such research, so the research community can avoid repeating these flaws and strengthen the scientific foundation of future pandemic responses.”

The researchers call for such studies to have a better experimental design that incorporates a time lag between infection and reporting, uses nonlinear statistical methods, considers non-meteorological effects, and collects large datasets to ensure robust research results.

They also recommend a stronger peer-review process and further scrutiny of scientific literature through robust post-publication methods.

Observations made by scientists at The University of Manchester found that the primary source of urea – a nitrogen-rich compound, vital for the growth and development of living organisms - comes from the ocean.

The observations reveal an important but unaccounted for source of reduced nitrogen and offer the first-ever observations of gaseous urea in the air.

The research, published in the journal , also reveals that urea can be transported over long distances through the atmosphere to benefit other environments that may be nutrient-deficient.

The results could have far-reaching consequences for marine productivity and climate stability.  

Emily Matthews, Atmospheric Scientist at The University of Manchester, said: “Our observations provide new insights into the complex interactions between the atmosphere, ocean and ecosystems.

“Understanding the behaviour and impact of urea in the atmosphere is vital for advancing our knowledge of how chemicals and substances are transferred through our environment and can help us to inform strategies to address climate change.”

The observations of gas-phase urea in the atmosphere were collected over the North Atlantic Ocean using the , a UK airborne research facility managed by the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and owned by UK Research and Innovation and the Natural Environmental Research Council.

Measurements made during these flights provide detailed data on the composition and properties of aerosols and gases in the atmosphere. Scientists from The University of Manchester and NCAS have identified unique species important to the marine reduced nitrogen cycle, including the first observations of gas-phase urea in the atmosphere.

The researchers say that the findings have significant implications for our understanding of the nitrogen cycle and calls for a revision of current models.

Emily Matthews added: “The ocean plays an important role in maintaining a stable climate through biological activity occurring near the surface of the water and contributes to oceanic uptake of carbon dioxide.

“We now know that it is also a significant source of urea in the atmosphere throughout most of the year, which means we need to modify the processes and factors involved in the nitrogen cycle to account for the newfound importance of urea.”

The nitrogen cycle is the process during which nitrogen moves through both living organisms and physical environments including the atmosphere, soil, water, plants, animals and bacteria. It is central to the composition of the Earth System and changes of the natural environment through interactions such as aerosol formation, ozone production and as a supply of essential nutrients to living organisms. 

The explanation for the observations of gas phase urea remains a mystery and further research is needed to fully understand biogeochemical coupling of nitrogen between the ocean and atmosphere.

The research findings represent an important pathway for long range transport of nitrogen to fertise nitrogen poor regions of the surface ocean. Revising this knowledge better helps to understand how the ocean biosphere will respond to future changes.

Dr Sophie Nixon, a BBSRC David Phillips and Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Research Fellow in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, won the award for Sustainable Development, while Dr Kara Lynch, who was recently awarded an Ernest Rutherford Fellowship and Dame Kathleen Ollerenshaw Research Fellowship in the Department of Physics, won the award for Physical Sciences.

The national award works to support post-doctoral women scientists and overcome gender-driven inequalities. It offers a number of opportunities designed to help further establish women’s research careers. 

Dr Nixon and Dr Lynch are two of only five post-doctoral women scientists to win the 2023 award, which includes a grant of £15,000 each to spend on whatever they need to continue their research.

Dr Nixon's  research broadly looks how microbial communities in the environment cycle carbon, and how we can harness community-scale metabolism to help remedy global environmental issues, such as climate change and plastic pollution.

The project she will pursue with her award looks to microbial communities in hot springs for novel approaches to converting waste CO₂ emissions into value-added products in order to achieve a Net Zero future as soon as possible - an ambitious but potentially powerful nature-based solution to the CO₂ emissions crisis.

She said: “It was a big milestone to even be shortlisted for this notoriously competitive award, but to win was just wonderful.

“Awards and programmes like this one are really important for putting a spotlight on women in STEM – we need more talent in STEM but also need to showcase and celebrate the talent we already have. One problem we have is lack a of role models, but another is peer support. This programme champions this talent and creates a really strong alumni network that will be invaluable going forward.

“For me, the most powerful part of this award is the flexibility the grant allows. A significant part of my grant will go towards the cost of childcare - I’ve been working condensed hours since the cost of childcare for our daughter has risen. The extra time and money this will buy me allows me to pursue some extra personal development training, some career and leadership coaching, and also attend events or conferences.

“I wouldn’t be able to achieve any of this if I couldn’t find a way to subsidise the cost of childcare. It has opened many doors and I’m extremely grateful.”

Dr Lynch's research revolves around nuclear physics and using laser spectroscopy and decay spectroscopy to understand the properties of exotic nuclei. Her upcoming research project will measure the shape of proton-emitting nuclei, which is a new and exciting opportunity to test and improve understanding of the nucleus.

She said: “The L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Rising Talent Programme is a really innovative and refreshing way of supporting women in science, as it allows you to use the grant in whichever way is most beneficial to your research and your career.

“Programmes highlighting and supporting women in science are very important, so we can encourage more women to pursue scientific careers as well as support those already in science. The postdoc years can be particularly challenging as we try to forge our own independent research career, so having a network of support is invaluable.

“I feel very lucky and proud to be alongside the wonderful and inspiring women who were shortlisted for this award, and to win was just a wonderful surprise.”

Dr Lynch will use the grant to buy research equipment that will allow her to perform the first laser spectroscopy studies of proton-emitting nuclei, which she hopes will kick-start her research programme in an unexplored area of nuclear physics. 

She will also use the grant for childcare to allow her to travel to CERN-ISOLDE – a radioactive ion beam facility - to perform her experiments outside of her normal working pattern.

Dr Lynch added: “Having just returned to physics research after a career break to start a family, the grant will uniquely support my desire to blend primary caregiving with my re-started academic career.

“I'm very grateful to L’Oréal and UNESCO for the opportunity to be part of this amazing network.”

All shortlisted candidates were invited to 10 Downing Street to discuss support for women in STEM. They met with George Freeman MP, Minister of State in the new Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, along with Angela McClean, Chief Scientific Advisor. They also received media training and had professional photographs taken at the Royal Society before attending the award at a ceremony at the House of Commons on Monday, 24 April 2023.

The prestigious QS World University Rankings highlight the world’s top performing universities in 54 individual subject areas. They include almost 1,500 institutions from around the world, with rankings based on subjects, destination and graduate employability, and allowing prospective students to compare the top universities for architecture globally.

MSA’s ‘unparalleled’ opportunities for collaborative architectural research across the two universities were highlighted, as was its ‘wide range of interdisciplinary research and teaching interests’ within  at 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University and departments at The University of Manchester.

Its employer reputation scored a near-perfect 98.4%, maintaining its position at second overall, with citations per research paper hitting the heights at 95%, and an impressive overall score of 89.3%.

MSA unites two schools with more than 100 years’ experience, over 100 experts in their architectural fields and more than 1,000 students from over 80 countries, producing creative, challenging and academically rigorous work and research.

It offers a range of professionally recognised undergraduate, postgraduate and research degrees, and has gained a prestigious reputation following appraisals by professional bodies such as the Architects’ Registration Board (ARB), Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) and The Landscape Institute, alongside a number of prizes gained externally.

The University has therefore hit its target of reducing the weighted average carbon intensity (WACI) by 50% by 2027 ahead of time. The University also ended investment in fossil fuel companies in 2021, as part of its .

Carbon intensity is a measure of carbon efficiency, in which the total amount of carbon dioxide emissions by a company are divided by the level of its activity (as measured in value of sales). The University aims to reach net zero carbon in its investments by 2038 at the latest.

The Endowment Investment Portfolio Climate Change report for the year ended 31 July 2022 has been prepared with support from Mercer, the University’s investment adviser.

As well as updating on progress, the report explains how the University considers climate-related risks in relation to its endowment investment portfolio, how it adopts governance processes and investment strategies, and assesses relevant metrics and targets in order to manage these risks.

Asset owners like the University sit at the top of the investment chain and, therefore, have an important role to play in influencing the organisations through which they invest (such as asset managers) and companies in which they ultimately invest to provide better climate-related financial disclosures.

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility, said: “I’m really pleased with the progress we have made on this, as it brings us much closer to our ultimate ambition of net zero-carbon in our investments. Publishing this report is part of demonstrating our ambition in a transparent way.

“This work, and our efforts to decarbonise our campus operations, helps us make a contribution to tackling the climate crisis, alongside our important teaching, research and social responsibility activity.”

As industrial decarbonisation progresses, and carbon capture and storage (CCS) infrastructure comes online, the wider role of the regional clusters in delivering net zero will come into sharper focus, including the potential to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

‘Integrated Assessment of BECCS in context: environmental, policy, regulatory and social factors’, a cross disciplinary research project led by from Tyndall 91ֱ�� will look at potential BECCS facilities within the North West industrial cluster. Effective use of BECCS depends on a better understanding of many factors across its complex supply chains. This project will ask: what configurations minimise the emissions associated with transporting biomass, CO2 and energy along the supply chain?; what are the policy gaps and uncertainties associated with deploying, regulating and governing BECCS?; and how do local communities view the development of BECCS in their region?

The research will be conducted through a combination of linked desk-based and empirical methods which will bring together spatial modelling, carbon accounting, policy mapping, interviews with stakeholders and a community workshop.

Dr Clair Gough, Senior Research Fellow at Tyndall 91ֱ��, explained: “This project is all about mapping the non-technical challenges to BECCS deployment. By taking a systems-based approach and looking at environmental, policy, regulatory and social factors, this project will identify obstacles, and help pinpoint the solutions for BECCS to play its part in reaching Net Zero in the UK.”

Prof Benjamin K. Sovacool, Research Co-Director IDRIC, University of Sussex: “If we want to achieve near term BECCS deployment, we need to better understand the variables that will affect successful deployment. We need to assess the key social, economic and policy aspects that will determine its realistic impact and Clair’s team will build on the research from Wave 1, and help us understand BECCS in the round.”

This project is one of 20 that will be supported as part of IDRIC’s Wave 2 £6million funding to accelerate decarbonisation of industry. Designed to aid industrial decarbonisation in Scotland, Northwest England, Teesside, Solent, Black Country, Humber, and South Wales, this second wave will fund 20 projects across 14 institutions covering a wide range of technological, environmental, economic, skills and social aspects of decarbonisation.

�Ѳ��Գ������ٱ��’s , has also been awarded funding by IDRIC’s second wave. Working in collaboration with BGS, Heriot-Watt University and Centrica, she will explore hydrogen storage near industrial clusters using porous rock storage with research in the Humber, Northwest, South Wales and Teesside.

At 91ֱ��, our energy experts are committed to delivering an equitable and prosperous net zero energy future. By matching science and engineering, with social science, economics, politics and arts, the University’s community of 600+ experts address the entire lifecycle of each energy challenge, creating innovative and enduring solutions to make a difference to the lives of people around the globe. This enables the university’s research community to develop pathways to ensure a low carbon energy transition that will also drive jobs, prosperity, resilience and equality.

More information about the book and links to purchase it are available . 

from the Tyndall Centre at The University of Manchester has highlighted the major role the shipping sector will play in transporting the green fuels necessary to meet global climate goals. But it found a yawning gap between announced government led projects and what is required, calling for the creation of far stronger national policies on low-carbon fuels. The report is being officially discussed at this year's UN climate conference, COP 27.

The report’s authors identify growth in low-carbon hydrogen and sustainable bioenergy as essential to meet the Paris Climate Agreement’s goals. But they found that a lack of enabling policies from governments, such as guaranteeing markets and prices for producers and consumers, was holding back investment in the shipping infrastructure needed to support the global energy transition.

The world needs 50-150 million tonnes of low-carbon hydrogen by 2030, but there is a major gap between this and what is planned to date: already-announced projects will only produce 24 million tonnes by 2030, according to the International Energy Authority. Worryingly, only 4% of these projects have a final investment decision. The Tyndall Centre called for stronger Government policies to give low-carbon hydrogen producers, shippers and consumers the confidence they need to invest.

Report co-author Professor Alice Larkin said: “New green fuels are essential to meet the Paris climate goals, and there is a pivotal role for the shipping sector in transporting them. But production of green fuels must be scaled up - there is a yawning gap between current plans and what is needed to meet the Paris goals.”

The report identifies a major role for the shipping sector in this global energy transition, transporting bioenergy, and hydrogen converted into ammonia. It found that the sea-transport of ammonia and bioenergy in the coming decades could match shipments of gas and coal today. However, this would require around 20 large new ammonia carriers a year, to link green hydrogen producers with consumers.

Given the 2–3-year timeline for constructing new vessels, shipping industry representatives said they needed certainty on hydrogen production as soon as possible to be able to justify the necessary investments in new infrastructure. The report was commissioned and welcomed by the International Chamber of shipping and called on governments attending to send “stronger market signals” to the shipping industry to reduce fears that any new ships built to transport low-carbon fuels would never be used.

The Tyndall Centre’s report identified several potential considerations for government policy to increase their effectiveness at enabling investment. These include introducing mandates for increasing percentages of green hydrogen, creating ‘production credits’ for the production of hydrogen, or providing guaranteed markets and prices for producers and consumers. Such measures are already being trialled in the USA, Germany, and India.

Guy Platten, Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping said: “The shipping industry knows it has a huge part to play in global decarbonisation in the coming decades, transporting the new green fuels the world’s economy needs. But for us to invest, governments need far stronger policies to de-risk green hydrogen production.

“National Hydrogen strategies must include an explicit focus on supporting the transport infrastructure needed for both imports and exports. Industry is ready to respond but we urgently need stronger market signals and infrastructure investment to make this a reality.”

The full report is available via Tyndall 91ֱ�� -

Dr Sodero's book is available from November 15 from outlets including and . 

The programme was full of exciting panel sessions, including: healthier urban living, climate change and health and the exposome along with poster sessions and a keynote lecture from Sir Stephen Holgate.

Scientific meetings like this are an important part of research. After two very long years without conferences, in person meetings, and much reduced travel due to the COVID pandemic we wanted this conference to be an opportunity for ECRs and academics who are working on similar issues to come together and learn what each other are doing.

The day kicked off with the Healthier Urban Living panel where panellists looked at the role of the urban environment on overall wellbeing and explore the policies for reducing inequalities in urban settings. After a poster session we moved onto The Exposome panel session where panellists looked at the role of exposures such as noise, chemicals, toxins, water quality in the singular sense and discussed how these can work in combination to effect health and wellbeing. We then broke for lunch where attendees could look at the many ECR posters on display before coming into the auditorium for the Climate Change and Health panel session where panellists explored the challenges and impacts our warming planet has on health and wellbeing and discusses practical solutions. After lunch there was a talk from the universities Researcher Development Team where they outlined the support available to ECRs. The day was rounded off by a talk from Sir Stephen Holgate who is a leading expert on respiratory medicine and air pollution. He talked us through the ground-breaking and landmark case of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah where he was an expert witness. She was the first person in the UK, and possibly in the world, to have air pollution listed as the cause of death on their death certificate and he discussed the journey her family and air quality campaigners went on to achieve this listing.

Watch Stephen’s inspirational talk:

The ECR conference was a great example of how sharing ongoing research between the three faculties, can help to further diversify and gain insight into expertise and methods that might be readily available in one faculty but not another.

The range of topics and posters encouraged participants to leave their comfort zone of familiar questions and topics, and face the huge variety of research that is happening across campus on the environments effect on health. There were a number of poster prizes awarded on the day

• 1^st prize - Tadpong Tantipanjaporn for Review of heat-related illness symptoms and heat stress among crop farmers: defining research needs
• 2^nd prize - Iris Mair for Ecoimmunology as a holistic approach to investigate environmental drivers of immune variation
• 3^rd prize - Jessica Irving for The impacts of age, sex, group size and altitude on nematode faecal egg counts in unmanaged, semi-feral Carneddau ponies (Equus Ferus caballus)
• People’s choice - Charlotte Marris for Exposure to the air pollutant phenanthrene. disrupts calcium cycling, gene expression and electrical activity of human induced pluripotent stem cell derived - cardiomyocytes

The exchange of research at a conference like this is also an important part of the lifecycle of a scientist. Conferences greatly help to form professional networks and spark future research projects and this conference was specifically aimed at early career scientists to expose them to the different research happening across the university. Meeting with so many researchers at a similar career stage was another benefit of the conference, it allowed attendees to have informal chats about the same things people are going through.

At larger conferences ECRs can easily be overshadowed by more senior scientists but we wanted this event to feature ECRs in every aspect which is why every panel session featured an ECR and there was a dedicated ECR poster session. This conference gave more than 15 young scientists the opportunity to present and showcase their work in person.

We are hoping to run another ECR Conference on a different theme in early 2023 so watch this space!

Based on leading research and expertise on innovative and emerging technologies, experts are calling for sustainability to be at the forefront of humanity’s next phase of space exploration. In On Space, experts ask policymakers to consider space debris, satellite orbits and the investment needed to roll out sustainable space technology on Earth.

Many technologies used to counter climate change, including solar panels, started out as space-age innovations. Future innovations in space technology could be used to further reduce carbon emissions here on Earth.

Dr Aled Roberts explains one of the biggest challenges for off-world habitat construction is the transportation of building materials, which can cost upwards of £1m per brick. A solution could be that ‘local’ resources, such as Lunar or Martian soil, are used to make building materials. , researched at The University of Manchester, is a material is made from bio-based materials and the local planetary soil to make sturdy bricks that can be used to build space habitats.

On the use of this technology on Earth, Aled said: “Given that the construction sector accounts for 39% of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, any relatively green construction material technology developed for off-world habitats could be employed as a sustainable alternative on Earth.”

Researchers also stress the need to take care of space, particularly around the Earth’s orbit. Of the 23,000 objects regularly being tracked in orbit by radar, around 15% are active satellites, the rest is space debris.

As more commercial satellites are launched, such as SpaceX’s Starlink satellite cluster, the potential for space debris increases.

Dr Peter Roberts argues that one way to combat the problem of space debris is to coordinate International space policymakers to agree to for commercial operations to lessen humanity’s impact on the space environment. Higher level orbits should be reserved for science, crewed activities, and space exploration.

Professor Emma Bunce, President of the , said: “It is exciting to contemplate the future of the UK space sector, our use of space for the good of our planet, and its robotic and human exploration more widely. The ‘space age’ is still relatively young – just 60 years – but it is clear that our future and that of our planet will be reliant on space technology and the application of space-enabled data.”

As well as sustainability, On Space advocates for the use of advanced materials, such as graphene, in UK space technology, support for research and development into emerging space technologies in the UK and prioritising international collaborations in UK and international space policy.

On Space is available to read on .

The research published today in journal, , demonstrates that poaching combined with individual rhino’s reproductive variance, or how successful mums are at raising young, leads to a greater than first thought risk to the survival of the black rhino.

In the case of these rhino, reproductive variance increased extinction risk by as much as 70% when combined with poaching.

Within black rhino populations (and most likely in most animals), some individuals have more babies than others. This variation increases existing estimates of extinction risk, especially when there is poaching. This is because indiscriminate killing can lead to some of these important animals which contribute a greater number of offspring being removed.

Susanne Shultz, Professor of Evolutionary Ecology and conservation at The University of Manchester said: “Preventing population declines is a crucial step for stopping biodiversity loss. In this study, we identified how losing key rhinos can make small populations very vulnerable, which can help us design more effective conservation actions.”

“The new research is important because it shows that we may underestimate risk, or overestimate viability, if we do not recognise that some individuals contribute a lot more to the population and their loss will have a much bigger impact.”

Lead author on the work, Dr Nick Harvey Sky said: “This study shows that poaching has effects on rhinos beyond the death of targeted individuals. The deaths of healthy females that would have gone on to produce lots of calves can make whole populations more vulnerable to extinction.”

Estimating the extinction risk faced by different populations is vital for conservation. This can be affected by differences in breeding success between individual females (called reproductive skew), but reproductive skew is not often included in predictions of future population growth because it requires detailed individual breeding histories.

This information is available for the Critically Endangered eastern black rhino because of intensive monitoring to protect them from poaching. The University of Manchester has collaborated closely with Kenyan rhino managers, scientists and security teams who have meticulously recorded births and deaths for decades. Across three Kenyan populations of black rhinos on Lew Wildlife Conservancy, Ol Pejeta Conservancy and Ol Jogi Wildlife Conservancy, the researchers found that there is significant variation in breeding success between females, with many females not breeding or doing so very slowly.

Dr John Jackson, Post-doctoral researcher at the University of Oxford said: “For me, our study really highlights a deadly combination of small populations, individual differences, and poaching for vulnerable populations. When working in combination, these factors can completely reshape the fate of an endangered species.”

Crucially, variation in female breeding success can exacerbate the effects of poaching, especially on small populations. If key individuals, ones that breed very well, are killed then it can make the whole population more vulnerable to extinction. This highlights how important it is to protect rhinos from poaching. It may be possible to even out the variation in breeding success by creating new rhino reserves, moving rhinos between current reserves, or even creating more valuable habitat, but the causes of reproductive skew must first be identified. Differences between individuals in their contribution of young to at risk populations is likely an issue across many more species and should be evaluated when assessing their risk of extinction.

The ‘Great Science Share Clean Air Challenge’ is designed by the university’s Science & Engineering Education Research and Innovation Hub (SEERIH) to inspire 7-11 year olds to think and work as scientists during British Science Week (11-20 March).

Each school is partnered with a scientist from The University of Manchester or local industry, providing more than 3,000 pupils with access to first-hand expertise throughout their project.

‘Engaging directly with scientists and STEM visitors has been a real challenge over the pandemic, so it’s fabulous to have so many volunteers to support children in this way and share how science works in real life,’ says Dr Lynne Bianchi, SEERIH Director.

The children will use a simple investigation to observe and measure airborne particles in spaces around their school. A programme of professional development for the teachers as well as a £500 grant from the Royal Society supports the schools to engage fully and for the project to have legacy within the school. Groups will hang small sheets of laminated graph paper coated with sticky Vaseline around their school grounds and local area for a set time period, and then count the particles they collect.

Just as all good scientists do, they will make predictions about what they expect to find and test them against their results, as well as recording data and drawing conclusions.  They will share their findings through the Great Science Share for Schools 2022 – a national campaign that champions children’s scientific questioning.

SEERIH will continue to support the ongoing improvement of science in each school, encouraging teachers to apply for a Royal Society Partnership Grant to give further opportunity to work with science professionals and develop science enquiry across the school.

Shelley Kinman, Assistant Headteacher at St Mary’s R.C. Primary School in Swinton, Greater 91ֱ��, said: “We’re very eco-friendly at St Marys and the Clean Air Challenge seemed like a really good way of getting all the children involved in British Science Week.  It will be great to see how each year group works through the science investigation and also how they use and interpret the data they collate.

“The children are very aware of pollution and environmental issues, it’s everywhere they look, on the news, in the school newspapers and regularly discussed in their Geography lessons. By taking part and meeting with our link scientist, we want to build on their understanding and show how they can play a part as well.”

Professor Sir Jim Hough, Chair of the Royal Society’s Partnership Grants Committee, said: “This is a very interesting and exciting project and I look forward to seeing how schools’ investigations progress and what the next steps will be as the teachers develop longer term sustained research plans.

“It is crucial that the Royal Society support the development of experimental science skills in these young children. Working with partners, such as SEERIH, enables us to support schools across the UK and reach a wider and inclusive audience for our work.”

In a study published today in , researchers found that the distinctive pattern on the underside of the gargantuan leaves is the secret to the success of the giant Amazonian waterlily (genus Victoria).

The criss-cross framework makes up the vascular structure of the lily pad (or leaf), supporting its large surface area and keeping it afloat. The giant leaves can grow 40cm a day, reaching nearly 3m in diameter – ten times larger than any other species of waterlily – and carry the weight of a small child.

Dr Finn Box, Royal Society University Research Fellow, School of Physics and Astronomy at The University of Manchester explained: “Leaf size is usually restricted mechanically by the expense of maintenance. A larger surface area for photosynthesis uses more of the plant’s energy to maintain. The structure and load-bearing properties of the giant Amazonian waterlily give it a competitive edge: high strength at low cost.”

Dr Chris Thorogood, Deputy Director at the University of Oxford Botanic Garden said: “I used to marvel at this extraordinary plant on childhood trips to botanic gardens. I remember wondering how on earth does it grow this big.”

The researchers compared the high-sided giant Amazonian waterlily leaf which has thick veins to Nymphaea – a smaller relation with disc-like leaves and a less prominent vascular system. Using in-situ experiments and mathematical modelling, the team found that the giant Amazonian waterlily leaves had a greater rigidity for a given volume of plant matter.

“Their strength allows giant Amazonian waterlily leaves to occupy a huge surface for light capture despite their low biomass relative to other waterlilies. That’s the secret to their success.” said Dr Thorogood.

Away from the glasshouse pond and back in its natural habitat – the quick-drying ephemeral pools of the Amazon basin – the giant Amazonian waterlily evolved with an advantage in the race among plants for space and light.

Its giant leaves unfold quickly and cheaply, jostling for position on the surface of the water, to create a mosaic of lily pads that block the light to any plants beneath.

The leaf’s flexible framework can withstand elastic deformation to avoid damage from wading birds. Small holes on the surface drain trapped rainwater. Spikes on the undercarriage of the leaf push other plants out of the way as the leaf unfolds and defend against nibbling fish.

‘”he leaves are truly multi-purpose,’ said Dr Thorogood. ‘The plants are well adapted to the challenges of their habitat.”

Despite captivating artists, architects, and Green Planet audiences alike, until now, little was known about the secret behind the size and strength of the floating giants.

“Remarkable structures in nature can help us to unlock design challenges in engineering. The form of these waterlilies could inspire giant floating platforms, such as solar panels in the ocean. There’s a lot we can learn from leaves.” concluded Dr Thorogood.

Read the published findings in

The ECLIF3 study, involving , , German research centre , and SAF producer , marks the first time 100% SAF has been measured simultaneously on both engines of a commercial passenger aircraft – an Airbus A350 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines.

In-flight emissions tests and associated ground testing on the ECLIF3 programme began earlier this year and have recently resumed. The interdisciplinary team, which also includes researchers from the National Research Council of Canada and The University of Manchester, plans to publish its results in academic journals towards the end of next year and in 2023.

Findings from the study will support efforts currently underway at Airbus and Rolls-Royce to ensure the aviation sector is ready for the large-scale use of SAF as part of the wider initiative to decarbonise the industry. Aircraft are currently only allowed to operate on a 50% blend of SAF and conventional jet fuel, but both companies support the drive to certify 100% SAF use.

In April, the A350 flew three flights over the Mediterranean Sea pursued by a DLR Falcon chaser plane to compare in-flight emissions of both kerosene and Neste’s hydro-processed esters and fatty acids (HEFA) sustainable fuel. The team also carried out compliance tests using 100% SAF and no operational issues were experienced.

In-flight emission tests using 100% SAF and a HEFA/Jet A-1 fuel blend resumed this month, while ground-based emissions testing to quantify the benefits of SAF on local air quality were also performed. The research team found SAF releases fewer particulates than conventional kerosene at all tested engine operating conditions, which points to the potential for reduced climate impact and improvement in air quality around airports.

In addition, SAF has lower density but higher energy content per kilogram of fuel compared to conventional kerosene, which brings some aircraft fuel-efficiency advantages due to lower fuel burn and less fuel mass to board to achieve the same mission. Detailed analysis by the team is on-going.

“Engines and fuel systems can be tested on the ground but the only way to gather the full set of emissions data necessary for this programme to be successful is to fly an aircraft in real conditions,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Programme Manager at Airbus. “In-flight testing of the A350 offers the advantage of characterising direct and indirect engine emissions, including particulates from behind an aircraft at high altitude.”

Simon Burr, Rolls-Royce Director of Product Development and Technology, Civil Aerospace, said: “This research adds to tests we’ve already carried out on our engines both on the ground and in the air which have found no engineering obstacle to our engines running on 100% SAF. If we are to truly decarbonise long-haul air travel, then 100% SAF is a critical element and we are committed to supporting its certification for service.”

The DLR Falcon chaser aircraft is equipped with multiple probes to measure emissions at cruise level down to a distance of only 100 metres from the A350 and feed them into scientific instrumentation for analysis.

“SAF has been shown to have a significantly lower carbon footprint over its life cycle compared to conventional jet fuel and now we are seeing it is advantageous in reducing non-CO₂ effects too,” said Markus Fischer, DLR’s Divisional Board Member for Aeronautics. “Tests such as these are continuing to develop our understanding of 100% SAF, its use in flight and its potential positive effects on climate change. We look forward to studying the data from the second series of ECLIF3 flights, which restarted with a first chase flight above the Mediterranean earlier this month."

In 2015, DLR performed the ECLIF1 campaign, investigating alternative fuels with its Falcon and A320 ATRA research aircraft. These investigations continued in 2018 with the ECLIF2 campaign which saw the A320 ATRA flying with a mixture of standard jet fuel and up to 50% HEFA. This research showed the advantageous emission performance of fuel mixtures up to 50% SAF and paved the way for the 100% SAF test flights for ECLIF3.

In the run-up to the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has strongly criticised the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) for not doing enough to cut carbon emissions from the shipping sector. International shipping alone has emissions the size of Germany. But progress is very slow.

Current IMO targets see no emissions reductions for the sector before 2030, and would lead to shipping emitting more than double the emissions compatible with limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees.

The new research published in the journal, , concludes that significantly stronger short and longer-term targets need to be set for the sector to be compatible with the Paris Agreement’s goals: 34% reductions on 2008 emissions levels by 2030, and zero emissions before 2050, compared with the sector’s existing target of a 50% cut in CO2 by 2050. Crucially, strengthening the target by the IMO’s 2023 strategy revision date is imperative.

Professor Alice Larkin argues that the longer the delay in setting new targets, the steeper subsequent decarbonisation trajectories. “It has to be all hands on deck for international shipping now. Immediate action that focuses on operational change and retrofitting existing ships is needed to deliver major emissions reductions this decade, or shipping cannot deliver its fair part in meeting the Paris climate goals” she said.

“Delay beyond 2023 would mean the future transition for international shipping is too rapid to be feasible. Nations should state at COP26 that they will ensure shipping has Paris-compatible targets and policies for 2030 and 2050.”

At COP 26 this November, countries are being asked to bring more ambitious climate targets for 2030, called Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), to bring the world on track to limit global heating to 1.5 degrees.

The 91ֱ�� based researchers are calling on nations to push the IMO to make a clear statement during this COP26 year that shipping must have Paris compatible targets.

The results of this research state that this pressure needs to be translated into actual movement from the IMO with regard to their climate action. New targets, and policies to meet them, cannot wait.

The innovative device enables rooms to heat up quicker and minimises energy bills, reducing fuel poverty and the carbon footprint of UK homes.

Thermocill^TM is a discreet window board that directs air from a room’s radiator up and against the window panes creating a warm curtain in front of the glazing.

Researchers from the (MACE) at the University have supported development of a prototype and applied computer modelling to optimise, calculate and verify effectiveness of the unique green-tech.

Dr Amir Keshmiri, a Reader in Fluid Dynamics who led this project at MACE said: “Thermocill is an innovative concept based on the fundamentals of fluid mechanics and heat transfer and our results have demonstrated the effectiveness of this device in changing the flow in the room and the thermal comfort”.

Researchers from the Sustainable Materials Innovation Hub (SMI Hub) have also worked closely with the University to help investigate the suitability and sustainability of different materials for .

The Hub conducted an assessment of the suitability of different materials for manufacturing Thermocill, which included investigations of the mechanical and physical properties as well as recyclability and sustainability.

Other innovative materials will also be considered for future development of the product including hemp, the use of which is becoming more widely recognised for its potential to help fight climate change.

Professor Michael Shaver, SMI Hub Director and Professor of Polymer Chemistry at The University of Manchester said: “Households are huge sources of carbon emissions so it’s important that innovative solutions are developed to help reduce their impact. We are proud to advise the company on the sustainability of their plastic choices for both current and future products."

Award-winning entrepreneur and inventor of Thermocill, Keith Rimmer, said: “Both The University of Manchester and the SMI Hub have played a key role in helping to support the development of Thermocill, from the initial idea and concept through to real-world application. Finding a sustainable material to make the product from has always been a critically important element, to maximise the positive environmental impact of Thermocill.

“With the first major production run taking place soon we’re at an exciting stage in this journey and it’s very exciting that together, we’ve developed a product that will have a positive impact on energy efficiency and fuel poverty very soon.”

Performance of the product has also been verified by the t, with headline benefits including a 14 per cent reduction in the energy needed to heat up a room and a 150kg reduction in CO2 emissions per year for each household where Thermocill is installed.

A council in the North West has agreed to initially install Thermocill in 2,000 homes across their 22,000 properties, which will lead to 300 tonnes of CO2 emission savings and 16 tonnes of materials saved from going to landfills.

The research, recently published in journal , identified that a large number of flights over distances of less than 300 miles between city pairs with existing public transport connections are a key contributor of harmful emissions.

In the month before the significant conference which is putting the climate crisis at the forefront of world leaders’ agendas these findings present a clear opportunity to curb unnecessary pollution on the path toward Net Zero carbon targets.

Lead author of the research, Antonino Filippone, said: “Aviation authorities and airlines have an opportunity to review the frequency of these routes, to reduce emissions, optimise networks, reduce congestion and contribute positively to environmental sustainability.”

To create the data models the 91ֱ�� researchers used a rapidly expanding data broadcasting system to track worldwide air traffic. Air traffic data was then integrated with aircraft emission models to produce quantitative estimates of engine exhaust emissions of most aircraft types (fuel burn, CO₂, NO_x, CO, UHC, SO_x, non-volatile particulate matter).

These emissions can be aggregated by aircraft type, city pairs and routes, flight frequency, flight altitude. The team focussed on the estimation of environmental emissions across the European Continent by considering short-haul flights, or flights less than 300 miles (or 500 km).

Short flights between several city pairs were identified within the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Poland, that operated flights over flat terrain and distances below 200 miles. The most common routes in the data analysed included Copenhagen-Bromma (Stockholm), Gothenburg-Bromma (Sweden); Fiumicino (Rome)-Linate (Milan), Madrid-Oporto (Portugal) and a considerable number of domestic routes in Poland, for example Warsaw-Krakow. There are also flights such as, Brussels-Amsterdam (Schipol) where good non-air travel transport links exists and many short flights in central Europe.

The European traffic network was explored with geographical information and allowed the identification of extremely short flights that were operated across Europe before the COVID-19 pandemic virtually halted air traffic. These flight networks have been integrated with advanced simulation methods that estimate engine exhaust emissions from gate-to-gate. We demonstrate that the actual flight range is the biggest discriminator in aviation emissions. Therefore, we highlight the opportunity to re-evaluate the European network when a legitimate transport alternative exists.

The University of Manchester will have a key presence at COP26 and is just one example of how the University’s 600+ researchers in energy, climate change and sustainability are catalysing climate action. The impact of their ongoing work has been recognised in our number one Times Higher Education University Impact ranking.

COP26, which takes place in Glasgow between 1-12 November 2021, will bring together over 30,000 delegates from 197 countries to unite the world in tackling climate change. It comes at a crucial time, following last week’s UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report which showed that climate change is “widespread, rapid and intensifying”.

The paper, Evaluation of commuter airplane emissions: A European case study, is published in the journal, .

about climate questions and how The University of Manchester is creating innovative solutions to climate challenges.

A team of international experts, led by The University of Manchester, propose a series of strategies to halt the degradation of grasslands globally and promote their restoration to meet sustainable development goals.

The study highlights how the world’s grasslands - which cover about 40% of the Earth’s land surface and some 69% of the world’s agricultural land area - are under severe threat from on-going degradation. Yet grasslands are largely ignored in sustainable development agendas. The authors spell out how this poses a major threat to hundreds of millions of people around the world who rely on grasslands for food, fuel, fibre, medicinal products, as well as their multiple cultural values.

The team, which includes experts from major grassland regions of the world, propose a set of strategies to combat grassland degradation and promote restoration. These strategies include increasing recognition of grasslands in global policy, developing standardized indicators of degradation, using scientific innovation for effective restoration at regional and landscape scales, and enhancing knowledge transfer and data sharing on restoration experiences. They argue that implementing these strategies is even more urgent because of ongoing climate change, which is exacerbating the problem.

Lead author Professor Richard Bardgett of The University of Manchester, said: “Grassland degradation represents a major global challenge that must be addressed if we are to achieve key targets of biodiversity agendas, such as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets of the (CBD), and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, hunger and poverty alleviation, and climate change mitigation.”

Halting and reversing land degradation is one of the biggest challenges to meeting the targets set by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. “Combating degradation is a central to the (2021-2030)” said Bardgett. “Put simply, if grasslands are to be managed sustainably, then both global and regional policy must be revised to recognize the value of grasslands for multiple ecosystem services and establish targets for their protection, restoration and sustainable management.”

The authors propose a standardised approach for assessing grassland degradation and restoration based on shared understanding among stakeholders of potential trade-offs in ecosystem services in degraded and restored grasslands. They illustrate how their approach can be used in different situations, including agricultural grasslands in Europe and natural grasslands in arid and semi-arid regions of Eastern Africa, to identify restoration options that best deliver the needs of different stakeholder groups, including farmers or pastoralists, conservationists and tourists.

Dr Urs Schaffner of the Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International ( who specialises in solutions to woody plant invasion in grasslands in East Africa, said: “Whilst we demonstrate how our standardized approach can be applied using specific case studies, future research is needed to test this approach in different contexts and at local and larger scales.

“Research is also needed to better understand different societal perceptions of grasslands and the reasons why they have been neglected in sustainability policy, to develop and test promising new ways of assessing grassland degradation and restoration, and to harness ecological knowledge for restoration success.”

Professor James Bullock of the said: “In the UK and much of western Europe, much of our grassland is intensively farmed for livestock. This intensive grassland provides little in the way of environmental benefits. 

“Our few remaining species-rich grasslands support many rare animals and plants, as well as sequestering carbon and holding flood waters, but they are under threat from building schemes, intensive agriculture, pollution and even inappropriate tree-planting.”

As highlighted by Dr Giselda Durigan, one of the co-authors from Brazil, whose work seeks to improve the management, conservation and restoration of the Cerrado grasslands, “the study also demonstrates some trade-offs between ecosystem services, exemplified by the high risk posed by misguided tree planting in natural grasslands to sequester carbon at the expense of water provisioning and biodiversity."

The authors argue that giving due attention to grassland and the benefits they provide in sustainability policy should be ‘on a par’ with forests. They hope that their paper recommendations with help with grasslands getting fairer treatment at the upcoming COP15 conference of the Convention on Biodiversity, and guide future research and policy needs for halting grassland degradation and achieving restoration success.

Professor Bardgett said, “We hope that our study raises awareness of the plight of global grasslands and the need for urgent action to halt grassland degradation and enhance restoration success, thereby conserving the many benefits that grasslands provide.”

Paper:

Bardgett, R.D., Bullock. J.M., Lavorel, S, Manning, P., Schaffner, U., Ostle, N., Chomel, M., Durigan, G., Fry, E., Johnson, D., Lavallee, J., Le Provost, G., Lou, S., Png, K., Sankaran, M., Hou, X., Zhou, H., Li, M., Ren, W., Li, X., Ding, Y., Li, Y and Shi, H. (2021) . Nature Reviews Earth and Environment.

A full summary of the Tyndall Centre key recommendations is .

As an immediate response to this exploration, Massive Attack have designed 6 major emissions reduction modules for their 2022 tour, to trial implementation and carry out modelling on interactive practicalities, and to then bring all project learning together in a major UK testbed live show to proliferate change.

The band are also excited to be working with industrialist Dale Vince and to design bespoke partnerships with a wide variety of music arenas and venues – so we can create far greater renewable energy capacity for the UK grid, help train event staff to run and generate sustainable operations, and to introduce vegan food options in front and back of house set ups.

Robert del Naja (3D), Massive Attack said: “We’re grateful to Tyndall Centre analysts for providing our industry with a comprehensive, independent, scientifically produced formula to facilitate industry compatibility with the Paris/1.5 degrees climate targets – but what matters now is implementation. The major promotors simply must do more - it can’t be left to artists to continually make these public appeals. But our sector is operating in a government void. Nine weeks out of COP26, where is the industrial plan, or any plan at all, for the scale of transformation that’s required for the UK economy and society? 

"Fossil fuel companies seem to have no problem at all getting huge subsidies from government, but where is the plan for investment in clean battery technology, clean infrastructure or decarbonized food supply for a live music sector that generates £4.6 billion for the economy every year & employs more than 200k dedicated people? It simply doesn’t exist."

Massive Attack now plan to help contribute rapid answers to a range of questions posed by this report:

For indoor shows, which venues can provide “plug and play” options to remove the constant and unnecessary movement of touring production freight? How easily can venues switch their power supplies to genuinely renewable sources that materially increase new solar and wind capacity for the UK grid overall?

For the festival sector - facing the inevitability of increased environmental measures within the licensing framework and the urgent replacement of diesel power- what increased role can central and local government now play in the provision & viability of clean battery technology for festival events? Where can new local & national partnerships be built that plug events into the power grid and create localised supply chains, including catering, services and equipment?

And for both: how can we incentivise & enhance audience travel via rail; what role can smart to train ticket packages play? And ultimately for major events, who will be the first to embrace the use of individual chartered trains? Who are the partners to collaborate on the smart-routing tours, adapting transportation possibilities to the lowest carbon emitting option, and test electric freight options & the viability of rail freight networking?

Massive Attack are committed, with immediate effect, to working with all stakeholders who are focused on actioning these points.

Too often carbon reduction targets can seem overwhelming or unattainable, but we know from our own experience of band travel via rail (achieving an instant 31% reduction overall in the most carbon intensive band activity) and the availability, now, of biogas HGV technology that offers 90-95% GHG emissions reductions - that immediate action is possible. And our own discussions with renewable power providers and transport operators demonstrate more existing opportunities for positive change.

The band would also want to see these transitions carried out fairly and equitably, in order that smaller independent venues and festivals who have suffered so badly during the COVID 19 pandemic don’t suffer further – and are financially supported in their own adaptations, by both the government and the sector overall.

Professor Carly McLachlan (Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research) said: “We hope that this roadmap can help to catalyse change by outlining the scale of action required and how this maps across the different elements of a tour. To reduce emissions in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change, touring practices need to be reassembled differently as the industry emerges from the significant challenges that the pandemic has created.

"This starts from the very inception of a tour and requires the creativity and innovation of artists, managers, promoters, designers and agents to be unleashed to establish new ways of planning and delivering live music tours.” 

Dale Vince OBE said: "We're happy to be working with Massive Attack to facilitate rapid change in the live music world. Every section of society has to make positive changes, and gigs are no exception. The partnership we've designed will allow venues and arenas to create and contribute more renewable energy to the grid every time they switch on their lights, or power an amp. The staff training element can hard wire sustainability into every area of operations, and the vegan food option for back and front of house can make an immediate difference to our carbon impact.”

This is the call from academics and experts at The University of Manchester in a new publication, . The report is published today to coincide , which aims to bring together communities, businesses, schools and the health sector to improve public understanding of air pollution and build awareness of how air pollution affects our health.

Since the great smog of 1952 killed 4000 people in London, “We’ve known for a long time that air pollution is bad for our health and for the environment” says Mary Creagh in the foreword for the publication. Mary is the Chief Executive of Living Streets, the charity for everyday walking, and former Member of Parliament for Wakefield, and chair of the House of Commons Environmental Audit select Committee.

“Now research tells us about the harmful effects of exposure to particulate matter from tyres and stoves. Each time, knowledge has ultimately informed the policy and legislation needed to take appropriate action. This is why we welcome this timely publication.”

On Air Quality, published by Policy@91ֱ��, The University of Manchester’s policy engagement unit, is released ahead of the UK Government’s next-stage consideration of the which is due to be discussed at Committee Stage in the House of Lords on June 21. The bill is aimed at cleaning the country’s air, restoring natural habitats and increasing biodiversity, but is the bill in its current form enough?

Writing in On Air Quality Professor Hugh Coe says: “Addressing poor air is central to meeting many sustainable development goals and should be embedded in future urban planning and public healthcare policy.”

Currently the UK has an opportunity to lead on tackling a global problem. The Global Burden of Disease project estimated in 2017 that 3.4 million premature deaths globally could be attributed to outdoor air pollution and in 2019, 2.31 million global deaths could be attributed to household, or indoor air pollution.

“Whilst there are major challenges to be faced post-pandemic and post-Brexit, the UK would do well not to lose its leadership in solving global problems such as air pollution. Continuing to facilitate the co-development of partnerships to address the global air quality challenge through the development of regionally targeted solutions will convey numerous benefits to the UK.” Says Professor Coe.

The report also highlights the particular dangers to children’s health with an urgent need to review and improve the which has recently been linked to increasing cognitive health impairments including ADHD, depression and dementia.

In the new report Professor Martie Van Tongeren claims it is a critical time to prevent cognitive decline in children and prevent childhood neurodegenerative disease. “Pollutants can transfer to the bloodstream in the lungs and travel to other parts of the body including the brain or may travel directly to the brain from the nose through the olfactory nerve.

“The effects of air pollution exposure on brain health have been observed at different life stages. Children and the elderly face a considerably higher risk of neurological impacts resulting from air pollutants. There is an urgent need to review and increase the methods available to us for reducing air pollution exposure for the most vulnerable.”

The University of Manchester has previously pioneered a first of its kind ‘clean air for schools’ programme in Greater 91ֱ�� in 2019 to determine how varying levels of air quality affects school children.

“There are a range of interventions that can and must be made to protect children in their critical developmental years.” According to Professor Van Tongeren. “Local authorities and schools must work closely to minimise air pollution exposure, protecting the physical health and cognitive functioning of children and preventing significant impacts on society and the NHS from neurodegenerative diseases further down the line.”

There are many key areas which need greater scrutiny to create sensible polices and address the environment challenges of today and the future. On Air Quality highlights some of the key pressing topics ranging from improving localised air-quality, to a coordinated approach to tackling greenhouse emissions and air pollutants, to the negative impact pollution has on our economy.

Read On Air Quality .

According to Daniel Ripley from The University of Manchester, higher temperatures reduce freeze response times which the animals employ to avoid being eaten by predators.

The study by the ecophysiologist is funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and The University of Manchester’s Knowledge and Innovation hub for Environmental stability

It is published in the Journal of Conservation Physiology today (17 June).

If an embryo employs a freeze response, it stops moving so that predators - including large fish and other sharks - won’t detect them.

That explains why being able to elicit a freeze response is key to surviving predation during embryonic development – and the longer an embryo can freeze, the better chance it has of not being detected by predators.

In the lab Ripley compared the freeze response time of small spotted catshark embryos - which are 7 to 8cm long - at a water temperature of 15C and a water temperature of 20C.

The 5C temperature rise resulted in a 7-fold decrease in the time the animals froze following a predator simuli, mimicked by gently flicking the egg case

And that could have major consequences for embryonic sharks in a warming world. Being able to freeze is key to avoiding predators and if warming means infant sharks will not be able to freeze as long, it could reduce the number of sharks surviving to adulthood.

Around 45% of shark and ray species lay eggs which grow inside a mermaids purse, which can last for around a year before they hatch

The purses come in various colours, shapes and textures, depending on the species of shark.

Beachcombers often spot the empty shell cases on the beach, though the live egg cases often lie tangled up with sea weed in shallow waters and rockpools.

Daniel Ripley said: “This study has shown that many shark and ray species may reduce in number owing to increased predation as the oceans warm.

“It’s hard to say to say how exactly this will impact on the ocean ecosystem, but it’s fair to assume there will be a knock on effect; it’s a major problem which is likely to get worse.

“Many marine animals are cold blooded so rising sea temperatures have important consequences for them.”

He added: “It’s widely accepted that the worlds’ oceans are likely to warm in the next 100 years.

“And according to the US environmental protection agency, sea surface temperatures have been higher over the three previous decades than at any other time since 1880.

“So the impact of rising ocean temperatures could be catastrophic on species of egg-laying sharks and rays, such as the Brown banded bamboo shark or the Thornback ray.

“Shark embryos are already very vulnerable in their mermaids purses and our study suggests that one of their key survival strategies - freezing to hide from predators- may be significantly reduced by ocean warming.

“Some species are already threatened, and others, we simply don’t know enough about their numbers. But ocean warming may further harm their conservation and survival.”

“Ocean Warming Impairs the Predator Avoidance Behaviour of Elasmobranch Embryos” is published in the Journal of Conservation Physiology and an embargoed copy is available.

The video shows a freeze response in a living catshark embryo and was captured by Sara De Giorgio, one of the 3 undergraduate students working with Daniel Ripley.

This new study, from The University of Manchester’s and the (CAST), analysed publicly available policies of 66 UK universities to identify strategies related to long-distance business travel and catering. For each university, documents including Carbon Management Plans and Annual Reports, Travel Plans and Sustainable Food Policies were downloaded, catalogued and reviewed.

Long-distance business travel and catering (particularly meat-based meals) are substantial contributors to the carbon footprint of universities (and many other organisations), but are typically under-accounted for in carbon management planning. The collaborative research team set-out to understand the extent to which university plans and actions in these areas are commensurate with climate emergency declarations, and make recommendations to support setting sufficiently ambitious targets and actions.

The research, published today in , demonstrates that action on climate change in universities is extending beyond the familiar focus on energy related emissions to engage in more complex workplace practices, including long-distance business travel and catering. However, increasing sector-wide effort is unavoidable if universities are to fulfil their climate emergency declarations and align emissions reduction strategies with the UK Government’s net zero ambitions.

Lead author on the research paper, Presidential Research Fellow, Claire Hoolohan, The University of Manchester said: “Many universities omit, or only partially account for, business travel and food within their carbon management reporting. However, the importance of emissions in these areas is widely recognised and there is evidence of pioneer institutions setting targets and taking action to reduce emissions in these areas.

“Across the sector more action is required to reduce emissions. To support sector-wide action, this briefing note focusses on targets and actions that should be implemented to rapidly and substantially reduce emissions in these two areas, and contribute towards a low-carbon workplace culture.”

The UK’s Committee on Climate Change recognises aviation and agriculture as sectors where it is very challenging to reduce emissions. Mobility scholars have shown that aeromobility is deeply embedded in the institutional culture of Higher Education, with individual career progression and institutional standing linked to international mobility.

Similarly, for meat-eating, coordinated developments across production-consumption systems sustain meat-heavy diets, and this is no less true in workplace cafeterias and catering. Subsequently, reducing emissions requires the reconfiguration of professional practices and institutional policies to enable low-carbon transformation.

The research finds many universities planning to reduce emissions in these areas, but few have robust targets to support decarbonisation. Further it is action, not plans or targets, that reduce emissions and few universities have actions in place to reduce emissions across both areas. That said, there were examples of good practice in both areas, and future action could focus on the following:

Positive actions on flying and food for Universities:

• Review and define ‘essential travel’ to support staff in avoiding travel as much as possible.
• Maximise the number of engagements per trip, reduce the distance and frequency.
• Make train travel the default for journeys within a specified distance, with additional time and funding for long distance rail travel
• Focus on reducing trips of frequent fliers and recognise the differentiated travel needs of staff with children, care commitments and medical needs.
• Review University policies for contradictions that encourage flying
• Reduce meat, and replace with plant-based alternatives
• Make plant-based event catering the default to spark conversation and enable staff to try new meals.
• Experiment at sub-organisation level, then share learning and scale up

Professor Alice Larkin, Head of at The University of Manchester, said: “Higher education’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that rapid, deep and widespread changes are possible. The shifts in our academic activities that we've all experienced, as well as changes to how we've started to operate in new ways, present significant opportunities to establish alternative, more sustainable, practices.”

New research, funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, has demonstrated that vitally important microbial communities within Alpine soils are under threat as a direct result of increasing global temperatures caused by ongoing climate change. These belowground microbes critically support aboveground life because they recycle the key nutrients upon which all animals and plants depend, including humans. They also control how much carbon is stored safely in the soil, where it cannot cause further global warming.

In winter, Alpine soil microbes depend on snow to act as an insulating blanket, allowing them to continue to work throughout the cold alpine winter. However, it is estimated that the annual Alpine winter snowpack will begin melting over 100 days sooner than currently by the end of this century. Scientists from The University of Manchester, in collaboration with the University of Innsbruck, Helmholtz Zentrum München and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, demonstrate how this will affect soil microbes, and the critical functions they perform, by using in-the-field experiments and publishing their findings in .

For scientists, understanding how soil microbes respond to climate change and how this influences biogeochemical cycles, remains a major challenge. This is especially pertinent in Alpine regions where climate change is taking place at double the rate of the global average.

Dr Arthur Broadbent from The University of Manchester is a lead author on the new research paper, he said: “Our paper reveals alarming climate change impacts on soil microbial communities, and the biogeochemical cycles that they regulate in mountain ecosystems. Using a high-alpine experiment in the Austrian Alps, we discovered that spring snowmelt triggers an abrupt seasonal transition in soil microbial communities, which is closely linked to rapid shifts in carbon and nitrogen cycling.”

“Snowmelt is predicted to occur 50-130 days earlier in alpine regions due to climate change by the end of the century. Using experimental manipulations, we demonstrated that earlier snowmelt, of even just 10 days, leads to an earlier seasonal transition in microbial communities and biogeochemical cycling.”

As a consequence, winter ecosystem functioning will be reduced in seasonally snow-covered ecosystems under future climate change, which threatens carbon retention and plant productivity. This would negatively affect agricultural production and disrupt natural ecosystems. It will also alter annual carbon fluxes in these ecosystems with the potential to cause further climate warming.

Sustainable dietary advice recommends reducing the consumption of meat and an increase in consumption of locally sourced and in-season plant-based proteins, fruits and vegetables we eat. These small changes people can make to their diet are already known to benefit the environment, as well your health.

However, new research from The University of Manchester, in partnership with , and , published today (Friday 11 December 2020) in , found that food can also have a major effect on the environment due to the greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) produced through various methods of cooking.

from The University of Manchester, said: "A lot of people are thinking carefully about what type of food to eat, or how it's packaged or transported but, in terms of climate change, it is sometimes more important to consider how the food is cooked. 

“Our research showed that up to 60 per cent of the climate impact of foods can come from cooking - particularly for the most climate-friendly foods like vegetables, when baked in the oven. Whereas appliances like microwave ovens and pressure cookers are generally used for less time, and so use less energy and contribute much less to climate change."

Dr Christian Reynolds, a visiting researcher at the Institute of Sustainable Food and Senior Lecturer at the Centre for Food Policy, City University, said: “Estimates of food-related GHG emissions usually only consider the supply chain up to the retail and purchase stages, but our research has found that consumption can contribute up to around 60 per cent of the overall emissions for the complete life-cycle of specific foods. So reducing these processes can reduce the damage they do to the environment.”

As a traditional roast Christmas dinner is a valued tradition for many families around the world, this new research has found ways in which it could be made just a little more sustainable to indulge in those favourite festive foods, all whilst saving the planet:

Reduce your meat consumption

Christmas dinner is not cancelled just yet, but the production and consumption of one kilo of protein from meat products can cause more greenhouse gas emissions than a passenger flying from London to New York.

A kilogram of beef protein reared on a British hill farm can generate the equivalent of 643 kg of carbon dioxide, but a kilogram of lamb protein produced in the same place can generate even more at 749 kg, mostly due to their long oven-roasting cooking times.

Scientists don’t suggest throwing out the whole turkey, however, as the good news for traditionalists is that turkey creates less GHG emissions than other types of meat, so is still a better choice for Christmas dinner. Of course trying one of the many meat free alternatives now available has an even bigger impact.

Reduce your food waste

Is a whole turkey required? Maybe not for a small family, but one solution is to keep portion sizes small, with minimal left overs, and try not to be too ambitious with the number of dishes made as food waste also has a major impact on environmental damage.

One of the recommendations includes purchasing smaller mini-roasts or turkey crowns and split portions of dark and light meat as smaller roasts also cook faster, lowering the environmental impacts of roasting meat in an oven.

Reduce the time you spend cooking

It's not just the food, it's also how you cook it that affects GHG emissions, with ovens being the worst culprits of the kitchen, mostly due to the long cooking times and high-energy demands involved in roasting meat.

Reducing cooking time can help reduce GHG emissions. Part-cooking some foods in a microwave first can decrease the time required to cook food in the oven without substantially affecting the taste or texture. The research found that the impacts of cooking in a microwave, steaming and boiling are comparable for reheating, defrosting and preparing vegetables, fruits, eggs and fish; whilst preserving more of the water soluble vitamins and minerals.

There is also a way you could half the environmental impact of roasting a turkey on Christmas Day. ‘Sous vide’, which means “under vacuum” in French, involves placing the roast in a vacuumed plastic pouch or bag, and submerging it in a heated water bath for eight hours until the internal temperature of the joint is between 55°C (white meat) to 75°C (dark meat). The roast is then unwrapped and placed in a hot skillet to sear its surface., preserving the texture and flavour. 

Dr Reynolds’ added: “Our results underscore the importance of looking at the whole lifecycle of food when assessing the environmental impact of our supply chains, as consumption alone is such a significant contributor to the damage GHGs do to the environment.

“But for those not brave enough to try ‘boiling’ their turkey the fancy French way, investing in an electric pressure or slow cooker, both incredibly energy efficient ways to cook but still not widespread in the UK, can have a similar result and substantially reduce the environmental impact of more traditional cooking practices. 

“Just pop the roast in the slow cooker on its ‘low’ setting with some water and cook for eight hours. Best to start on Christmas Eve though so you don’t forget!”