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: .

Erratic weather is a major source of concern for ship owners installing modern sails to reduce carbon emissions. However, new research from The University of Manchester highlights operational strategies that can reduce shipping emissions by up to a quarter, strengthening confidence in sails as a decarbonisation tool.

It is estimated that the international shipping sector contributes to 2–3% of global carbon emissions annually and its target to cut carbon by 50% relative to 2008 levels by 2050 falls short of the cuts required in the Paris Climate Agreement, meaning the shipping sector requires urgent global action.

The research, published in the journal , calculated carbon emissions from more than 1000 ship departures setting sail from three main shipping routes. The results found that combining modern sail technology with efficient routing systems could provide greater assurances of carbon savings by using the technique that reduces uncertainty from unpredictable weather patterns.

Dr James Mason, previously a postdoctoral researcher and now a visiting academic at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research at The University of Manchester, said: “Current measures to reduce carbon emissions include fitting retrofit technologies, such as wind propulsion technology, where modern sails produce direct energy from the wind to reduce the power consumed by a ship's engine. Weather routing is also used as an efficient routing system to allow a ship to deviate from standard shipping routes to search for new routes with more favourable winds.

“Current academic methods assume a perfect foresight of future weather rather than accounting for unpredictable winds that are happening in real-time. This can detrimentally reduce the carbon savings from weather routing and could present a real challenge for the shipping sector when trying to meet its climate reduction goals.”

Dr Alejandro Gallego Schmid, a Senior Lecturer at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, added: “This research provides an insight into which routes are most sensitive to changing weather forecasts when using wind propulsion and assesses a strategy that could help to mitigate the detrimental impact that unpredictable weather conditions can have.”

The strategy mirrors existing routing methods in the sector by updating weather and wind every 12 hours to allow ships to adjust their routes based on the most accurate weather forecast available.

To test the strategy, the study simulated 1080 ship departures across eastbound and westbound journeys in the North Sea, South Atlantic Ocean and North Atlantic Ocean, which have voyage times of up to 12 days.

The research found that the method successfully reduced the uncertainty from unpredictable weather and showed that sails and efficient routing can provide annual carbon savings of up to 25%.

However, while the method reduces the uncertainty from unpredictable weather, it does not remove it entirely. Wind propulsion and efficient routing can provide maximum carbon savings of up to 29% in ideal conditions and weather uncertainty reduces these savings by 10-20%. Further research is needed to understand how ships can achieve these maximum savings in practice.

Reducing shipping emissions by up to a quarter by using wind propulsion with efficient routing could provide profound benefits to the sector. The research offers a clearer understanding of the potential carbon savings achievable through wind propulsion decarbonisation strategies, without which, objectives in the Paris Climate Agreement may become out of sight.

Microbial Molecular Mechanism of ISA Degradation (M3ISA) 

In this project will be 'hopping' from EES to the to work on radioactive waste management. Chemical hydrolysis of cellulose in radioactive wastes releases isosaccharinic acid (ISA), which is a harmful by-product – but bacterias exist that can degrade it. 

To explore this further the enzyme needs to be purified and the function of the genes identified, so Dr Bassil is going to use the discipline hop to collaborate with experts in molecular microbiology and biochemistry. This project will form a research hub connecting biological sciences, and EES, and bring collaborators from other disciplines to projects, who will bring new ideas and points of view. 

Spatio-temporal analysis of the immune system of wild mice 

In this project Dr Iris Mair is 'hopping' from the to the Department of Geography to look at the immune system of mice in their natural environment. 

Laboratory studies show that factors such as diet, age and condition influence immune responses, but it is not known how these factors combine to shape the immune system in an uncontrolled natural environment. 

These individual traits are tied to ecological variables such as seasonal changes, climate, habitat and local population density, so Dr Mair will collaborate with geographer and ecologist to use remote sensing and create spatio-temporal models to understand individual and population level variation in immune function, and for the prediction of responses to environmental change that will form the basis for potential future predictive models, allowing the simulation of a population's response to environmental change.

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 .

On 7 June 2021 MERI gathered over 60 participants from a range of backgrounds to hear about the restoration projects - in which it has played an active role - and to delve into the range of benefits that nature restoration can yield, from improving biodiversity to sequestering carbon, to benefiting local communities and economies.

The first half of the event focused on scale; tackling restoration locally, regionally, and internationally. Dr Joanne Tippett started the event by talking about her work developing a National Nature Reserve in Wigan, before Dr Emma Shuttleworth discussed her work on peatlands in the Peak District, and Professor Richard Bardgett talked through his work on soil restoration in Africa and Tibet.

Dr Joanna Tippett: Towards a post-industrial National Nature Reserve in Wigan

Dr Emma Shuttleworth: Restoring the peatlands of the Peak District

Professor Richard Bardgett: Harnessing ecological knowledge to restore degraded grasslands

The second half was a panel discussion on 'Restoration in Practice', with panellists taking a look at the restoration projects they have been involved in, and discussing the factors that make restoration projects successful.

Panellists included:

• John Sanders, Strategic Planning Director at Mersey Rivers Trust
• Dianna Kopansky, Coordinator of the Global Peatlands Initiative in the Biodiversity and Land Management Branch at UN Environment Programme
• Tim Thom, Peat Programme Manager at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust
• Dan Abrahams, Lead Adviser on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) at Natural England

Key messages from the discussion were:

Evidence - the right questions need to be asked and a strong knowledge base established before starting a restoration project. It is important to share when a project goes well, and, importantly, when it doesn't so that lessons can be learnt.

Co-creation - it is always preferable to design and introduce restoration projects with communities and local stakeholder involvement. Ecosystem restoration is about people, so they need to be on-board and taken with the project.

Engagement - We cannot do this on our own. Successful projects engage people, and their involvement needs to be part of the design from the outset. It is important for the community to feel a sense of ownership and that project information is conveyed in a common language.

The event, entitled 'Enabling the sustainable hydrogen economy', attracted more than 80 participants and featured speakers from the likes of Progressive Energy, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the National Physics Laboratory (NPL) and Cadent Gas.

Speakers shared their thoughts on the challenges and applications for hydrogen in decarbonising energy consumption, and you can view some of the presentations below:

Adam Baddeley, Head of Project Delivery at Progressive Energy

HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching Programme: An Update

Kate Jeffrey, Centre for Energy and Discovering Safety at the HSE

Hydrogen Safety Research

Gareth Hinds, NPL Fellow

Measurement Challenges for Hydrogen Infrastructure

Angela Needle, Director of Strategy at Cadent Gas

The Controversial Role of Hydrogen in Heating

ECRs were invited to discuss their water-related research, with themes including water security, irrigation and water infrastructure.

Held to coincide with (22 March), the online seminar was attended by more than 50 people, with Cecilia Alda Vidal, Tom Higginbottom and Ruohan Wu presenting their work.

Cecilia Alda Vidal

Cecilia is a PhD student in the Department of Geography. Her research is on gender relations and infrastructural labour at the water kiosks in Lilongwe, Malawi:

Tom Higginbottom

Tom, a postdoctoral research assistant in the Department of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering, asks 'why do African irrigation schemes fail?':

Ruohan Wu

Ruohan Wu is a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, and her research focuses on groundwater arsenic modelling in India:

A memorandum of understanding has today (March 30) been signed by the two organisations to kick start a major collaboration for the research and development of sustainable energy produced by fusion.

Fusion is a very attractive alternative energy source that, when commercialised, will generate electricity without greenhouse gases – with abundant fuel supplies around the world. The prospect of fusion energy generation becoming integrated in to the UK’s energy mix can offer secure, safe production for thousands of years to come.

Professor Francis Livens, Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at The University of Manchester said: “This new collaboration in fusion complements and builds on our long term strength in nuclear research, will allow us to build important new research and training activities in Tritium Science & Technology and Digitalisation, and extend our exciting collaboration with UKAEA.”

 Sustainable low-carbon energy is needed and fusion can help meet this demand. Fusion has now reached the point where significant investment is being made internationally to develop a commercially viable solution. Work so far has been closely integrated with the European Fusion program and in the development of ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) in France.

Martin O’Brien, Head of University Liaison at the UK Atomic Energy Authority, said: “Many universities already work with us on a wide range of research topics. We are excited that The University of Manchester will now expand greatly its work with us in two key areas where progress is needed to deliver a fusion power station.”

Fusion energy is an area of national and international priority and has been explicitly identified in Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution, and in the December 2020 Energy White Paper.

Through UKAEA, the UK Government has already committed £220 m over 4 years to develop the STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) concept with the aim of building a power station based on the STEP design by 2040. This is an area where new research is required to address some of the significant challenges in realising STEP and will continue to be a focus of external investment.

This new agreement between The University of Manchester and UKAEA will see a significant addition to the University’s Dalton Nuclear Institute’s research activity, expanding what is already the UK’s largest and most connected academic provider of research and development. Two new research groups will now be established, with six new high quality academic appointments.

The University of Manchester has set ambitious goals to be zero carbon by 2038 and will eliminate avoidable single-use plastics by 2022.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Developed in collaboration with graphene experts at The University of Manchester, the cushioned foam, called G-FLY™, features as part of inov-8’s new trail shoe, the TRAILFLY ULTRA G 300 MAX™, designed for ultramarathon and long-distance runners.

Tests have shown the foam delivers 25% greater energy return than standard EVA foams and is far more resistant to compressive wear. It therefore maintains optimum levels of underfoot bounce and comfort for much longer.

This helps runners maintain a faster speed over greater distances, aid their feet in feeling fresher for longer, and prolong the life of their footwear.

Michael Price, COO of Lake District-based inov-8, said: “In an industry where running shoe manufacturers seem hung up on underfoot carbon plates, we’ve delivered an innovative proposition. G-FLY cushioned foam not only gives runners incredible long-lasting energy return but an underfoot feel free of rigidity and full of agility.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard for the past two years with the university and leading footwear industry veteran Doug Sheridan in developing this innovation. A team of 40 athletes from across the world tested prototype shoes and more than 50 mixes of graphene-enhanced foam. Trail test reports show G-FLY foam still performing well after 1,200km – double the industry standard.”

The company first used graphene in 2018 when launching GRAPHENE-GRIP™ rubber on the outsoles of its running, hiking and fitness shoes. Sales of inov-8's footwear featuring the wonder-rubber have surged globally over the last three years and graphene-enhanced footwear now accounts for over 50% of sales.

Wayne Edy, who founded inov-8 in 2003, said: “We continue to carve our own trail, with innovation at the forefront of everything we do. It would be easy to follow others, but that is not in our DNA. Our revolutionary use of graphene, first in rubber and now in foam, proves that we dare to be different.”

Since graphene was first isolated at The University of Manchester in 2004, a team of more than 300 staff at the University has pioneered a and contributed to graphene-enhanced sports cars, medical devices, aerospace developments, improvements in infrastructure and sports footwear.

Dr Aravind Vijayaraghavan, Reader in Nanomaterials at the University, home to both the and , said: “As well as on the trail, we also tested extensively in the laboratory, including subjecting the foam to aggressive ageing tests that mimic extensive use. Despite being significantly aged, the G-FLY foam still delivered more energy return than some unaged foams.

“We are proud of G-FLY foam, the TRAILFLY ULTRA G 300 MAX and all we have achieved in our highly-successful partnership with inov-8. We look forward to the next phase and further expanding the use of graphene, a material that has limitless potential.”

The collaboration between The University of Manchester and inov-8 was made possible by funding provided by Innovate UK as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP).

The TRAILFLY ULTRA G 300 MAX is , before going on sale on 8 April.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

, German research centre , , SAF producer  and The University of Manchester, have teamed up to start the pioneering ‘Emission and Climate Impact of Alternative Fuels’ (ECLIF3) project looking into the effects of 100% SAF on aircraft emissions and performance.

Findings from the study - to be carried out on the ground and in the air using an Airbus A350-900 aircraft powered by Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines - 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.

Fuel-clearance engine tests, including a first flight to check operational compatibility of using 100% SAF with the aircraft’s systems, started at Airbus’ facilities in Toulouse, France, this week. These will be followed by the ground-breaking flight-emissions tests due to start in April and resuming in the Autumn, using DLR’s Falcon 20-E ‘chase plane’ to carry out measurements to investigate the emissions impact of using SAF. Meanwhile, further ground tests measuring particulate-matter emissions are set to indicate the environmental impact of SAF-use on airport operations.

The University of Manchester has been heavily involved in the development of the newly introduced regulations of non-volatile Particulate Matter (nvPM) from aircraft engines and has vast experience in measuring the currently unregulated volatile particulate emissions. Whilst the main focus of the work will be to determine the impacts of SAF on the regulated nvPM, the University will look to measure and understand the impacts of SAF on the volatile fraction. This is a key area of research as aviation regulators are examining whether the volatile PM should be subject to regulation.

Dr Paul Williams, Senior Research Fellow, The University in 91ֱ�� is working on the ground-based emissions study as part of the project: “This is an exciting opportunity to get a glimpse of the future emissions from aviation. SAF is going to be an important component of the aviator sector in the future, and being involved in ECLIF3 allows the University to assess the impacts, and hopefully the benefits.” he said.

Both the flight and the ground tests will compare emissions from the use of 100% SAF produced with HEFA (hydroprocessed esters and fatty acids) technology against those from fossil kerosene and low-sulphur fossil kerosene.

The SAF will be provided by Neste, a leading worldwide supplier of sustainable aviation fuel. Additional measurement and analysis for the characterisation of the particulate-matter emissions during the ground testing will be delivered by the UK’s University of Manchester and the National Research Council of Canada.

“SAF is a vital part of Airbus' ambition to decarbonise the aviation industry and we are working closely with a number of partners to ensure a sustainable future for air travel,” said Steven Le Moing, New Energy Programme Manager, Airbus. “Aircraft can currently only operate using a maximum 50% blend of SAF and fossil kerosene; this exciting collaboration will not only provide insight into how gas-turbine engines function using 100% SAF with a view to certification, but identify the potential emissions reductions and environmental benefits of using such fuels in flight on a commercial aircraft too."

Dr Patrick Le Clercq, ECLIF Project Manager at DLR, said: “By investigating 100% SAF, we are taking our research on fuel design and aviation climate impact to a new level. In previous research campaigns, we were already able to demonstrate the soot-reduction potential of between 30 and 50% blends of alternative fuels, and we hope this new campaign will show that this potential is now even greater.

“DLR has already conducted extensive research on analytics and modelling as well as performing ground and flight tests using alternative fuels with the Airbus A320 ATRA research aircraft in 2015 and in 2018 together with NASA.”

Simon Burr, Director Product Development and Technology, Rolls-Royce Civil Aerospace, added: “In our post-COVID-19 world, people will want to connect again but do so sustainably. For long-distance travel, we know this will involve the use of gas turbines for decades to come. SAF is essential to the decarbonisation of that travel and we actively support the ramp-up of its availability to the aviation industry. This research is essential to support our commitment to understanding and enabling the use of 100% SAF as a low-emissions solution.”

Jonathan Wood, Neste’s Vice President Europe, Renewable Aviation, added: “We’re delighted to contribute to this project to measure the extensive benefits of SAF compared with fossil jet fuel and provide the data to support the use of SAF at higher concentrations than 50%. Independently verified analysis has shown 100% Neste MY Sustainable Aviation Fuel delivering up to 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil jet fuel use when all life-cycle emissions are taken into account; this study will clarify the additional benefits from the use of SAF."

Energy is one of The University of Manchester’s research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

The programme, launching this July, will be open to IIT and IISc graduates from India during its initial phase. Successful candidates will be required to enrol at both institutions spending the first year at IIT Kharagpur with the remaining time on the programme split between The University of Manchester and IIT Kharagpur according to the project requirements as determined by the supervisors and the Joint Programme Board.

Both institutions will be responsible for making their own award but the two components would form a single research experience managed cooperatively by both institutions. The successful doctoral candidates will receive parchments from both Institutions - each prominently mentioning the joint nature of the work and the partner institute’s name.

While IIT Kharagpur has already established similar programmes with universities in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, this is the first time such a joint programme has been set up with a British university.

Professor Baidurya Bhattacharya, Former Dean International Relations at IIT Kharagpur who was instrumental in setting up this programme remarked: “This Dual Award PhD is a unique partnership made possible by the trust and respect we have developed over the years for each other's research quality and academic standards. Starting from defining the doctoral project, selection and admission of the student, to supervision, thesis work and evaluation, and finally award of the degree, everything is jointly administered. I believe this programme will provide the template for equal partnership between IITs and top British universities in the future.”

As a core component of its international strategy, The University of Manchester is entering into a small number of dual award PhD programmes with prestigious partner institutions around the world.

Professor Stephen Flint, Associate Vice-President International, The University of Manchester, said: “The dual PhD with IIT Kharagpur is testament to the University’s strategic ambitions to build world-class research links with India and to encourage more student mobility between the two regions.” He further added, “The University of Manchester established research partnerships with IIT Kharagpur some years ago and this dual award PhD programme is the next step in deepening our relationship, with academic colleagues in both institutions sharing supervision of the PhD students, who will spend 2 years in 91ֱ�� and 2 years in Kharagpur."

Faculty members from the two institutions will jointly define projects which are approved by a Joint Progamme Board. As per the umbrella MoU signed in 2017, some of the areas for potential joint projects include Biomedical Informatics, Advanced Materials, Smart Textiles, and Earth-Environment-Water Sciences. Several potential collaborations between faculty members of both institutions have already been identified with encouragement of the development of further collaborations. Under this programme, full and partial funding will be available on a competitive basis for four years for a select number of suitably qualified and progressing students.

The Society has been a long-standing ambassador of the Great Science Share for Schools, and its mission to champion the importance of science in schools and our everyday lives. This partnership will help expand the scheme to more schools, dig deeper into pupils’ questions and cement the Great Science Share for Schools in the education calendar.

Each year, the award-winning campaign encourages 5-14-year olds to share their scientific questions and investigations - from “how can we reduce plastic pollution?” to “can we stop bubbles popping?”. By championing curiosity and collaboration, the Great Science Share for Schools aims to raise the profile of science in schools and at home. Since its inception, the campaign has reached over 200,000 young people nationally and internationally, with activities in 14 countries last year and this year promises to be bigger than ever.

The Great Science Share for Schools also invites leading scientists to answer questions about what attracted them to a career in science, engineering and other STEM disciplines and the questions that inspire them. This year, Professor Brian Cox, Royal Society Professor of Public Engagement, The University of Manchester will host a special event on 15 June 2021 which will answer pupils’ questions about climate change and the natural world. There will also be video updates from schools taking part in the Royal Society Tomorrow’s Climate Scientists programme, who have been leading their own investigations into their local environment in partnership with local researchers.

Dr Lynne Bianchi, Great Science Share for Schools Director, The University of Manchester, said: “This partnership with the Royal Society is an exciting opportunity to engage more young people in sharing their own scientific questions. The timing is perfect as together we promote why science is so important in our lives, and celebrate the scientific curiosity and communication of primary and secondary pupils across the UK. We can’t wait to see the difference we can make together in 2021.”

Professor Cox, said: “Partnering with the Great Science Share for Schools will inspire young scientists by celebrating working together to tackle our scientific questions. The people behind history’s biggest breakthroughs didn’t do it alone; they shared ideas, learned from and collaborated with scientists around the world. Science has always been, and will always be, a collaborative endeavour. This is even more true today if we are to address big challenges like tackling climate change, visiting new planets or, equally importantly, simply following our curiosity and generating new knowledge. Through schemes like its Partnership Grants, the Society already helps bring together schools and scientists to let pupils investigate the questions that matter to them. Partnering up is a brilliant way to extend these opportunities even further”.

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.

Perovskite solar cells have attracted interest because, unlike silicon solar cells, they can be mass produced through roll-to-roll processing. Additionally, they are light and colourful, with the versatility to be used in non-traditional settings such as windows and contoured roofs. However, up until now, application has been impacted by potential environmental risks. Perovskite solar cells contain lead, a cumulative toxin, and if the cells get damaged, lead ions may leak.

Taking lessons from nature, Professor Brian Saunders and Dr David Lewis have devised a way to eliminate the lead release from broken cells. Using a bioinspired mineral called hydroxyapatite, a major constituent of human bone, they have created a ‘failsafe’ which captures the lead ions in an inorganic matrix. As a result, if cells are damaged, toxins are stored in an inert mineral, rather than released in the environment.

In a dual success, The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council ()-funded project found that through the addition of hydroxyapatite, the efficiency of perovskite solar cell increased to around 21%. This compares to around 18% efficiency for control cells with no added hydroxyapatite. An increased efficiency in panels means more energy can be generated and at a lower cost.

The research team hope that the cells will bring forward the large-scale application of perovskite solar cell technology. Professor Brian Saunders, Professor of Polymer and Colloid Chemistry at the , The University of Manchester, said: “Up until now, the substantial lead component in perovskite solar cells has been a potential environmental concern. If the solar cells are damaged, for example by hail, the ions may leak.

“By creating an in-device fail-safe system, we have devised a way to contain toxic ions in damaged perovskite cells. Through increasing the inherent safety of perovskite solar cells, we hope our research will provide a helping hand to the wider deployment of solar technology as we strive to achieve net zero CO₂ emissions.”

Dr David Lewis, Deputy Head of Department and Reader in Materials Chemistry, added, “We embarked on this research as we were committed to eliminating an environmental risk. That commitment has resulted in increasing both the sustainability and the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. We hope these dual outcomes will increase the viability for homes and businesses, worldwide, to host and use solar technology.”

The research was reported in: ‘Bioinspired scaffolds that sequester lead ions in physically damaged high efficiency perovskite solar cells’ in .

is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest challenges facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Large-scale irrigation infrastructure projects are back on the development agenda in sub-Saharan Africa after a near 30-year hiatus, despite projects having had disappointing results, with social and environmental side effects outweighing benefits. Such projects are planned in response to water scarcity pressures and are seen as a solution to intensify agricultural production, support rural economic development and enhance resilience to climate change.

New Research, published in ,  from a University of Manchester-led consortium quantified the performance of 79 African irrigation schemes. They did this by comparing planning documents to satellite-derived land cover maps to give the percentage of irrigation delivered and those that had stopped working. The found schemes are consistently underperforming and there have been no trends in project delivery success between 1948 and 2008.

The schemes delivered a median of 16% of the proposed area. 16 out of 79 were completely broken. 20 schemes delivered over 80% of the proposed area.

The University of Manchester led team argues that it is the political and management frameworks underpinning African irrigation development leading to the underperformance. The financial viability of schemes are limited by low value crops that are promoted for increased grain production and national food security. Secondly, proposals are unrealistic to start with: planning is afflicted with optimism bias and political requirements for on-paper profitable projects. And finally, schemes are managed by centralised bureaucracies, lacking technical expertise, local knowledge or financial resources to ensure long-term maintenance.

First author of the new research, Postdoctoral research associate at The University of Manchester, Tom Higginbottom said: "Irrigation schemes have been constructed in sub-Saharan Africa for nearly 100 years, our research shows planners have consistently over-promised how much land can be developed and failed to achieve this. Future plans should be mindful of issues faced by previous schemes to avoid repeating the same mistakes."

“Our findings show that irrigation schemes are consistently smaller than planned and have non-trivial rates of complete failure, with no noted improvements over 60 years of development. These findings are consistent with evidence on outcomes from wider infrastructure mega-projects, which are often associated with large cost overruns and poor delivery compared to initial plans.” said Roshan Adhikari, The University of Manchester

This research was supported by The University of Manchester’s flagship £8M Global Challenge Research Fund project ‘F’

FutureDAMS CEO Professor David Hulme of The University of Manchester’s , says: “One aim of The University of Manchester’s FutureDAMS research project is to improve the planning and governance of water-energy-food-environment systems. We are delighted to produce this analysis which could assist in more sustainable development of Africa’s natural resources.”

A quarter of all known species live in the soil. Life above ground depends on the soil and its countless inhabitants. Yet, global strategies to protect biodiversity have so far paid little attention to this habitat.

In the journal , an international team of researchers, including scientists from The University of Manchester, calls for greater consideration of soils in the renegotiation of international biodiversity strategies. Their relevance must be recognised far beyond agriculture. In order to make the status and performance of soils more visible, the researchers explain their plan for systematic recording based on common global standards.

If asked which group of animals was the most common on earth, hardly anyone would come up with the right answer. Not ants, not fish, not even humans - it is the nematodes, also called threadworms. Four out of five animals on earth belong to this group. The reason that hardly anyone knows them is that they live below the ground, staying invisible for most of us. Quietly and unnoticed, they perform vital services for the world above them every day - together with thousands of other soil organisms.

Soil is the most diverse habitat of all. Up to 1.5 kilograms of living organisms live beneath one square metre of healthy soil: threadworms, earthworms, springtails, mites, insect larvae, etc. In addition, there are myriads of microorganisms: Bacteria, protists, fungi, and many more. By eating living and dead animal and plant material, they transform it into nutrients – and without these nutrients, new life could not evolve. Without soil organisms, no plants could grow, no people could live.

Scientist now state it is astonishing that soils have so far hardly played a role in international strategies aimed at protecting biodiversity. For the authors of the new Science article, this is a major problem: "If we do not protect soils for future generations", they write, "above-ground biodiversity and food production cannot be guaranteed either". The appeal goes to the 196 states that are negotiating a new strategy for the protection of biodiversity within the framework of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

It is high time to do so: our soils are getting less and less healthy. Professor Richard Bardgett from The University of Manchester, who contributed to the research and a recent on the State of Knowledge of Soil Biodiversity, said: “Soils are confronted with a battery of pressures, including intensive cultivation, heavy use of fertilisers and pesticides, pollution from contaminants, and sealing by buildings, pavements and roads, which effectively ceases the functioning of healthy soil. On top of this, climate change is putting soils under additional pressure, exacerbating their degradation.”

The Heinrich Böll Foundation, around 24 billion tonnes of fertile soil are lost worldwide every year. As a result, a wide range of services provided by soils, such as the provision of clean water or protection against plant diseases, can no longer be guaranteed. In addition, soils are the most important carbon reservoir on earth and thus help to slow down global climate change.

According to the researchers, these services are given far too little attention in the political debate. "Up to now, soil conservation has been mostly reduced to the impacts related to soil erosion and its importance for agriculture", said lead author Dr Carlos Guerra of the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) and Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU). "It's about time that soil conservation policies consider the protection of soil organisms and ecosystem functions more than just for food production and other productive systems. Soil biodiversity monitoring and conservation can support the achievement and tracking of many sustainability goals, targeting areas such as climate, food and biodiversity protection."

In order to be able to decide which regions of the world are particularly in need of protection, and which protective measures are appropriate, sufficient information must be available on the status and trends of biodiversity in soils. Since this has not been the case so far, the researchers launched the SoilBON monitoring network.

Professor Richard Bardgett, a partner of SoilBON, said "A major goal of SoilBON is to put soil biodiversity into the focus of policy, both for maintaining and building soil health, but also for biodiversity conservation, which has so far mainly focussed on above ground biodiversity.”

To do this, we must provide policymakers with the necessary information to support decision-making", said senior author Prof Nico Eisenhauer, research group leader at iDiv and Leipzig University. "SoilBON will produce and support the production of the relevant data to achieve this goal."

According to the researchers, the proposed monitoring and indicator framework enables the efficient recording and long-term tracking of the global state of soils and its functions. They emphasise that it can also serve as an important early warning system: with its help, it can be recognised at an early stage whether ongoing measures can achieve the policy targets that have been set.

Researchers will look at healthy eating interventions in schools and nurseries, food retailing, food procurement and farming to address issues such as childhood obesity, sustainability in agriculture and global warming.

The five-year research programme called 'Transformations to Regenerative Food Systems (TReFS) will also look at how regenerative farming - which promotes biosystems health – can help achieve both healthier populations and environment in the future.

Prof Sarah Bridle from the University of Manchester is leading the data science component of this project. “Food contributes a quarter of all climate change, and rising - at the same time, food is likely to be seriously affected by the changing climate - and we have rising health problems associated with our food choices.” she said.

“So there's a huge problem! I think it’s fantastic that the UK is investing in finding solutions - its particularly important that these funds encourage collaboration across the sciences, including social scientists and experts in business models.

“I'm really excited to be bringing my data science background to work in a fantastic interdisciplinary team - with the aim of transforming to a regenerative food system - not just reducing damage but making the world a better place.”

The research projects will involve 91ֱ��, York, Leeds, Oxford, City and Cranfield Universities and 21 partner organisations.

Professor Bob Doherty from The York Management School said: “This research programme will bring together expertise from partners who are committed to shifting our food system to one which prioritises dietary health in young people, and builds a more diversified hybrid food economy which sources produce from farmers that promote increased soil health, carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

The project is part of a larger £24 million programme which will also focus on research including hydroponics, where plants are grown without soil. Researchers will also look at how transforming food systems in communities encountering multiple health and environmental inequalities can improve lives.

Professor Guy Poppy, Programme Director of the Transforming the UK Food System SPF Programme said: “Never before has the role that the food system plays in both environmental and human health been so centre-stage. Major issues facing humanity such as addressing climate change and building back better post-Covid will be essential in improving health and wellbeing.

“Every single person in the UK will benefit from this research and we will ensure that the best evidence is generated to answer and offer solutions to the questions which matter and the decisions which need to be made in Transforming the UK food system.”

Four projects have been funded by the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF).

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!”

Around the world, 1.6 billion people live within 5km of a forest, and millions rely on them for their livelihoods, especially in poorer countries. They are also home to much of the world’s biodiversity, and regulate key aspects of the carbon cycle. In short, forests are vital in global and national efforts to combat climate change and biodiversity loss, and eradicate hunger and poverty.

Despite their importance, research on forests and livelihoods to date has mainly focused on understanding local household and community-level dynamics - identifying the links between human and natural systems at the regional and global scales is critical for future policy and action.

The five trends revealed by the research are:

1. Forest megadisturbances

Droughts and excessive precipitation are increasing forests’ susceptibility to diseases and human-induced wildfires and floods - this is leading to defoliation, tree mortality and declines in forest productivity at unprecedented scales, and there is increasing evidence that forest disturbance can result in the emergence of diseases with the ability to spread globally.

Policy responses to these disturbances will require balancing a range of mitigation and adaptation efforts - whilst opportunities and challenges are likely to arise from efforts to align forest conservation and restoration with other sustainability priorities, such as poverty alleviation.

2. Changing rural demographics

Increased migration to urban areas is causing an unprecedented exodus among forest-reliant communities. The effects of these demographic shifts, including forest resurgence on formerly agricultural lands and participation in decision-making, are not well understood. 

Populations shifts could result in opportunities for effective forest conservation, whilst on the other hand could lead to deforestation as greater urban demand and large industrial projects are created.

3. The rise of the middle class

By 2030 the middle class in low and middle income countries will grow to almost 5 billion people - around 50% of the global population. The growth in demand that this creates will increase pressure on land and other resources.

Growing consumption and demand of commodities has already seen large scale corporate-led land acquisitions for industrial production of cattle, soy and palm oil in Latin America, Africa and Southeast Asia. Between 2001-2015, 27% of forest disturbance was attributed to commodity-driven deforestation. Further growth in demand and a continuing culture of consumerism will alter local and global consumption patterns, with potentially severe effects on deforestation rates, emissions, wildlife populations, ecosystem services and rural communities.

4. Use of digital technologies

Access to digital communication technology has grown exponentially in recent years, with a sevenfold increase in internet and mobile cellular use since 2000. The majority of this growth has come outside industrialised countries, and is likely to have a transformational impact on the forest sector. Technologies that collect and disseminate data are increasingly accurate and easy-to-use, including land mapping tools, real-time satellite data and crowd-sourced data.

Although they can be accessed by those involved in illicit activity such as logging and mining, these technologies also provide opportunities. Increasingly available data can benefit a wide range of forest sector stakeholders including policymakers, oversight bodies, non-governmental actors, managers and local communities. New technologies are already supporting the surveillance and certification of global production networks, which is aiding regulatory control of forest-based products and people threatening forests.

5. Infrastructure development

Large scale infrastructure projects such as China’s Belt and Road initiative are likely to have transformational impacts on forests and rural communities. To accommodate demand for energy, natural resources and transport, many countries have planned ambitious infrastructure growth.

By 2050, there is expected to be at least 25 million km of new roads globally to help facilitate commodity flow between transport hubs; governments in the Amazon basin alone are developing 246 new hydroelectric dams; and illegal mining activities are expanding rapidly across the globe. These can lead to forest loss, displaces people, disrupts livelihoods and provokes social conflicts as communities lose access to land and resources.

These five megatrends are creating new agricultural and urban frontiers, changing landscapes, opening spaces for conservation and facilitating an unprecedented development of monitoring platforms that can be used by local communities, civil society organisations, governments and international donors. Understanding these larger-scale dynamics is key to support not only the critical role of forests in meeting livelihood aspirations locally, but also a range of other sustainability challenges globally.

“The trends we identify are important, because they represent human and environmental processes that are exceptionally large in geographical extent and magnitude, and are difficult to reverse,” Oldekop says. “Developing a new research agenda that is able to better understand these trends and identify levers of change will require novel ways of combining new and existing data sources, the strengthening of existing collaborations between researchers, local communities and policymakers, as well as the development of new types of partnerships with public and private stakeholders.”

“The assembled expert panel is unique as it brings together a range of subject expertise, region-specific knowledge, as well as academic, governmental and non-governmental institutions, including international donor organizations,” adds Laura Vang Rasmussen, an assistant professor in the Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management at the University of Copenhagen, and one of the lead authors of the report.

The report can be accessed at .

The announcement follows the award of funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) to establish a Network+ to underpin the UK government’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund.

The foundation industries – which span the glass, ceramics, metals, paper, cement and bulk chemicals sectors – are worth £52 billion to the UK’s economy, produce 28 million tonnes of materials per year and accounts for 10 per cent of the UK’s total CO₂ emissions.

In line with the there is a need to reduce carbon emissions to 80 per cent below the levels that were seen in 1990 by 2050 – while the stress on global supply chains in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis has further demonstrated the importance of re-use and recycling in the manufacturing sector.

It is paramount therefore, for the UK’s foundation industries to innovate in order to remain internationally competitive.

The Network+ in Transforming the Foundation Industries consortium – which is led by the University of Sheffield, in collaboration with the Universities of Leeds, Swansea and 91ֱ�� – will coordinate a unified UK-wide approach to tackle these challenges by bringing together expertise and best practice in the fields of materials, engineering, bulk chemicals, manufacturing, physical sciences, informatics, economics, circular economy and the arts and humanities.

Professor Bill Sampson of at The University of Manchester, said: “The Network+ will catalyse engagement not just between academics and industry, but crucially it provides a platform for that engagement to span the sectors of the foundation industries, building a community to meet the challenges of truly sustainable high volume materials manufacture.”

Furthermore, the Network+ will underpin the to establish a unified identity, a community focused on interdisciplinary science and promote cross-sectoral solutions

The Network+ will grow by catalysing interactions across academic, industrial, regulatory and policymaking stakeholders to co-create novel solutions that transform and reinvigorate these sectors. In addition to workshops, knowledge transfer, outreach and dissemination, the network will test concepts and guide the development of innovative outcomes by issuing calls for projects totalling £1.4 million to the wider academic community.

Professor Ian Reaney from the University of Sheffield’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering and Director of the Network+, said: “An economy is only as sustainable as the materials it is built on. The environmental, social and economic impact of industrial processing and manufacturing can be substantial, and yet positive changes to these practices can be simple and effective if applied across a sector. Our goal with the Network+ in Transforming the Foundation Industries is to help the UK stay at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing.”

Chris McDonald, CEO of the Materials Processing Institute and Chair of the Network+ Independent Advisory Panel, commented: “As chair of the Independent Advisory Panel for the Network+ in Transforming the Foundation Industries, I am keen to work alongside the management team to help create a sense of identity and community in the foundation industries to promote our mutual goal of achieving sustainable long-term manufacturing in the United Kingdom.”

Professor Susan Bernal Lopez of the School of Civil Engineering at the University of Leeds, and Deputy Director of the Network+, added: “Times of crisis, while deeply unsettling, also open the opportunity to reflect and identify strategies to enable our industries and society to do better, and to be better. Foundation industries have historically played a key role underpinning every aspect of our daily lives, while constantly adjusting to the changes of time and needs, driving unique innovation.

"This Network + has the ambitious goal to bring together multidisciplinary stakeholders to identify holistic pathways enabling transformation of these industries in response to the unique challenges of our time.”

Advanced materials

is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

From next year 100% of our electricity consumption will be backed with REGO (‘Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin’) certification. This means that for every megawatt (or 1,000kWh) of electricity the university consumes, the equivalent volume of electricity is generated from renewable sources.

Our University Academic Lead for Carbon, Professor Carly McLachlan, said: “This is an important step as we move towards sustainable energy consumption, but it is only the start. We will also agree a ‘Power Purchase Agreement’ (PPA) with a renewables generator to create additional volume equal to the University’s electricity requirement and, over the longer term, remove gas fossil fuels from our energy systems. These actions will form part of our wider plan in Our Future to completely decarbonise our campus, significantly reduce our energy demand and identify a range of zero carbon energy supply options to deploy.”

To put our electricity use into context, the average family home consumes around 3,200kWh per annum. Due to the research-intensive nature of our activities, we are considered a high-energy user with an annual electricity consumption of around 100,000,000 (100M) kWh – the equivalent of around 31,000 family homes. We will therefore effectively be decarbonising the equivalent of an area the size of Stretford in Greater 91ֱ��.

We are currently finalising the contracts on behalf of the University and work will commence in 2021 to agree the Power Purchase Agreement implementation timeline with a new supplier. We'll publish further updates as this work progresses.

Newly published research from The University of Manchester shows that some ships in the open ocean were emitting large amounts of sulphates from traces of sulphur in the fuel, with a strong potential to alter clouds’ behaviour and pollute coastal areas. When results were compared with ships measured in the English Channel (where emissions are controlled through regulation), the amounts of particulates were very significantly reduced compared to the open ocean.

The main concerns are particulates, made of a mixture of soot and sulphates, which have long been known to alter the behaviour of clouds in the open ocean, creating lines of brighter clouds behind ships that can been seen from space (“ship tracks”), akin to the contrails often seen behind aeroplanes.

The brighter clouds are partly caused by exhaust plumes containing pollutants from burning fossil fuels to power the ships. Scientists and shipping organisations are now studying the impact of increased regulations on the environmental cost of global shipping.

Starting in 2020, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has placed new controls on emissions of all ships around the globe and the -funded ACRUISE (Atmospheric Composition and Radiative forcing changes due to UN International Ship Emissions regulations) project is designed to study the change this has, both on emissions and its impact on the environment.

The project is a collaboration between a number of several UK institutions, also including the Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) and the Universities of York, Leeds and Oxford and was designed to run in two phases, to deliver a ‘before and after’ picture.

The results just published by The University of Manchester in the journal represent the ‘before’ measurements of the particulates from ocean-going cargo ships. While work has been published previously on ship emissions, these have tended to be in laboratory test rigs, which may not represent ‘real’ emissions, or in territorial waters or ports, where controls are already established.

The 91ֱ�� scientists used the UK Facility for Airborne Atmospheric Measurement (FAAM) Bae-146 large research aircraft to fly directly through the exhaust plumes of cargo ships in the busy Atlantic shipping lanes off the Portuguese coast in 2019, before the new controls were enacted.

Chenjie Yu, who authored this paper as part of his PhD studies at The University of Manchester, said: “It is a great experience to be on-board the FAAM research aircraft and performing this airborne measurement. The results from the ACRUISE project are crucial for the future policymaking and climate research.”

Dr James Allan, a Reader in the and Chenjie’s academic supervisor, said: “These results are quite remarkable. Traditionally, ship fuel has been one of the dirtiest forms of fossil fuels in use, but these results give an insight into what kind of a change the new regulations can have. It will be very interesting to see what differences we will find in the second phase of the experiment.”

The ACRUISE project is currently ongoing, and in 2021, the team will return to repeat the measurements, to assess how much of an impact the new controls have made. These will be combined with satellite data and atmospheric models to determine how much of a change this has made to air quality and climate.

The member universities span all populated continents, representing one-third of the 100 highest performing climate research universities and a quarter of the top 100 environmental research universities worldwide.

The coalition will bring together 37 international member universities as signatories, including, The University of Manchester, along with nine other UK institutions.

The University of Manchester is home to the renowned , which undertakes world-class research to deliver agenda-setting insights on energy and climate change.  is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet.

The Declaration implores world leaders to use the post-COVID recovery to implement measures to counteract climate change, warning that failure to do so will lock in catastrophic consequences for generations to come. Regional media events will be held with a panel of speakers from Asia Pacific and UK university members.

Professor Ian Jacobs, President and Vice-Chancellor of UNSW Sydney in Australia, a founding member of the Alliance, said he and his colleagues recognised the need for experts with diverse voices to speak out about the climate crisis.

“Many challenges lie ahead of us in combatting the existential crisis in which the world finds itself. The International Universities Climate Alliance is a rich resource upon which governments, business, industry and the wider community can rely for evidence-based expert advice.”

The UK member universities are hosting a joint regional media event to support the initiative with a live Q&A panel of university representatives at 10.00am GMT on Wednesday 18^th November 2020.

UK climate experts have a long history of supporting national and international decision-makers with the evidence-base for climate action including contributions to United Nation Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports, UK Climate Change Risk Assessments, UK carbon budgets and regional climate assemblies.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Leeds, Professor Nick Plant, who will be delivering a speech during the UK media event, said, “Universities are uniquely positioned to provide evidence-based knowledge to support urgent global climate action and a green recovery.”

The Climate Alliance is unprecedented in scale and scope and will support world leaders, policy makers and industry in planning for, and responding to, climate change. The advent of the Climate Alliance comes at a time when momentum is building for countries to decarbonise their economies. In recent months there have been moves by various nations to fortify incremental efforts with policies and actions equal to the urgency of the situation.

The Alliance will provide a central hub for universities to share the latest climate research and enable greater collaboration between leading research teams.

Researchers from The University of Manchester have discovered that simple manipulations of carbon nitride, a metal-free, non-toxic solid, made of Earth abundant elements of carbon and nitrogen, are able to efficiently exploit solar light for the synthesis of organic molecules containing fluorine, which are the building blocks of many agro-chemical and pharmaceutical applications.

The concept the scientists used is known as ‘photocatalysis’ whereby artificial light or sunlight is able to trigger chemical reactions at ambient conditions, which would otherwise require more energy intensive processes.

The process can be compared to that of natural photosynthesis used by plants to harness the sun’s energy. However, artificial exploitation of light energy is very challenging as materials used for this purpose are generally very expensive, difficult to make and very often not efficient in triggering chemical reactions. This represents a major issue in terms of process viability on a large scale.

Industrial implementation of photocatalytic process would be hugely beneficial for the environment and society as it would be able to provide cleaner and more sustainable chemical products reducing and potentially removing the use of fossil fuels as primary source of energy in such industrial productions.

The new findings which are published today in the journal , are the result of an international collaboration between Dr Carmine D’Agostino at The University of Manchester (UK), with The University of Trieste (Italy), together with the CNR Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (Italy) and the CIC biomaGUNE (Spain).

The team at The University of Manchester led by Dr Carmine D’Agostino, together with Luke Forster (PhD student) and Dr Graziano Di Carmine (Research Associate) played a pivotal role in unravelling, through the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) techniques, the fundamental changes in carbon nitride properties responsible for the increased efficiency of the nano-engineered materials.

Dr Carmine D’Agostino said: “The chemical industry is a fundamental pillar for economic and technological development. Yet, it is often associated with environmental pollution and climate change. In recent years, efforts are being made to shift the current approach to industrial chemistry towards a greener, more sustainable and zero-waste approach.”

“This new exploitation of solar light for synthesis of useful chemicals is a very promising technology, yet very challenging. In particular, the search of non-toxic, widely available and economically viable materials, able to harness solar energy for efficient chemical conversion holds the Holy Grail for such photochemical conversions.”

This discovery paves new ways for the sustainable synthesis of a wide range of molecules of interest for the pharmaceutical and food industries and puts the basis for a new approach towards modern industrial chemistry.

Previous research by Dr. Oldekop demonstrated that community-forest management in Nepal led to a 37% relative reduction in deforestation and a 4.3% relative reduction in poverty.

Around the globe, forests regulate climate, sequester carbon, are home to a large proportion of the worlds plants and animals and contribute substantially to the livelihoods of people living in or near them.

“Around 14% of forests worldwide and 28% of forests in low-middle-income countries are formally owned or managed by Indigenous people and local communities,” said Reem Hajjar. “Case studies that show positive outcomes abound. But gaining a better understanding of the trade-offs – this outcome got better but at the expense of other outcomes getting worse – is critical for understanding forest governance systems’ potential for addressing multiple sustainability objectives at the same time”.

The new study analysed 643 examples of CFM in Latin America, Africa and Asia-Pacific, to gain a better understanding of the social, economic and environmental trade-offs which are occurring and what changes can help ensure goals across the spectrum are successful.

• Of the 524 cases that tracked the environmental condition of a forest following a formalised CFM initiative, 56% cited improvement but for 32% it decreased.
• Of the 316 cases that reported on livelihoods, 68% found an increase in income, 36% showed no change and 6.3% reported a fall.
• Among the 249 cases reporting on resource access rights, 34% indicated an increase compared to 54% that showed a decrease.

However, clear trade-offs were visible in cases which assessed joint outcomes. Of the 122 studies which looked at all three CFM goals, just 18% reported positive outcomes across the three goals.

“Community Forest Management can improve both forests and the lives of the people near them. While it is heartening to see improving incomes in 68% of cases, reduced environmental impacts in 56% and gains in resource rights in 34% of cases, the overall results are significantly less transformative than they could be. Governments need to do more to ensure it’s a triple win for people and the environment, rather than a series of trade-offs between them,” added Dr Oldekop.

“At Natural England, we have embedded Joanne’s Ketso toolkit into our community and stakeholder engagement, because it helps us to achieve our environmental aims,” said Dr Amanda Wright, Senior Advisor Biodiversity at Natural England. “It makes it easier for us to actually hear what people care about in their local area. It has also helped build and maintain a strong partnership across local authority boundaries and amongst diverse organisations, essential to helping us think at a landscape level of scale.”

“Joanne’s latest innovation comes from adapting her tool to work in digital workshops - it is refreshing to see a hands-on toolkit instead of pure digital tools in this time of pandemic-driven disconnection. The kit has been reformed to be used by people working remotely, but communicating together. We will be using this new approach in work in Natural England to help us implement the National Nature Recovery Network.”

The cutting-edge research at Manam volcano in Papua New Guinea is improving scientists’ understanding of how volcanoes contribute to the global carbon cycle, key to sustaining life on Earth.

The international team’s findings, published in Science Advances, show for the first time how it is possible to combine measurements from the air, earth and space to learn more about the most inaccessible, highly active volcanoes on the planet.

Researchers from The University of Manchester joined a large international team for fieldwork in Papua New Guinea, and afterwards made satellite-based measurements of sulphur dioxide gas emissions using the (ESA) instrument TROPOMI.

The ABOVE project involved specialists from the UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Sweden, Germany, Costa Rica, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, spanning volcanology and aerospace engineering.

They co-created solutions to the challenges of measuring gas emissions from active volcanoes, through using modified long-range drones.

Dr Brendan McCormick Kilbride, Presidential Fellow at The University of Manchester said: “The really exciting advance here is that we can use drones to achieve measurements of gas emissions that are otherwise impossible. In settings like Papua New Guinea, where highly active volcanoes can be extremely isolated, adopting this technology has immense potential for volcano monitoring at relatively low cost.”

By combining in situ aerial measurements with results from satellites and ground-based remote sensors, researchers can gather a much richer data set than previously possible. This enables them to monitor active volcanoes remotely, improving understanding of how much carbon dioxide (CO₂) is being released by volcanoes globally and, importantly, where this carbon is coming from.

With a diameter of 10km, Manam volcano is located on an island 13km off the northeast coast of the mainland, at 1,800m above sea level. Previous studies have shown it is among the world’s biggest emitters of sulphur dioxide, but nothing was known of its CO₂ output.

Volcanic CO₂ emissions are challenging to measure due to high concentrations in the background atmosphere. Measurements need to be collected very close to active vents and, at hazardous volcanoes like Manam, drones are the only way to obtain samples safely. Yet beyond-line-of-sight drone flights have rarely been attempted in volcanic environments.

Adding miniaturised gas sensors, spectrometers and sampling devices that are automatically triggered to open and close, the team was able to fly the drone 2km high and 6km away to reach Manam’s summit, where they captured gas samples to be analysed within hours.

Calculating the ratio between sulphur and carbon dioxide levels in a volcano’s emissions is critical to determining how likely an eruption is to take place, as it helps volcanologists establish the location of its magma.

Manam’s last major eruptions between 2004 and 2006 devastated large parts of the island and displaced the population of some 4,000 people to the mainland; their crops destroyed and water supplies contaminated.

Project leader Dr Emma Liu from (UCL) said: “Manam hasn’t been studied in detail but we could see from satellite data that it was producing strong emissions. The resources of the in-country volcano monitoring institute are small and the team has an incredible workload, but they really helped us make the links with the community living on Manam island.”

Following the fieldwork, the researchers raised funds to buy computers, solar panels and other technology to enable the local community – who have since put together a disaster preparedness group - to communicate via satellite from the island, and to provide drone operations training to Rabaul Volcanological Observatory staff to assist in their monitoring efforts.

ABOVE was part of the Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO), a global community of scientists on a ten-year quest to understand more about carbon in Earth.

Volcanic emissions are a critical stage of the Earth’s carbon cycle - the movement of carbon between land, atmosphere, and ocean – but CO₂ measurements have so far been limited to a relatively small number of the world’s estimated 500 degassing volcanoes.

Understanding the factors that control volcanic carbon emissions in the present day will reveal how the climate has changed in the past and therefore how it may respond in the future to current human impacts.

Co-author Professor Tobias Fischer (University of New Mexico), added: “In order to understand the drivers of climate change you need to understand the carbon cycle in the earth.

“We wanted to quantify the carbon emission from this very large carbon dioxide emitter. We had very few data in terms of carbon isotope composition, which would identify the source of the carbon and whether it is the mantle, crust or sediment. We wanted to know where that carbon comes from.”

Operations at the Preston New Road shale gas site led to a venting of around 4.2 tonnes of methane gas to atmosphere that was detected at a nearby monitoring station installed by researchers from The University of Manchester. The research team was led by Prof Grant Allen, and reported in the

Elevated methane (CH₄) concentrations in the air were measured at an atmospheric monitoring station near the Preston New Road (PNR) shale gas site over a one-week period in January 2019. Analysis showed this to be a result of the release of non-combusted methane from the flare stack at the shale gas site following operations to clean out the 2.3 km deep shale gas well. During the emission event, UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) were deployed to map the vertical and horizontal extent of the methane plume.

Professor Grant Allen, Professor of Atmospheric Physics and leader of the project at The University of Manchester, said: “Our work shows that atmospheric monitoring of shale gas activity is crucial to meaningfully assess any role that the industry may have in the UK’s future energy mix and whether it can (or cannot) be consistent with the UK’s stated aim of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2015.

“This work informs that debate and provides new data on emissions from well-clearing activities that must be captured in industry life cycle assessments, and should be used to inform regulatory oversight and industrial practices surrounding venting activities such as the event quantified here. Such emissions should be avoided wherever possible.”

Identification of the methane emissions from the site was made by comparing the data with two years of baseline measurements, taking into account variability due to season and wind direction. The baseline monitoring was carried out by The University of Manchester as part of a -led environmental monitoring project and supported by the (BEIS).

Three different methods were used to estimate the methane release rate. Peak release rate was estimated to be approximately 70 g s^-1, with an average over the whole week of 16 g s^-1. The estimated total mass of methane emitted during the event was 4.2 (± 1.4) tonnes. In terms of greenhouse warming potential, this is equivalent to 143 tonnes CO₂ using the default 100-year time horizon conversion factor (GWP100), the annual electricity demand of 166 UK homes, or 142 London-New York flights.

Dr Jacob Shaw, Research Associate from The University of Manchester and lead author of the paper says: “The dangerous consequences of global warming are now beginning to become evident. Routine monitoring and scrutiny of the fossil fuel industry is crucial if we are to curb impacts, and also if we are to meet the UK Government’s Net Zero targets.”

The research found that independent estimates of methane emissions during the early stages of hydrocarbon development are not routinely made, nor are they generally understood for well development, well-unloading and well-stimulation activities. This may mean that greenhouse gas emissions are currently under-represented in lifecycle analysis of the overall carbon footprint of unconventional gas as an energy source. It will be important to include such processes in future greenhouse gas evaluations.

Professor Rob Ward, Policy Director at British Geological Survey said: “This study demonstrates the importance of establishing effective monitoring at oil and gas sites to establish the baseline and then enable detection and quantification of any emissions that might arise. Not only is this important for managing what might be a hazardous situation, it is also important for properly assessing greenhouse gas emissions.”

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The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), currently under construction, has strained relations between Nile countries. Negotiations on how to fill and operate the dam ended in deadlock again last month, partially over the perceived implications for water shortages in Sudan and Egypt. This has been compounded by a lack of reservoir simulation models considered sufficiently credible by all negotiators and decision-makers.

This new research uses historical data from Nile measurements over extended wet, average and dry periods to understand the risks of filling and operating the dam, and the potential impacts of a long-term drought. It shows that during filling the GERD the High Aswan Dam’s (HAD) reservoir will fall, but the risk of additional water shortage in Egypt is low. Once in operation, the GERD will benefit Ethiopia and Sudan without significantly affecting water users in Egypt as long as Nile flows are similar to the historical average.

However, researchers deem a future multi-year drought “inevitable” although the probability, severity, and timing are unknowable, especially as climate change unfolds. They warn that advanced planning for and careful coordinated management are essential if harmful impacts are to be minimised.

of, The University of Manchester and University and North Carolina at Chapel Hill said: “In this paper we used narratives to make the results of complex computer simulations accessible not just to water professionals, but to a wider audience—government officials, international donors, and civil society in Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. We describe what happens after the construction of the GERD in terms of three ‘eras’: during the filling of the GERD; after the GERD is filled and Nile flows are ‘normal’; and during a severe, multi-year drought.”

Dr Kevin Wheeler, Fellow of the Oxford Martin Programme on Transboundary Resource Management and Researcher at the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford said: “We used the 1978 –1987 drought to understand the risks of extremely dry conditions once the GERD is operational. A moderately full GERD and High Aswan Dam at the start would actually mean reduced Egyptian water shortages during the first four years of a drought. However, water is a highly visceral issue and real or misattributed fears over the loss of water could lead to panic amongst Egyptian civil society. Advance planning and irrevocable agreement on how reservoirs will be used and refilled post-drought is therefore particularly essential.”

Professor Marc Jeuland of the Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University said: “The GERD is basically complete and filling has already commenced. The window for agreement on filling is thus very limited, even if there is a bit more time for negotiation on long-term operations. I would say that a filling agreement is really important before the start of the rainy season in 2021.

“It is often argued that water resources will be a source of growing conflict in the future, as population and economic growth, as well as climate change, increase the risks of scarcity and create conditions not previously experienced. This specific case offers lessons for other societies given that water resource scarcity is bound to worsen in many parts of the globe.”

The paper, ‘’ published by Nature Communications on 16 October 2020 concludes that developing robust contingency plans is not an insurmountable task, and that in most years the GERD and HAD will require only data exchange and modest coordination.

Despite the enormity of this problem, most wells providing drinking water (there are at least tens of millions of them) have not been tested for arsenic, so modelling using data from those that have been tested is an important tool to help get an idea of where further high arsenic well waters are more likely to occur. Because of this, researchers have constructed prediction models for individual countries (e.g. China, Pakistan, Burkina Faso, USA, Bangladesh, Cambodia) as well as on a regional or global scale, but curiously, to date, there had not been published a detailed model focused solely on India.

An international team involving researchers based in 91ֱ�� (UK), Patna (India) and Zurich (Switzerland) has now addressed this. Their country-specific, country-wide model for well water arsenic in India has recently been published in the .

Their model confirms the known high probability of finding hazardous high arsenic well waters in northern India in the river basins of the Ganges and Brahmaputra. What is new and particularly concerning, is that the model also finds an elevated probability of high arsenic well waters in other Indian areas, where previously arsenic hazard was generally not considered to be a major concern – so much so that in many of these areas well water arsenic is not routinely checked.

These areas include parts of south-west and central India and are mostly areas underlain by sediments and sedimentary rocks. Such occurrences are similar to those predicted by the The University of Manchester group by similar types of modelling and subsequently found elsewhere, notably in South-East Asia.

The study suggests follow up to help better define specific areas in which action is required to reduce adverse public health outcomes from drinking high arsenic well waters. The study also highlights the importance of systematic testing of hazards, not just in known high hazard areas, but also through random sampling of all wells used for drinking water.

There are known and important limitations to this kind of modelling approach. The output model can only be as good as the data upon which it is based; the model is based largely on satellite-derived data and so is less reliable for deeper wells; the model does not consider variations of well water arsenic with time. Lastly, the arsenic content of well waters is known to change massively over very short distances, so for a particular well, the model will never be a better substitute for a good chemical analysis of the water produced from that well.

Nevertheless, the model does suggest new areas in India in which follow up sampling of well water and analysis for arsenic should be done; this will help save lives in those areas.

This internationally collaboration was largely built on a joint India-UK Water Quality project FAR-GANGA ( ) for which co-authors Professor David Polya, a researcher at The University of Manchester, and Mr Biswajit Charkavorty, a senior scientist at the are the UK and India leads respectively.

Professor Polya said: “The model outputs are a good example of the benefits of international collaboration. The work would have been much more difficult to achieve without the joint India-UK Water Quality programme project, FAR-GANGA.”

Mr Chakravorty said: “The outcome of this open-access joint Indo-UK study will help create greater awareness of hazardous arsenic distribution in wells amongst the population.”

The lead author of the study was Dr Joel Podgorski, currently a senior scientist at the (Eawag), but who conducted much of the study whilst a Postdoctoral Impact Research Fellow at The University of Manchester. He said: “This study demonstrates how the increasing availability of data can be used to better understand the scope of public health crises.”

Ms Ruohan Wu, a postgraduate researcher at The University of Manchester, was also part of the research team.

The University of Manchester has strategic partnerships and collaborations worldwide and has a history of creating strong links with business, public authorities and students in India. For more information about our work with India visit  

To mark Clean Air Day 2020, experts at The University of Manchester , on behalf of the co-ordinators of Clean Air Day, Global Action Plan, and the Philips Foundation, have published new demonstrating that maintaining lower outdoor air pollution (NO₂) levels could improve a child’s ability to learn. The model finds that maintaining lower air pollution levels in and around school grounds by 20% could enhance the development of a child’s working memory by 6.1%, the equivalent of four weeks extra learning time per year.

The findings are part of the Clean Air for Schools Programme, a year-long research project which looked at how air pollution and its effects on children can be tackled in schools across the UK & Ireland. Launched in October 2019, the Programme includes additional field research undertaken in 19 schools totalling approximately 6,000 students across Greater 91ֱ��, looking into the most effective actions for reducing indoor and outdoor air pollution. In addition to improving children’s health[1], the Programme’s latest findings from the UoM modelling show that reducing air pollution will also improve children’s ability to learn, supporting teachers who are already under pressure to ensure pupils regain lost education time during lockdown.

An overview of the findings from the model, which estimates the impact of changes in outdoor air pollution (NO₂) on the development of working memory, are detailed in the below table:

Air quality data by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) shows air pollution decreased by up to 40% on average across the UK in peak national lockdown during April and May 2020 compared to the same time last year. In light of this, the campaigning group urges that it is viable to maintain a 20% reduction around school grounds through actions included in the Clean Air for Schools Framework.  Actions include School Streets, which when enrolled in the London Borough of Hackney, one of the leading community grassroots initiative proactively tackling air pollution, traffic reduced by an average of 68%, the number of children cycling to school increased by 51% and vehicle emissions outside schools (NOx, PM10 and PM2.5) are down by 74%.

Based on the modelling by experts at  The University of Manchester , even a 20% increase in outdoor air pollution (NO₂) could stunt the development of a child’s working memory by up to four weeks per year. Up to 2,000 schools and nurseries are close to roads with air pollution above the baseline level used in the model[i], meaning that at least 500,000 children are exposed to levels of pollution that would affect working memory. But the impact is also felt at lower levels than the 40µg/m3 baseline and so many more thousands of pupils also stand to benefit from a reduction in pollution. The exact number of pupils held back by excessive pollution is unknown because there is no national monitoring system for air quality in schools.

To encourage urgent action, campaigners including support from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Air Pollution (APPG), National Education Union (NEU) and National Association for Head Teachers (NAHT), are calling on the government, local councils to guide schools in using the newly launched  .

The Clean Air for Schools Framework, developed by Global Action Plan, the Philips Foundation and the UoM, is a free online tool that gives teachers, headteachers, parents and local authorities a bespoke blueprint of actions for tackling air pollution in and around the school. Its database of actions include interventions that can be taken both inside and outside school grounds including implementing school streets, improving indoor ventilation and consolidating deliveries. At a time when schools are urgently reviewing their operations, implementing major changes to the movement of pupils and parents on their premises, the group is calling on all schools across the UK & Ireland to adopt and implement the framework, with support from local and national government.

All actions in the Clean Air for Schools Framework have been vetted by existing research, academic insights and in-school air quality testing by the University of Manchester and further refined in collaboration with teachers and students. Notably, in classroom research conducted at Russell Scott Primary School in Greater 91ֱ�� found that using an air purifier over a short period of time can reduce levels of indoor air pollution (PM2.5) by up to 30% in classrooms. 

Chris Large, Co-CEO at Global Action Plan says: “This year long research project has uncovered the effects air pollution has on our children’s ability to learn, as well as their health. Given lockdown restrictions have already impeded learning time, we must give all children a fighting chance, especially those in pollution hotspots who are also likely to be victims of the attainment gap. The new Clean Air for Schools Framework is now available for free to help any school set up a clean air action plan, but schools cannot do this alone. We ask the government to bring together all parties with potential solutions – NGOs, local government, education leaders and businesses – to combine under one national effort to eliminate harmful pollutants from schools.”

Mark Leftwich, Director, Personal Health, Philips UK and Ireland: 

“Every child has the right to learn in a safe working environment which not only protects their health, but also safeguards their ability to learn and shape their future prospects. It is imperative that we take immediate action to protect the futures of our children who have already experienced severe disruption to their learning over lockdown and cannot afford to be held back any further. As a society, we already have many practical tools at our disposal to tackle air pollution and with schools, parents and local authorities working together, we can put them into place today, ensuring this generation of schoolchildren have the best possible learning environments we can give them. We therefore urge the UK Government to encourage all schools to adopt the Clean Air for Schools Framework.”

Prof Martie van Tongeren, Professor in Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester:

“Pollution of indoor and outdoor air affects the health of our children. In addition, the available evidence indicates that it affects their cognitive development, which may affect educational attainment. We’ve spent a year investing how to improve air quality in and around schools which will benefit child’s health and educational development and should be a priority for government, local authorities and schools.

“Studies that investigate the link between exposure to air pollution during early life and effects of educational attainment and brain health at later life are urgently needed and policies should be set out by ministers to tackle this urgent challenge, immediately.”

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: “I am doing everything in my power to stop Londoners breathing air so filthy that it damages children’s lungs and causes thousands of premature deaths. The Ultra-Low Emission Zone has already cut toxic air by a third and led to reductions in roadside nitrogen dioxide that are five times greater than the national average. We recently launched our School Streets air quality monitoring project and are funding 430 new School Streets as part of our world-leading Streetspace plan. This will play an important role in enabling parents and children to walk, cycle or scoot to and from school which has so many benefits, not least in improving air quality. We know there is still more to do, and the task is made all the more urgent by emerging evidence of the link between air pollution and the worst effects of COVID. Pollution isn’t just a central London problem which is why I am committed to expanding the ULEZ next year. I have consistently demanded that the government match my ambition and improve the environment bill to include legally binding WHO recommended limits to be achieved by 2030, and to give cities the powers they need to eradicate air pollution.”

Greater 91ֱ��, Director of Public Health, Eleanor Roaf: “This year, during lockdown, one of the very few positives was the improvement in our air quality. We’re in danger of losing these gains, but if we all try and change our habits, and in particular, walk and cycle for as many of our shorter journeys as we can, then we’ll reduce congestion and improve air quality, which will not only improve our health but also reduce our covid-19 risk. We encourage all schools in Greater 91ֱ�� to harness the free Clean Air for Schools Framework to eliminate harmful pollutants from in and around the school premises.”

[1] https://www.globalactionplan.org.uk/news/clean-air-day-charity-launches-the-clean-air-for-schools-framework

[i] Greenpeace Investigations Unit, 2017

The proposal to form the unique new local agency was announced today at the Greater 91ֱ�� Green Summit. The University of Manchester, and will apply their energy and environmental research expertise working with the (GMCA) and to ensure 91ֱ�� continues to lead on ambitious regional environmental innovation and action.

Professor Colette Fagan, Vice-President for Research, The University of Manchester said: “The establishment of the Greater 91ֱ�� Energy Innovation Agency is a great example of collaboration between our universities, local government and industry partners to lead through commitment, innovation and action for the benefit of society and our environment.

“Linking the decarbonisation agenda to economic growth through innovation is key to achieving net zero carbon. Bringing together Greater 91ֱ��’s environmental research expertise in this new agency with the encouragement of GMCA is a significant and exciting step toward achieving a greener future.”

The vision for the Energy Innovation Agency is to lead the transition to zero carbon society and economy by bridging the innovation gap, leading to an acceleration of emissions reductions, increased implementation of technological innovations and enhanced, forward-thinking policy agenda setting.

Professor Helen Marshall, Vice Chancellor, The University of Salford said: “We are proud to be part of the new Greater 91ֱ�� Energy Innovation Agency, which represents a new step forward in the Greater 91ֱ�� universities, industry and Combined Authority all working together towards solving a critical problem for the city-region; achieving zero carbon by 2038.

“Combining our own research excellence in energy and buildings, such as our major investment in Energy House 2.0, with the other Greater 91ֱ�� universities research excellence in the field of energy, we can lead the way in the decarbonisation agenda and create the clean, high value jobs and businesses that this agenda has the potential to bring.”

The new agency will act as an intermediary between the region’s world class environmental research output, industry innovators, the energy supply pipeline and stakeholders in Greater 91ֱ��, to close the current innovation gap to zero carbon – delivering a transformation of our energy system.

Professor Steve Decent, Deputy Vice Chancellor, 91ֱ�� Metropolitan University said: “Our priority is to help Greater 91ֱ�� improve energy access and security of energy supply in socially, technically and economically convenient conditions. The University fully supports the Energy Innovation Agency vision in that it will create conditions incorporating clean energy resources and innovative technologies.

“Strengthened collaboration and research between academic institutions and industry will move us towards an energy transition that is completely focused on investing in a future that will support commitments of the region to become carbon neutral by 2038”

While the UK Government set a binding target of 2050 to achieve net zero carbon, Greater 91ֱ�� set its own more ambitious 2038 deadline to decarbonise its energy system. The EIA will be a significant contributing factor in aiming to reach the aspirational target in the hope the area can be a pace-setter for the rest of the country.

Councillor Andrew Western, GMCA Lead for the Green City-Region, said: “Tackling the transition to a zero carbon society is going to take a group effort. The combined insight of Greater 91ֱ��’s universities, industry partners and GMCA will enable us to work together to achieve this goal.“We’re already making good progress towards the goals of our Five-Year Environment Plan, which alongside achieving decarbonisation, also includes improving air quality, protecting the natural environment and building resilience to climate change. By establishing partnerships such as the GM Energy Innovation Agency we are in a much better position to support our commitment to become carbon neutral by 2038, creating a greener city-region for years to come.”

Stephen Stead, Director of Strategy and Digital Services, SSE Enterprise said: “The North West is one of the fastest growth areas in Europe with significant investment planned and world class environmental research output. SSE Enterprise are very excited to be part of this prestigious project which will see GMCA, its 10 local authorities and its world class universities lead the way in large scale decarbonisation. SSE brings vast experience in developing localised energy systems, innovative technology solutions and a ‘whole system thinking’ approach to support GMCA drive for cleaner and more affordable energy, high value jobs and a clear focus on net zero carbon by 2038.”

The announcement was made as part of the third annual , taking place virtually this year between 21 – 24 September. The Summit reviews the 6 environmental themes outlined in the Greater 91ֱ�� five-year environment plan (March 2019). Each day of the summit will highlight one of the plan’s themes and features workshops delivered by the Youth Combined Authority.

Energy

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from a University of Manchester led consortium points out that some negotiated strategies for filling Ethiopia’s new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dam could be infeasible in critical river flow conditions due to the limited ability of the dam to release water at low water levels.

The University of Manchester led team argues that the possible inability of the dam to follow an eventual international agreement could create controversy and complicate future efforts to share water and electricity in East Africa.

The GERD dam, a large hydropower dam with an installed capacity of 5,150 Mega Watts, is under construction on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia. Construction began nearly a decade ago and when completed, the GERD will be the largest hydropower plant in Africa and the tenth largest globally.

The main purpose of the dam is domestic and regional electrification and it is expected to improve electricity access in East Africa through existing and planned power interconnections. But realising benefits will require filling the associated reservoir by retaining water that would have otherwise flowed downstream.

The volume of the GERD reservoir is around 1.5 times the average annual flow of the Blue Nile. This means filling it up in one go is out of the question, as that would prevent any water from flowing downstream and deplete most of the Nile river.

Debate on the GERD’s filling have been ongoing since the dam was announced. Negotiations between Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt on the initial reservoir filling and long-term operation of the GERD took place in Washington in November 2019 to February 2020.

The 91ֱ�� team state that the consideration of engineering constraints due to the dam design and construction should inform negotiations over initial reservoir filling to help prevent unnecessary political tension later on.

First author of the new research, PhD student at The University of Manchester and a , Mohammed Basheer says: “Because the design and construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile were carried out before a transboundary agreement, the ongoing negotiations between the Ethiopian, Sudanese, and Egyptian governments over the initial filling and long-term operation of the dam must consider the engineering characteristics of the dam outlets.”

The African Union convened further negotiations in July and August 2020. An agreement has not been reached but several proposals have been made and discussed. So far, negotiations have not fully recognised the engineering requirements of the dam including the hydraulic capacity of the dam’s outlets, which determines how much water it can release.

Lead senior author Professor Julien Harou, Chair of Water Engineering at The University of Manchester comments: “Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt are at a crossroads regarding their ability to collaboratively manage the limited and stressed water resources of the Eastern Nile. Preventing eventual predictable sources of contention will help the three countries avert political tensions and lay a foundation for trust, collaboration, and regional prosperity.”

This research was partially supported by The University of Manchester’s flagship £8M Global Challenge Research Fund project ‘Future Design and Assessment of water-energy-food-environment Mega-Systems’ ().

FutureDAMS CEO Professor David Hulme of The University of Manchester’s Global Development Institute, says: “One aim of The University of Manchester’s FutureDAMS research project is to reduce possible negative impacts of river infrastructure development. We are delighted to produce this analysis which could assist in the negotiated use of East African natural resources.”

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With the grand challenge of climate change and the call to 'build back better', the MIB has been recognised as a UK centre of excellence that is making a global impact - finding alternative and more sustainable fuels, medicines and advanced materials.

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, the University's President and Vice-Chancellor, will be joined by civic and University leaders, funders and industrial partners , plus staff and students, at a digital celebration on Monday, September 7. The event will acknowledge the world-class outputs of the MIB and the hard work of both its research and Professional Services staff to help make the institute a centre of international excellence, .

The online celebration for the Queen’s Anniversary Prize Higher and Further Education accolade will start at 4pm with a welcome and introduction from Professor Rothwell, who will be followed by:

• Sir Warren Smith, Lord-Lieutenant of Greater 91ֱ��, who will speak about the significance of the Prize and Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President of the University and Dean of the Faculty of Science and Engineering, who will talk about the MIB's national and global significance.

• Professor Nigel Scrutton, Director of the led by 91ֱ��, will describe the successful research strategy that led up to the MIB being awarded the Queen's Anniversary Prize; while MIB Director Professor Robert Field will outline the vision and strategy going forward.

The event will also include a Q&A panel session chaired by Professor Rothwell, and Edward Astle, Chair of the University's Board of Governors, will deliver the closing remarks before the screening of a fast-cut and informative video showcasing the exciting research led by the MIB.

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Also, a recording of the event will be available from Tuesday, 8 September.

At the heart of the work and research carried out at the MIB is industrial biotechnology - one of The University of Manchester's research beacons. Working alongside industry partners, the MIB is helping to find a path to a .

"The world today faces many challenges as we look to build a better and more sustainable future – and universities like 91ֱ�� are being called upon to help find solutions," said Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell.

"We can meet those challenges through the focused and dedicated work of our staff working in collaboration within the University and with our external partners. The 91ֱ�� Institute of Biotechnology is an exemplar for that approach. We all take pride in celebrating the Institute’s success and very much welcome this well-earned recognition."

Professor Martin Schröder said: "The work of the MIB has put 91ֱ��, and the UK as a whole, on the international map for industrial biotechnology. By working collaboratively across disciplines, spanning science, engineering and biology, the MIB has pioneered discovery and innovation to establish itself as a world-class leader and beacon in its field."

Professor Nigel Scrutton added: "The UK is now recognised globally as a leader in biotechnology and I believe the MIB has played its role in that national success story, pioneering what has now become a strategically important area of research. This has been an exciting journey - and a very big thanks must go to all members of the MIB community."

Professor Rob Field said: "Recent events have shown science at its best; agile yet focussed, collaborative but effective. I believe both the research and Professional Services staff at the MIB demonstrate those qualities and we will need to draw on our experiences as we look to the future and help design a more resilient and sustainable world."

The MIB success stories include working with a US-based international maritime research agency to develop a renewable alternative to jet fuel following breakthrough .

The Institute's researchers have also worked on the development of synthetic and analytical tools to both – complex structures made from sugar – to the isolation of the cause of a . While in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Professor Field and his spin-out company have been working on developing a low-cost, easy to use screening test device.

The MIB is not the first recipient of a Queen's Anniversary prize within the University's Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE). Research conducted at FSE has now been recognised a total of three times over the past decade. In 2011, the Dalton Nuclear Institute was honoured and, three years later, so were the Faculty's pioneering imaging techniques for advanced materials and manufacturing.

The University of Manchester, in partnership with the , will support the delivery of independent evidence-based research to underpin the development of a UK Geological Disposal Facility – following a £2.5 million grant secured from (RWM).

Launching the new pioneering Radioactive Waste Management Research Support Office (RWM RSO), based at The University of Manchester’s and headed by Professor Katherine Morris, the partner universities will build an academic community across the UK and, with national and international collaborators, focus on developing underpinning research to support safe geological disposal of the UK’s higher activity radioactive wastes.

The RWM RSO will centre its research on nine themes covering advanced manufacturing, applied mathematics, applied social science, environmental science, geoscience, materials science, public communication of science, radiochemistry, and training. This includes experimental and modelling research in the STEM subjects, as well as the coordination of applied social science research to explore the societal and socio-economic aspects of geological disposal, including how public trust and confidence can be developed and sustained with potential host communities.

Central to the RSO’s role will be the coordination of needs-driven research. University researchers from across the UK will be able to bid to undertake research within the nine defined themes. Funding supported by RWM is expected to be around £20m over a period of up to 10 years and, where appropriate, leveraging support for geological disposal related research from research councils is also part of the RWM RSO funding vision.

Research will be led by academics with the collective range of skills in geological disposal science and technology to deliver strategic research in radioactive waste management. The RWM RSO will develop this community of academics via networking opportunities and funding calls, and the RSO team who will support the academic community includes:

• Professor Katherine Morris, RWM RSO Director, BNFL Research Chair in Environmental Radioactivity, The University of Manchester
• Professor Sam Shaw, RWM RSO Academic Lead, The University of Manchester, Professor of Environmental Mineralogy.
• Professor Neil Hyatt, RWM RSO Academic Lead, University of Sheffield, Royal Academy of Engineering and Nuclear Decommissioning Authority Research Chair in Radioactive Waste Management.
• Dr Claire Corkhill, Materials Science Lead, Reader in Nuclear Materials Corrosion, University of Sheffield
• Professor Sarah Heath, Training lead, Professor of Nuclear Chemistry, The University of Manchester
• Professor Steve Jones, Advanced Manufacturing Lead, Professor of Welding Technology, Chief Technology Officer at the Nuclear Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (Nuclear AMRC).
• Professor Francis Livens, Radiochemistry Lead, Professor of Radiochemistry, Director of Dalton Nuclear Institute, The University of Manchester
• Professor Kevin Taylor, Geosciences Lead, Professor of Sedimentology and Tectonics, The University of Manchester
• Professor Richard Taylor, Social Sciences Lead, BNFL Chair in Nuclear Energy Systems, The University of Manchester

The RWM RSO will look to further extend the expertise of this team by appointing discipline leads in applied mathematics, environmental science, public communication of science and additional key representatives from other UK universities through dedicated calls over the coming months.

The RSO will also support the development of the next generation of researchers for geological disposal. Nurturing this expertise across the UK’s academic institutions will allow regulators and supply chain companies to tap into the latest thinking to inform their strategies, while enabling the UK to remain at the forefront of geodisposal research, over the decades to come.

Lucy Bailey, RWM’s Head of Research Support Office said, “I am thrilled to be leading this exciting new initiative for RWM. Through the RSO we will harness the best research expertise across the UK to build the knowledge and understanding required to underpin the safety case to deliver a GDF that deals permanently with the UK’s higher-activity waste.”

Professor Katherine Morris, RWM RSO Director, BNFL Chair of Environmental Radioactivity, The University of Manchester added, “We are delighted to be working in partnership with the University of Sheffield and RWM on this exciting new venture to build a community of researchers who will deliver the highest quality, relevant research to underpin the UK’s radioactive waste disposal programme.”

Professor Neil Hyatt, RWM RSO Academic Lead at the University of Sheffield, continued: “The RWM RSO provides a vital and timely focus to network and integrate research across the academic landscape to deliver a safe and affordable engineered facility of disposal of the UK’s radioactive waste legacy. We're looking forward to working with The University of Manchester and RWM on this."

The RSO will begin fulfilling its objectives with a series of online events taking place between 16-18 September 2020. Open to all UK-based researchers and stakeholders, the events will be a combination of knowledge sharing and collaborative research sandpits to define immediate research priorities. To reserve your place, sign up to the. 

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

Arsenic is well known acute poison, but it can also contribute to health problems, including cancers and cardiovascular diseases, if consumed at even relatively low concentrations over an extended period of time.

Compared to other staple foods, rice tends to concentrate inorganic arsenic. Across the globe, over three billion people consume rice as their major staple and the inorganic arsenic in that rice has been estimated by some to give rise to over 50,000 avoidable premature deaths per year.

A collaborating group of cross-91ֱ�� researchers from The University of Manchester and have published new research exploring the relationship, in England and Wales, between the consumption of rice and cardiovascular diseases caused by arsenic exposure.

Their findings, published in the journal , shows that - once corrected for the major factors known to contribute to cardiovascular disease (for example obesity, smoking, age, lack of income, lack of education) there is a significant association between elevated cardiovascular mortality, recorded at a local authority level, and the consumption of inorganic arsenic bearing rice.

Professor David Polya from The University of Manchester said: “The type of study undertaken, an ecological study, has many limitations, but is a relatively inexpensive way of determining if there is plausible link between increased consumption of inorganic arsenic bearing rice and increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

“The study suggests that the highest 25% of rice consumers in England and Wales may plausibly be at greater risks of cardiovascular mortality due to inorganic arsenic exposure compared to the lowest 25% of rice consumers.

“The modelled increased risk is around 6% (with a confidence interval for this figure of 2% to 11%). The increased risk modelled might also reflect in part a combination of the susceptibility, behaviours and treatment of those communities in England and Wales with relatively high rice diets.”

While more robust types of study are required to confirm the result, given many of the beneficial effects otherwise of eating rice due to its high fibre content, the research team suggest that rather than avoid eating rice, people could consume rice varieties, such as basmati, and different types like polished rice (rather whole grain rice) which are known to typically have lower inorganic arsenic contents. Other positive behaviours would be to eat a balanced variety of staples, not just predominately rice.

The lead author, Ms Lingqian Xu, is a President's Doctoral Scholarship Award recipient from The University of Manchester and supervised by Professor David Polya (The University of Manchester) and Dr Debapriya Mondal (University of Salford). Mr Qian Li is a former Masters of Pollution and Environmental Control (MPEC) student from The University of Manchester.

New man-made materials developed by scientists have been successfully used to confuse and trick harmful spores which attack wheat crops into growing on an alternative host to help farmers protect their food production.

Researchers at The University of Manchester have come together with international electronics partners and the minerals processing industry, to deliver networks of cheap disposable in-field biosensors, to detect in real-time the infections of crops at the earliest signs.

By working with the industry partners, these crop surveillance sensors use the latest generation of ‘’ electronics and machine-learning techniques. Previous DNA based approaches only showed the presence of specific spores, many of which are around us all the time, the new sensor can identify the exact conditions for when spores turn from benign particulates to serious diseases.

The sensors do this by literally tricking the fungal disease spores into growing within the team’s novel biomaterials, in the ‘belief’ that they have found their specific plant host and food source. Micro-imaging detectors then constantly examine those biomaterials and use artificial intelligence to identify the characteristic and specific ways they grow with their engineered artificial hosts.

Each sensor then wirelessly alerts farmers to the presence of the disease, just like a biological version of a fire-alarm, dynamically feeding into disease forecast systems and maps. Enabling ‘fire-fighting’ of diseases before they spread and helping scientists to understand how best to prevent future outbreaks.

The innovative new system which was trialled in Ethiopia and detailed in the journal, , demonstrates success in distracting the harmful spores before they have begun to grow and disrupt a wheat crop. This affords farmers extra security without needing to wait until signs of spore damage appear before reacting to save their crop.

Professor Bruce Grieve who led the research said: “This is particularly exciting as the first disease that our consortium has targeted is a major threat to global wheat production and has not previously been reported as being capable of growing on anything but its living plant host.”

Working with the , , and , at the University of Cambridge, the aim of the team is to deploy these ‘Sentinel’ sensor networks into Ethiopian wheat production to underpin future crop disease forecast modelling and control measures in East Africa, and help prevent any repeat of the major famines seen in the region in the 1980s.

The new research paper introduces a critical element of these bio-alarms, in using aeronautical engineering techniques to enable the prevailing wind and air movements to passively extract and concentrate the disease spores onto the biomimic sensor materials, so that their infection activity may be reliably signalled within hours. That compare to the weeks typically required currently to visually see the disease symptoms on the plants, thus giving farmers adequate time to act to save their crops.

The paper, 'Development of a Passive Spore Sampler for Capture Enhancement of Airborne Crop Pathogens' by James L. Blackall, Jie Wang, Mostafa R. A. Nabawy, Mark K. Quinn and Bruce D. Grieve, is published in journal .

The University of Manchester is to take part in a national project to explore ways of improving academic-policy engagement, in partnership with UCL and the universities of Cambridge, Nottingham and Northumbria, as well as Parliament, Government and policy organisations.

As the Covid-19 pandemic has demonstrated, the need for reliable evidence which can inform public debate and policy has never been greater. With increasing pressure on public finances, it is also vital that local and central governments can be confident that their policy interventions will be effective and successful – and academic expertise has a crucial role to play in that process.

The 3-year Capabilities in Academic-Policy Engagement (CAPE) project aims to foster and support academic engagement with policy professionals, and enable greater understanding and cooperation between universities, national government, parliament and regional and local authorities.

CAPE will be delivered with input and support from the Parliamentary Office for Science & Technology, the Government Office for Science, the Alliance for Useful Evidence, and the Transforming Evidence hub.

In addition to £3.9m of funding from Research England, the partner institutions will contribute further resource to bring the total value of the project to nearly £10m. The project will support academic-policy engagement at scale and, crucially, the project will engage universities and policy stakeholders from across England. This will ensure a greater balance in the interests and expertise represented and ensure the project is addressing issues of policy beyond Westminster, to reflect the diversity of England’s communities.

The project will pilot a range of interventions to improve the quality of academic input into public policy, enabling universities to respond to emerging and pressing questions in an agile, targeted way. By working in partnership, it is hoped that both researchers and policy professionals will be able to connect experts in their field more quickly, and co-develop effective interventions based on reliable evidence.

The project will develop a range of evidence-based tools and resources to support academic-policy engagement and establish a virtual Centre for Universities and Public Policy to provide a collaborative platform for networking and sharing knowledge.

“The four year project will look specifically at policymaking in Westminster and Whitehall and also at cities and regions with GMCA alongside GO Science and the Parliamentary Office for Science as Technology as a key partner. We also intend to work closely with Research England, UKRI and BEIS to think about the right incentives and funding processes that best promote academic-policy engagement.”

David Sweeney, Executive Chair of Research England, said: “This project will make an important contribution to our emerging understanding of how universities can best support academics and researchers to engage with public policy and respond to the needs of policy stakeholders. We are particularly pleased to be supporting a consortium with widespread regional reach, which will help us to understand different geographical contexts and the important role that universities can play in and across regions as well as nationally.”

For more information, visit the project website at .

The academics from across the University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering (FSE) have been awarded for pioneering research advances within their respective fields, which range from inorganic chemistry to two-dimensional materials.

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s Prizes and Awards are awarded in recognition of originality and impact of research, or for each winner’s contribution to the chemical sciences industry or education. They also acknowledge the importance of teamwork across the chemical sciences, as well as the abilities of individuals to develop successful collaborations.

Full list of RSC Prize Winners:

• Dr Anthony Green -
• Dr Jordi Bures -
• Dr Radha Boya -
• Dr Sihai Yang -
• Professor Cinzia Casiraghi -
• Professor David Procter -
• Professor Martin Schröder -
• Professor Sabine Flitsch -
• Professor Stephen Liddle -
• Professor Vernon Gibson -
• Professor Nik Kaltsoyannis - 

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice President and Dean for FSE, has been named the winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry. Dr Schröder won the award for seminal work on the design, synthesis and characterisation of porous metal-organic framework materials for substrate binding and selectivity.

After receiving the award, Professor Schröder said: “I am deeply honoured to be awarded the 2020 Nyholm Prize for Inorganic Chemistry from the Royal Society of Chemistry. This is a wonderful testament to the many undergraduate and PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and the national and international collaborators from industry, academia and at national facilities that have contributed so much to this research programme over many years. A huge thank you to all of them.

“The list of previous winners reads like a Who’s Who of inorganic chemistry over the years, with the very first winner in 1974/75 being Jack Lewis, who was my postdoctoral mentor, and in 2001/2 Jon McCleverty, who was my undergraduate tutor. We all stand on the shoulders of others.”

Of the previous winners of Royal Society of Chemistry Awards, an illustrious list of 50 have gone on to win Nobel Prizes for their pioneering work, including 2016 Nobel laureates Jean-Pierre Sauvage, Fraser Stoddart and Ben Feringa.

The that make up the University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering all have a strong reputation for teaching and learning, and for producing employable graduates. The programmes are designed to provide flexibility of choice and are continually revised to reflect new development in each subject area allowing students and academics to work at the cutting edge of science.

New research focusing on the UK and Sweden, demonstrates just how far even ‘climate progressive’ nations are from meeting our international commitments to avoid dangerous climate change.

The researchers concluded that despite the UK and Sweden claiming to have world leading climate legislation, their planned reductions in emissions will still lead to total emissions two to three times greater than is their fair share of a -compliant global carbon budget.

The annual rate that emissions are expected to be cut is less than half of that required, with the scientists suggesting a minimum for the UK of 10% each year, starting in 2020. Similarly, the date of achieving a fully zero-carbon energy system should be around 2035, rather than the UK’s current ‘net-zero’ by 2050 legislation.

The study led by Professor Kevin Anderson from The University of Manchester, is published in the journal . The team of climate scientists asked how close these countries are to meeting the UN’s climate commitments if the ‘safe’ quantity of emissions, the global carbon budget, is shared fairly between ‘developing’ and ‘developed’ countries.

Professor Kevin Anderson, draws a damning conclusion from the research: “Academics have done an excellent job in understanding and communicating climate science, but the same cannot be said in relation to reducing emissions. Here we have collectively denied the necessary scale of mitigation, running scared of calling for fundamental changes to both our energy system and the lifestyles of high-energy users. Our paper brings this failure into sharp focus.”

The Paris Agreement establishes an international covenant to reduce emissions in line with holding the increase in temperature to ‘well below 2°C and to pursue 1.5°C.’ Global modelling studies have repeatedly concluded that such commitments can be delivered through respective national government adjustments to contemporary society, principally price mechanisms driving technical change. However, as emissions have continued to rise, these models have come to increasingly rely on the extensive deployment of highly speculative negative emissions technologies (NETs).

John Broderick, an author from the UK’s , commented: “This work makes clear just how important issues of fairness are when dividing the global carbon budget between wealthier and poorer nations. It also draws attention to how a belief in the delivery of untested technologies has undermined the depth of mitigation required today.”

Isak Stoddard, the Swedish author on the paper said: “Our conservative analysis demonstrates just how far removed the rhetoric on climate change is from our Paris-compliant carbon budgets. For almost two decades we have deluded ourselves that ongoing small adjustments to business as usual will deliver a timely zero-carbon future for our children.”

Key insights from the paper, nations fall far short of Paris-compliant pathways’ by Kevin Anderson, John F. Broderick and Isak Stoddard:

• Without a belief in the successful deployment of planetary scale negative emissions technologies, double-digit annual mitigation rates are required of developed countries, from 2020, if they are to align their policies with the Paris Agreement’s temperature commitments and principles of equity.

• Paris-compliant carbon budgets for developed countries imply full decarbonization of energy by 2035-40, necessitating a scale of change in physical infrastructure reminiscent of the post-Second World War Marshall Plan. This brings issues of values, measures of prosperity and socio-economic inequality to the fore.

• The stringency of Paris-compliant pathways severely limits the opportunity for inter-sectoral emissions trading. Consequently aviation, as with all sectors, will need to identify policies to reduce emissions to zero, directly or through the use of zero carbon fuels.

• The UK and Swedish governments’ emissions pathways imply a carbon budget of at least a factor of two greater than their fair contribution to delivering on the Paris Agreement’s 1.5-2°C commitment.

 is one of The University of Manchester’s - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships that are tackling some of the biggest questions facing the planet. #ResearchBeacons

New climate research has stated that urgent action on emissions from existing ships is the key to tackling shipping’s impact on climate change.

The shipping sector ‘can’t wait’ for new, low-carbon ships to enter its fleet if it is to cut CO₂ emissions in line with Paris Agreement targets, according to a University of Manchester study published today in the new journal .

Measures to cut shipping’s pollution tend to focus on new ships, but this new research shows that CO₂ emissions from existing ships will dominate the sector’s impact on the climate, and could even swallow up shipping’s entire safe carbon budget.

The researchers’ findings suggest that existing ships could use up the industry’s carbon budget before new ships are taken into account. Policies to cut shipping CO₂ must focus attention on decarbonising and retrofitting existing ships, rather than just rely on new, more efficient ships to achieve the necessary carbon reductions.

As ships are so long-lived, the “committed emissions” from journeys travelled during the rest of their lifespan, are higher than for other modes of transport. Without action, existing ships are expected to emit well over 100% of a Paris-compatible carbon budget.

There is room for optimism however. The research highlights the multiple ways that ships can cut their committed emissions, such as travelling at slower speeds, fitting new renewable rotor technologies, connecting to grid electricity while in port, and retrofitting other energy saving measures. Innovative projects, such as the 2018 retrofit installation of two 30-metre-tall Norsepower Flettner rotor sails on the Maersk Pelican ship, can help to cut these committed emissions.

But scientists now say time is of the essence; if implemented quickly and at scale, the shipping sector could still fairly contribute to the Paris climate agreement goals, but if not, other sectors will need to cut their emissions deeper and faster to compensate.

Professor Alice Larkin, Head of , The University of Manchester said: “The shipping industry continues to play a hugely important role in international trade and especially for our island nation, but this research highlights that the International Maritime Organisation’s current targets need to be substantially tightened to align with Paris goals.”

The new research was led by climate scientists at the Tyndall Centre, Researcher James Mason said: “This research highlights the key role existing ships play in tackling the climate crisis. We must push for quick action for these ships, whether through speed reductions or other innovative solutions such as wind propulsion.”

To date, committed emissions studies have focussed predominantly on the power sector, or on global analyses in which shipping is a small element, with assumptions of asset lifetimes extrapolated from other transport modes. This study analysed; new CO2, ship age and scrappage datasets covering the 11,000 ships included in the European Union’s new emissions monitoring scheme (EU MRV), to deliver original insights on the speed at which new and existing shipping infrastructure must be decarbonised.

Climate Change Lecturer at The University of Manchester, Dr John Broderick said: “Unlike in aviation, there are many different ways to decarbonise the shipping sector, but there must be much greater attention paid to retrofitting the existing fleet, before it’s too late to deliver on the net-zero target.”

Tyndall Centre researcher Simon Bullock said: “Shipping is generally a greener way to transport freight than roads or planes, but its impact is still very large. This research shows there is hope – shipping’s overall emissions could be dramatically reduced, if policy-makers act to cut the emissions from the existing fleet”.

Bullock, S., Mason, J., Broderick, J., Larkin, A. Shipping and the Paris climate agreement:a focus on committed emissions. 2, 5 (2020). 

Can you fit 6 kilograms into your school bag and lift it up? That’s the equivalent weight of greenhouse gas emissions caused by producing the food each person eats in one day, on average. 

A group of University-based researchers are sharing free online content for children to learn about how food contributes to climate change. Each week day in June they are putting out new materials aimed at 7 to 14 year olds, including videos, activity worksheets and interviews with experts. They will also be answering questions and showcasing the work sent in by children.

The team won a place at the Summer Science Exhibition 2019, and since then they have been spreading fun facts around the world, from Brazil to India. The programme is encouraging scientific creativity from home during a time when many pupils are unable to attend their schools due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The worksheets are available one week in advance, so schools can include them in their “learning from home” content, and at 12 noon Monday to Friday each day of June families can make and eat their lunch while chewing on some food for thought from the Take a Bite out of Climate Change team.

The video from the first day kicked off asking questions about how food compares with other contributions to climate change. It raised awareness that food contributes a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions and this can be reduced by eating more vegetables and beans as well as less meat and dairy.

Professor Sarah Bridle, The University of Manchester, is the Take a Bite out of Climate Change team lead and part of the partnership. “With COVID-19, we’re all thinking about food more than ever before, and we’re more aware than ever before about how dependent we humans are on the natural world” said Bridle. 

“We’ve had such fun over the past year talking with school students and other members of the public about the impact of food on climate change, and we wanted to bring something online, that people can easily do at home.

“These resources come at an ideal time for schools,” says Zoe Woffenden, a primary school teacher in Stockport, who has been advising on the project. “The children are asking lots of questions about climate change and what they can do about it, and it’s great to be able to connect them with experts from universities across the UK to consider how different foods contribute.”

Each week launches with a 3 minute video introducing members of the team and the theme for the week. The team has recorded videos talking through the worksheets, which will be available each Tuesday. Kids can learn from interviews with experts on Wednesdays. On Thursdays, the team will be answering questions sent in via Twitter, Instagram and email, and Fridays will be a showcase of what people came up with at home.

“In this first week, we’re putting the climate impact of food in the context of other emissions and comparing them to driving a petrol car,” says Bridle. “Before heading over to the farm to learn about emissions from animals and fertilizer in the second week. Then in week 3, we’ll talk about transporting food by ship and air, as well as packaging. Finally, we’ll focus on decisions we make at home about what to eat, and food waste, in the last week of June.” 

Throughout the month you’ll hear from a range of different scientists who are passionate about the potential for making the world a better place through learning and sharing information on food and climate change. “I changed my career direction from astrophysics to this topic because, when we stop burning fossil fuels, food will be the biggest contributor to climate change” says Bridle. “I love talking with people about it because it’s such a lightbulb moment, when people realise there’s so much they can do to make a difference. This period of home-learning is a fantastic opportunity to engage with children, who are the future of our planet, and hopefully stimulate them to discuss with their families how to make a better future for everyone.”

“Changing our diets is important from so many perspectives.’’ says Prof Tim Benton, who is Research Director for emerging risks at The Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House in London. “In 2019, the School Strikes for Climate had a major role in raising the priority of climate change with world leaders, meanwhile COVID-19 has created a huge shock, but is an example of the sort of problem climate change will throw at us increasingly in the years ahead. As we invest in recovering from COVID-19 we must introduce measures to cut emissions and incentivise climate-friendly behaviours, including around food choices. To achieve that, we need the public demanding changes from politicians, which is where projects like this one are so important.”

Find out more and sign up to the Take a Bite out of Climate Change mailing list here:  

Take a Bite out of Climate Change has been funded and supported by The University of Manchester, N8 AgriFood, the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s (STFC) Food Network+, and a Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund award. The team works in partnership with N8 AgriFood, LEAP, the LSHTM Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health.

The University of Manchester has announced that it will end investments in fossil fuel reserve and extraction companies by 2022, and ‘decarbonise’ all investments by 2038.

The changes to the University’s go further than other fossil fuel divestment programmes as they include a commitment to reduce the carbon intensity of the overall investment portfolio by 30% by 2022, and then to move as quickly as possible to net zero by, at latest, 2038.

Carbon intensity is a measure of carbon efficiency, in which the total amount of carbon dioxide emission by a company divided by the level of its activity (as measured in value of their sales). The University will redirect its share investments from carbon-intensive companies to companies that are more carbon efficient (emit less carbon for their level of activity) and so encouraging the transition to a low carbon economy.

The changes to the Policy have been agreed after a wide consultation with staff, students and alumni earlier in the year which attracted nearly 600 responses. The Policy was developed in consultation with the University’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and the Students’ Union.

Vice-President for Social Responsibility, Professor Nalin Thakkar said: “We will stop investing in companies that hold fossil fuel reserves or are involved in extraction by 2022.

“However, these account for only 3-5% of our total investments. Since most CO₂ emissions do not arise from the direct activity of fossil fuel companies, but through the use of fossil fuels by others, we will also take the more ambitious step to shift our investments to carbon efficient companies. We believe this is a more radical, comprehensive and justified approach than disinvestment based on fossil fuel extraction alone.”

91ֱ�� is the top ranked UK university in the Times Higher Education (THE) University Impact Rankings. Overall, it is ranked second in Europe and eighth globally for its social and environmental impact across its full range of functions, as measured against the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

In 2019 the University supported the UK Government’s declaration of the climate emergency and signed up to be part of Greater 91ֱ��’s plastic free pledge and the city of Manchester’s zero-carbon target, which was also developed by the 91ֱ�� Tyndall Centre.

Professor Thakkar added: “We know these issues are important to our staff, students and alumni, and bringing benefit to society and the environment is at the heart of our University’s purpose. Although these are difficult times, through our research and teaching, and the ways in which we invest for our future, we can play a crucial role in an environmentally sustainable recovery from the pandemic.”

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “I am delighted that after lengthy consultation and discussions, we can now launch our ambitious new investment policy and I am very grateful to all who have worked so hard on this.”

A new mass study of people living with chronic pain in the UK has demonstrated the links between pain and certain atmospheric weather conditions.

Weather systems in the UK could cause chronic pain suffers to experience more or less pain on certain days as a result of certain pressure patterns and accompanying rain, humidity, and temperature caused by movements in the jet stream, according to new research published in the .

To better characterise which weather conditions most affect pain, a group of University of Manchester–based researchers and their collaborators, funded by Versus Arthritis, conducted a 15-month long study with over 13,000 UK residents living with chronic-pain conditions.

In this study called , the participants recorded their daily pain intensity within an app on their smartphones. The GPS location of the phone would then link to the weather data. The team’s previous work used a statistical approach to examining the difference in local weather between days where individuals had an increase in pain over the previous day versus days they did not have such a pain event.

In this new study, the team analysed the data across all of the UK as a meteorologist would do. The researchers ranked all days in the study by the percentage of people responding who recorded a pain event. The most painful days had 23% of participants reporting an increase in pain, and the least painful days had 10% of participants reporting an increase in pain.

The researchers took the 45 days at the top of the ranking (the top 10% of all study days) and averaged the weather conditions on those days to determine the weather patterns present when the most number of people were in pain. They did the same for the 45 days where the least number of people reported pain (bottom 10%).

These research results show for the first time the weather patterns on days with a large number of people reporting pain, compared to days with a low number of people reporting pain. On the most painful days, the jet stream was aimed right at the UK, with below-normal (or low) pressure over the UK. The humidity and precipitation rate were both above normal, and winds were stronger. In contrast, on the least painful days, the jet stream tended to blow north of the UK, bringing above-normal (or high) pressure to the UK. The humidity and precipitation rate were both below normal, and winds were weaker.

The new research was led by Professor David Schultz, , The University of Manchester, and is a collaboration with the Cloudy With a Chance of Pain team led by Professor Will Dixon. Prof Schultz has now been awarded the 2020 European Meteorological Society S. W. Tromp Foundation award for “Outstanding Achievement in Biometeorology” for this research paper.

“Over 2400 years ago, Hippocrates wrote that different wind directions could bring better or worse health to individuals. said Prof Dixon. “The belief by people living with long-term pain conditions, such as arthritis, that their pain is affected by the weather remains prevalent today, with about 75% of people with chronic pain believing this to be true. Yet, there is disagreement over what weather condition makes their pain worse.”

Prof. Schultz added, “Part of the reason for this lack of consensus is that previous researchers have treated the different measures of the weather such as pressure, temperature, humidity separately, which assumes that one could vary the temperature while holding all of the other weather measures fixed. Of course, the real atmosphere does not behave like this, as all the variables are changing simultaneously. A simple analysis clearly won't do to get at understanding how weather affects pain.”

This research confirms and expands on previous research from the 91ֱ�� researchers. Because this study is the largest in terms of both duration and number of participants, it allows greater confidence in the results. Although not everyone believes in the link between weather and pain, the results of this project should give comfort and support to those who have claimed that the weather affects their pain, but have been dismissed. Finally, this research also begins to shed light on the environmental conditions that modulate pain, insight that might be explored further for improving the treatment, management, and forecasting of pain.

The study, 'Weather patterns associated with pain in chronic-pain sufferers' can be accessed in the .

Traffic pollution for most parts of the UK is plummeting thanks to the COVID-19 lockdown but more urban ozone – a dangerous air pollutant which can cause airway inflammation in humans - is probably being generated, say experts from The University of Manchester.

The analysis was led by Hugh Coe, Professor of Atmospheric Composition, plus air pollution expert Dr James Allan from 91ֱ��’s Department of . Their findings have been submitted in response to a call for evidence from the government’s (Defra).

According to 91ֱ�� research, levels of nitrogen oxides have shown reduction in most locations in the UK during mid-March and April when lockdown has been in full force – but the level of decline ranges from of 20 to 80 percent.

91ֱ��’s city centre, for example, has seen a 70 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxides.

This drop can be attributed to the recent impact to traffic on the nation’s roads, either private cars or public transport, as citizens were advised to stay at home to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

“However, there is considerable site-to-site variability with some locations showing far less reduction than others,” said Professor Coe. “In fact, a small number of sites have even shown a modest increase, for example in parts of Edinburgh.

“Whether this is due to changes in the number or type of vehicles now travelling in that particular area, changes in driving patterns or other causes is not clear but the reductions are certainly not uniform.”

For example, levels of nitrogen oxides fall less in rural areas than urban areas; and they are higher in the morning than compared to later in the day. Unlike NO2, there was no evidence of a decrease in PM2.5 - tiny particulates that can make the air appear hazy.

“While these particle are produced by vehicles, they are also known to originate from domestic wood burning and chemical reactions involving emissions from industry and agriculture, so there has been no significant improvement in air quality in that regard,” said Professor Coe.

At the same time, the 91ֱ�� team speculate that photochemical production of ozone may become more important in urban areas during summertime in these low NOx conditions.

This is an important finding because while ozone is extremely important for screening harmful solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation when present higher up in the atmosphere - it can be a dangerous air pollutant at the Earth's surface. Increasing surface ozone above natural levels is harmful to humans, plants, and other living systems because ozone reacts strongly to destroy or alter many biological molecules.

“Ozone is a strong oxidant and induces a range of health effects such as throat irritation and airway inflammation. It can reduce lung function and as a result worsens diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. In addition to human health impacts, ozone reduces plant growth and hence agricultural yields and chemically ages a wide range of polymers,” explained Professor Coe

He added: “Observations in cities across the UK show marked decreases in nitrogen oxides but with corresponding increases in ozone during lockdown.”

As nitrogen oxides reduce then photochemical production may well become more efficient and can lead to higher ozone concentrations in summertime as higher temperatures increase emissions of biogenic hydrocarbon from natural sources such as trees. These biogenic hydrocarbons significantly affect urban ozone levels.

As a result of the 91ֱ�� research government and local authorities will need to be alert to the potential increase in urban ozone during lockdown.

The 91ֱ�� team used the government’s Automatic Urban and Rural Network (AURN) to help gather their nationwide data and the University’s own 91ֱ�� Air Quality Supersite (MAQS), located in Fallowfield on the University campus. The work is carried out through the 91ֱ�� Environment Research Institute, which has a theme dedicated to Pollution, Human Health and Wellbeing.

The AURN is the UK's largest automatic monitoring network and it includes automatic air quality monitoring stations measuring oxides of nitrogen (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (including PM10, PM2.5).

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) is a generic term that includes nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and these gases contribute to air pollution, including the formation of smog and acid rain, as well as affecting tropospheric ozone.

An international research project has revealed the highest levels of microplastic ever recorded on the seafloor, with up to 1.9 million pieces in a thin layer covering just one square metre.

Over 10 million tons of plastic waste enters the oceans each year. Floating plastic waste at sea has caught the public’s interest thanks to the ‘Blue Planet Effect’ seeing moves to discourage the use of plastic drinking straws and carrier bags. Yet such accumulations account for less than 1% of the plastic that enters the world’s oceans.

The missing 99% is instead thought to occur in the deep ocean, but until now it has been unclear where it actually ended up. Published this week in the journal , the research conducted by; The University of Manchester, National Oceanography Centre (UK), University of Bremen (Germany), IFREMER (France) and Durham University (UK) showed how deep-sea currents act as conveyor belts, transporting tiny plastic fragments and fibres across the seafloor.

These currents can concentrate microplastics within huge sediment accumulations, which they termed ‘microplastic hotspots’. These hotspots appear to be the deep-sea equivalents of the so-called ‘garbage patches’ formed by currents on the ocean surface.

The lead author of the study, Dr Ian Kane of The University of Manchester said: “Almost everybody has heard of the infamous ocean ‘garbage patches’ of floating plastic, but we were shocked at the high concentrations of microplastics we found in the deep-seafloor.

“We discovered that microplastics are not uniformly distributed across the study area; instead they are distributed by powerful seafloor currents which concentrate them in certain areas.”

Microplastics on the seafloor are mainly comprised of fibres from textiles and clothing. These are not effectively filtered out in domestic waste water treatment plants, and easily enter rivers and oceans.

In the ocean they either settle out slowly, or can be transported rapidly by episodic turbidity currents – powerful underwater avalanches – that travel down submarine canyons to the deep seafloor (see the group’s earlier research in ).

Once in the deep sea, microplastics are readily picked up and carried by continuously flowing seafloor currents (‘bottom currents’) that can preferentially concentrate fibres and fragments within large drifts of sediment.

These deep ocean currents also carry oxygenated water and nutrients, meaning that seafloor microplastic hotspots can also house important ecosystems that can consume or absorb the microplastics. This study provides the first direct link between the behaviour of these currents and the concentrations of seafloor microplastics and the findings will help to predict the locations of other deep-sea microplastic hotspots and direct research into the impact of microplastics on marine life.

The team collected sediment samples from the seafloor of the Tyrrhenian Sea (part of the Mediterranean Sea) and combined these with calibrated models of deep ocean currents and detailed mapping of the seafloor. In the laboratory, the microplastics were separated from sediment, counted under the microscope, and further analysed using infra-red spectroscopy to determine the plastic types. Using this information the team were able to show how ocean currents controlled the distribution of microplastics on the seafloor.

Dr Mike Clare of the , who was a co-lead on the research, stated: “Our study has shown how detailed studies of seafloor currents can help us to connect microplastic transport pathways in the deep-sea and find the ‘missing’ microplastics. The results highlight the need for policy interventions to limit the future flow of plastics into natural environments and minimise impacts on ocean ecosystems.”

Dr Florian Pohl, Department of Earth Sciences, , said: “It’s unfortunate, but plastic has become a new type of sediment particle, which is distributed across the seafloor together with sand, mud and nutrients. Thus, sediment-transport processes such as seafloor currents will concentrate plastic particles in certain locations on the seafloor, as demonstrated by our research.”

The paper is published in , via First Release, (the article will appear in print at a later date). Citation: Kane et al. (2020) Seafloor microplastic hotspots controlled by deep-sea circulation.

The University of Manchester has again ranked as the top higher education institution in the country for its social and environmental impact across its full range of functions.

The University has also been rated the second in Europe and eighth globally. These assessments come from this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) .

91ֱ�� is competing with over 800 universities from around the world, an increase of 301 participating institutions when compared to the inaugural league table, last year.

In total, 857 universities from 89 countries and regions across six continents have been ranked for at least one SDG and 766 are included in the overall ranking.

The THE’s Impact Ranking Index is based on the local, national and international impact of the University’s education, research, operations and public engagement activity, using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) as a framework. It is the first university ranking to use these criteria, rather than traditional metrics, such as reputation and research prestige.

This includes ways in which the University is addressing “SDG3 Good Health and Wellbeing” which assesses the contribution of universities to tackling communicable diseases such as COVID-19 and “SDG17 Partnerships for the Goals”, which measures cross-national collaboration and coordination in research and education.

The 17 SDGs came into effect in 2016 and have the support of 193 Member States of the United Nations. They are the UN’s call to action to end global poverty and protect the planet, ensuring all people enjoy peace, prosperity and good health. These include challenges such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, disease, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities.

Dr Julian Skyrme, Director of Social Responsibility, said: “It’s really pleasing that we’ve maintained our position as the top university in the UK for social and environmental impact, despite more universities than ever entering the ranking.”

“The SDGs were developed to combat some of the most pressing challenges facing the world and its population. These rankings put us at the forefront of finding solutions to remedy these problems – be that climate change, poverty or contemporary challenges such as COVID-19”.

Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility, added: “Being recognised as a global top 10 university reflects the amazing work of our whole university community – our researchers, our teaching staff, professional and cultural institution staff, students and graduates and really enhances our global reputation as a leader on social responsibility and impact.”

Social responsibility is one of the University’s three core strategic goals and addressing global inequalities is one of the University’s priority research beacons.

Phil Baty, Chief Knowledge Officer at THE, commented: "We believe that universities are our greatest hope of solving some of the world’s biggest challenges, and THE’s Impact Rankings bring this to light like never before. Unlike many traditional rankings, participation is just as important as overall position, with institutions actively demonstrating how seriously they take their role in achieving a sustainable world. The results reveal how many are putting this at the heart of their missions."

At The University of Manchester, our people are working together and with partners from across society to understand coronavirus (COVID-19) and its wide-ranging impacts on our lives.  to support the University’s response to coronavirus or visit the University’s  to lend a helping hand.