Latest news

All the latest news and updates from Sustainable Futures.

• 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 ...

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• 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 ...

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• ‘The Plastic Divide’ - how carrier bag bans impact the poorest communities

  24 Feb 2026

  A new study from The University of Manchester has shed light on an unexpected consequence of plastic bag bans in East Africa, and why well-intentioned...

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• Removing livestock from grasslands could compromise long-term soil carbon storage, study finds

  2 Feb 2026

  Removing sheep and other livestock entirely from upland grasslands – a strategy often promoted as a way to boost carbon storage and tackle climate ...

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• Greater Manchester universities unite to drive nature recovery at IPBES-12 event

  27 Jan 2026

  The 12th Plenary of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES-12) will be hosted in Manchester this ...

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• UN Environment Assembly Reaffirms Commitment to Multilateral Action for a Resilient Planet

  15 Jan 2026

  More than 6,000 participants from 186 countries gathered at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi for the week-long UN ...

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• Interdisciplinarity&: 2026 Series

  7 Jan 2026

  To discover how we can create a collaborative and supportive environment for interdisciplinary research the series aims to:Discuss the challenges of ...

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• Manchester Institute of Biotechnology welcomes three new professors, driving innovation in chemical and biological sciences

  17 Dec 2025

  Gavin J Miller – Professor of Chemical BiologyGavin joined MIB in October 2025 as Professor of Chemical Biology. His research focuses on ...

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• Interdisciplinary research funding – 2026 call details

  16 Dec 2025

  In line with the University’s ambition to accelerate the path from research excellence to impact and be known for outstanding interdisciplinary ...

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• New report reveals Greater Manchester tourism’s 2.5 million tonne carbon footprint and sets path to carbon neutrality

  24 Nov 2025

  Tourism in Greater Manchester generated around 2.5 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent in 2023, with most emissions linked to how visitors travel to ...

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• Cutting energy demand could be the cheapest, most efficient route to net zero, new research says

  20 Nov 2025

  Reducing the UK’s energy demand could help the country reach its net zero target faster and at half the cost compared to relying mainly on ...

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• University of Manchester retains global top 10 spot for sustainability in QS Rankings

  18 Nov 2025

  The University of Manchester has been recognised among the world’s most sustainability-driven institutions, retaining a global top 10 position in ...

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• Why China’s central bank is quietly leading the world on climate action

  12 Nov 2025

  While Western central banks such as the Bank of England, the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve often talk about the dangers of climate ...

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• Why even pro-climate action organisations may pull in different directions

  6 Nov 2025

  This year’s UN climate summit (Cop30) in Belém, Brazil, begins with a familiar dilemma: how can we tackle a highly political, long-term problem ...

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• How simply turning up the heat could transform chemical manufacturing

  6 Nov 2025

  Scientists have developed a simple, low-cost method to drive key chemical reactions, which could make large-scale drug manufacturing, faster, more ...

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• University of Manchester awarded £3m to transform irrigation monitoring in Sub-Saharan Africa

  23 Sep 2025

  The Manchester Environmental Research Institute (MERI) at The University of Manchester has launched a new four-year programme that will transform how ...

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• Manchester expert collaborates on major study evaluating active travel improvements

  6 Aug 2025

  An expert from The University of Manchester has played a key role in a new research study evaluating the impact of active travel infrastructure ...

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• New insights into the immune system’s crucial role in wound healing revealed

  22 Jul 2025

  An enzyme expressed by skin cells could be helpful in the management of non-healing skin wounds and ulcers, according to research by University of ...

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• Geography professor delivers impactful Westminster talk on microplastics

  17 Jul 2025

  Jamie Woodward, Professor of Physical Geography at The University of Manchester, recently addressed key stakeholders at Westminster to speak about the...

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