Latest news
All the latest news and updates from Sustainable Futures.
-
Urban canals can cut temperatures by more than 2°C during heatwaves
10 Aug 2026
Study finds waterways could play an important role in protecting people from extreme heat
Read more
-
Indoor air quality: heat and wildfire smoke leave households with hard choices, find researchers
6 Aug 2026
Being inside with the windows closed does not completely protect you from the smoke caused by wildfires, early findings by University of Manchester ...
Read more
-
Harvesting rainwater from rooftops could help cities stay cool and cut the number of heatwave days
5 Aug 2026
Collecting rainwater from rooftops and using it to spray buildings during hot weather could help cities cut air conditioning use, lower urban ...
Read more
-
Mechanical recycling contamination risks the circular plastics economy, say Manchester researchers, but quality control analytics can help.
3 Aug 2026
A study from The University of Manchester into the effects of the cross-contamination of polymers on the outcome of mechanically recycling plastics ...
Read more
-
Researchers uncover history of giant east Himalayan glacier for the first time
31 Jul 2026
Rise and fall of one of the lowest glaciers documented in High Mountain Asia is reconstructed using ultra-sensitive dating techniques
Read more
-
Local Power Plan must go further in addressing energy poverty, researchers argue
27 Jul 2026
The government’s Local Power Plan must go further in addressing energy poverty and upskilling communities, argues The University of Manchester’s ...
Read more
-
Delivering Manchester 2035 – Interdisciplinary Pump Priming Awards Projects Announced
17 Jul 2026
University Research Committee is pleased to announce the recipients of the Interdisciplinary Pump Priming Awards, established to support new ...
Read more
-
Manchester air quality data helps reveal growing health and energy risks from Saharan dust
15 Jul 2026
Data collected at The University of Manchester's Air Quality Supersite has contributed to a major international study showing that increasing amounts ...
Read more
-
New project to support fairer mangrove restoration in Malaysia
13 Jul 2026
A new international research project led by The University of Manchester supported by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaysia ...
Read more
-
Cheaper catalytic system turns captured carbon into ethanol
7 Jul 2026
Researchers have developed a catalyst system that converts methanol, carbon dioxide and hydrogen into ethanol using stable, commercially available ...
Read more
-
Manchester-led research shows how the cultural sector can accelerate city climate action in cities
7 Jul 2026
Liverpool’s year as the first UN Climate Change Accelerator City has shown that the cultural sector can be a powerful driver of climate action, but ...
Read more
-
University of Manchester experts give evidence to MPs on the environmental impact of AI and data centres
1 Jul 2026
Researchers from The University of Manchester are advising Parliament on the growing energy and environmental impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) ...
Read more
-
Manchester researchers uncover how to turn plant waste into valuable chemicals more efficiently
1 Jul 2026
Researchers at The University of Manchester in collaboration with Hebei University of Technology have identified how a new class of catalyst can break...
Read more
-
University of Manchester research supports major WHO update on global air pollution
30 Jun 2026
A researcher from The University of Manchester has contributed to a major World Health Organization (WHO) update revealing that global progress on ...
Read more
-
Concrete waste from nuclear sites could help lock away radioactive strontium for the long term
25 Jun 2026
New research shows concrete can react and become a long‑term sink for strontium-90, particularly when exposed to air or treated with phosphate. This...
Read more
-
Plasma approach keeps catalysts working for longer in hydrogen production
24 Jun 2026
Manchester scientists have shown how a plasma-based approach, using non thermal plasma can prevent catalyst deactivation in a key hydrogen production ...
Read more
-
University of Manchester ranked world's number one university for sustainability impact
23 Jun 2026
The University of Manchester has been ranked first in the world for progress towards the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the ...
Read more
-
Natural symbiosis: how plants and microbes share vital nutrients in fragile ecosystems
23 Jun 2026
Researchers at The University of Manchester have uncovered how plants and soil microbes divide up nitrogen in alpine ecosystems, helping explain how ...
Read more
-
MIB researcher awarded BBSRC fellowship to advance carbon‑efficient biomanufacturing
22 Jun 2026
Dr Micaela Chacón, a post-doctoral researcher at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) has been awarded a prestigious fellowship from the ...
Read more
-
UK urged to learn from EU deforestation law as study reveals global beef trade challenges
19 Jun 2026
The UK could face significant challenges if it follows the European Union's lead and introduces tougher restrictions on imports linked to ...
Read more
-
University of Manchester researchers recognised with Royal Society of Chemistry Horizon Prize
18 Jun 2026
Researchers from The University of Manchester have been recognised as part of an international team awarded a Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) Horizon...
Read more
-
University of Manchester plays leading role in £50m Local Innovation Partnerships Funding for Greater Manchester
17 Jun 2026
The University of Manchester, working with partners across the Greater Manchester region and beyond, has played a leading role in securing £50m ...
Read more
-
UK social housing design must change to suit changing climate demands, say researchers
16 Jun 2026
A study carried out by researchers at the University of Manchester, has found that future climate change will see a clear shift towards summer cooling...
Read more
-
Experts issue climate warning ahead of expanded FIFA World Cup
8 Jun 2026
The 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup could become the ‘most polluting ever’, according to a new report examining football’s relationship with climate...
Read more
-
Manchester professor named one of UK’s most influential environmental academics
5 Jun 2026
The University of Manchester’s Professor Jamie Woodward has been recognised as one of the UK’s ten most influential environmental academics for a ...
Read more
-
Fungus threatens food and human health, researchers argue
5 Jun 2026
A looming public health crisis may be spreading from Britain’s fields to its hospitals, a experts -which include University of Manchester ...
Read more
-
India gained 2.1 million hectares of dry woodland in a decade, major study finds
5 Jun 2026
India gained around 2.1 million hectares of tropical dry woodland between 2014 and 2024 - an area larger than Wales - according to a major new study ...
Read more
-
A dangerous dam‑building race is threatening South Asia’s shared rivers
29 May 2026
Bangladesh has just approved one of the largest river engineering projects its history: the Padma Barrage, a vast river-control project intended to ...
Read more
-
Abandoned oil and gas wells could help cut emissions, but policy support is needed, new study finds
28 May 2026
Repurposing old oil and gas wells for geothermal power could significantly reduce environmental harm and unlock cleaner energy from existing ...
Read more
-
Experts use AI and satellite images to reveal vast damage to critical Amazon buffer zone
26 May 2026
An international team of scientists has used artificial intelligence and 35 years of satellite data to uncover the shocking scale of environmental ...
Read more
-
Manchester researchers secure £1.3m to transform recycling of complex waste
26 May 2026
The University of Manchester has been awarded over £1.3 million to develop technologies that could recover valuable materials from hard-to-recycle ...
Read more
-
Symposium explores belonging and sustainability on a changing planet
19 May 2026
Staff and students from across The University of Manchester came together on 8 May 2026 for Convivial Futures: Living well together on a ...
Read more
-
The Pennine hills are full of holes – here’s how they’re helping fight climate change
19 May 2026
Thousands of holes are appearing in the Pennine hills, as part of efforts to improve carbon storage by restoring damaged peatland.
Read more
-
Short exposures to common air pollutants shown to have distinct impacts on lung function and brain activity
19 May 2026
New research by a collaboration of UK‑based scientists has revealed that common indoor and outdoor air pollutants can alter both brain and ...
Read more
-
New research reveals rapid methane release mechanism at the front of retreating ice sheets
14 May 2026
An international team of scientists has discovered that methane hydrates beneath the northwest Greenland continental shelf became rapidly destabilised...
Read more
-
Climate-ready countries attracting more international students, major study finds
12 May 2026
Countries that are better prepared for climate change are becoming more attractive to international students while more vulnerable nations are losing ...
Read more
-
Long-term study shows Manchester “sponge park” is still boosting health and wellbeing five years on
12 May 2026
A major study by researchers at The University of Manchester has found that transforming a neglected park in West Gorton led to lasting increases in ...
Read more
-
Making a Difference Awards 2026 – celebrating excellence in social responsibility
7 May 2026
On Wednesday, 6 May, the University of Manchester hosted its annual Making a Difference Awards ceremony to recognise and celebrate the inspiring ...
Read more
-
The University of Manchester hosts first Geothermal Energy Symposium to explore low carbon heat opportunities
30 Apr 2026
The University of Manchester hosted its first Geothermal Energy Symposium last month, bringing together researchers, policymakers, industry ...
Read more
-
Manchester engineers boost sustainable acrylic acid production using next‑generation membrane reactor
23 Apr 2026
Researchers at The University of Manchester have developed a high‑performance membrane reactor that significantly improves the production of acrylic...
Read more
-
Global appetite for beef is driving Amazon deforestation, new study finds
22 Apr 2026
A major international study involving researchers from The University of Manchester has found that rising global demand for beef is a key force behind...
Read more
-
Hot spring microbiomes could transform industrial CO2 waste into valuable products, Manchester researchers find
20 Apr 2026
Researchers at The University of Manchester have shown that microbial communities from terrestrial hot springs could be harnessed to convert ...
Read more
-
The ICAM Renews Collaboration Framework Agreement with Expanded Scope
15 Apr 2026
The International Centre for Advanced Materials (ICAM) is pleased to announce the extension of its well-established academic–industry collaboration ...
Read more
-
Drug resistant fungi warning
15 Apr 2026
An international group of scientists has warned that drug‑resistant fungi are spreading fast and putting vulnerable patients at growing risk.
Read more
-
Scientists develop fluorescent technique that reveals hidden scale of microfibre pollution from our clothes
13 Apr 2026
Pollution released from our textiles is smaller and more irregular in shape than previously thought, according to new research led by The ...
Read more
-
Scientists develop a cheaper and more sustainable way to manufacture breakthrough HIV drug Lenacapavir
11 Apr 2026
With financial support from the Gates Foundation, researchers at the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology (MIB) have used engineering biology – an ...
Read more
-
Manchester Museum plans major redevelopment to support globally-significant amphibian conservation work
10 Apr 2026
Manchester Museum, part of The University of Manchester, is planning a major redevelopment of its much-loved Vivarium, thanks to a grant of £200,000 ...
Read more
-
Heat from traffic is contributing to rise in city temperatures, new study finds
8 Apr 2026
Scientists at The University of Manchester have developed a new way to measure how traffic contributes to rising urban temperatures, revealing that ...
Read more
-
AI study reveals England’s productivity divide is far more complex than North-South
1 Apr 2026
Researchers at The University of Manchester have used artificial intelligence to uncover a complex picture behind England’s long-running ...
Read more
-
£30 million building refurbishment announced
1 Apr 2026
Psychology students studying at Manchester from 2027 are to benefit from a £30 million refurbishment to the Zochonis building and facilities.
Read more