Newsroom University of Swagֱ��

Cumbria coal mine shows planning is next battleground in UK climate policy

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:06:10 +0100

The UK’s new Labour government has made a bold decision. The new minister for local government, Angela Rayner, has announced that the government would for a new coal mine near Whitehaven in Cumbria, which had been approved two years ago by the then Conservative government.

Rayner’s intervention follows a recent making it harder for new sites of fossil fuel extraction to be approved. Pointing to the implications of the court’s decision, she argued that there had been an “error in law” when Michael Gove, the minister at the time, had given the coal mine the go ahead in 2022.

The mine’s developers still want to go ahead, and a legal challenge by environmental campaigners is being , with a ruling expected later this summer. But, with its decision to withdraw its defence, the government has confirmed that it understands the need to decisively turn away from new fossil fuel extraction. This is good news.

But to rise to the challenge, the government must do much more. It must now show it understands what it means to decisively put the UK on a path towards clean energy while still recognising the importance of economic and social justice.

One of Keir Starmer’s pledges prior to becoming prime minister was to reform planning. He used eye-catching language, promising to the existing planning system to take out (those who say: “not in my back yard”) ostensibly standing in the way of progress.

In Cumbria, the nimbys have a point

But there is an unfortunate irony in how Starmer’s position relates to the Cumbria mine. In Cumbria the ostensible were environmental campaigners pointing out that the mine would add into the atmosphere a year if it got the go ahead. They rightly argued that this would be indefensible in the middle of a climate crisis caused by greenhouse gas emissions. Without their intervention, the mine might already be in operation.

The planning system doesn’t need destroying, as Starmer’s language would suggest. As one of us (Gareth Fearn) , the challenge centres instead on revitalising planning as a public service, such that a new lease of life can be breathed into it.

In recent years, the UK’s planning system has been hollowed out due to austerity. Funding for local government fell by and planning departments shrunk as their work was to private-sector consultants. Meanwhile, the amount of work these departments have been expected to do has, if anything, increased.

This is an untenable situation. To achieve a rapid, just transition the planning system needs to be properly supported so that it can proactively steer the net zero transition, and communities can have a real say on development in their areas.

The alternative is that local areas are left at the mercy of speculative developers who will invest in what is most profitable, rather than what most effectively meets public needs. In a context where green industry often offers less return on capital than or high-end real estate, a deregulatory approach risks forcing local areas to choose between high-carbon speculative development or no development at all, as had happened in Cumbria.

Green policies, resources and community power

We want to see Labour take three steps to get the country on the right path. First, the new government must draw a much clearer connection between decarbonisation and planning policy when it this summer. This would remove ambiguities about new fossil fuel extraction and would mean putting in place strong policies for new, green industries like the government has already done with .

Second, Labour desperately needs to provide more resources to local government so councils and regional mayors can use in house planning expertise, rather than relying on expensive, private-sector consultants. This is at odds with chancellor Rachel Reeves’ approach, which seems to covertly embrace and is reliant on the finance and preferences of the assembled to deliver infrastructure with little public control or ownership.

Third, and most importantly, communities need to be empowered to make genuine choices between alternatives. This is especially important for areas like Cumbria, with its long history of coal mining, or Aberdeen with its offshore oil, where green alternatives are as not as culturally embedded as carbon-intensive industries.

Coal in Cumbria has more than economic value. As one of us (Pancho Lewis) argued in , coal is folded into the area’s history and continues to signal a desirable future for many people. This isn’t because people aren’t concerned about climate change. They are. It’s because coal is a familiar industry which delivered “proper”, reliable jobs in the past and, in the context of proposals for a new mine, promised to continue to do so in the years ahead.

The government must respond by working hand in glove with communities to shape a net zero future that is meaningful to them. This is about delivering reliable jobs that people need and rolling out industry which can provide continuity with the past. Doing this requires forward planning and creative thinking, so that the net zero transition .

The new Labour government’s decision to oppose the mine is good news. But for the energy transition to be successful there need to be opportunities in new industries around the country. This requires a public planning system which is back on its feet and for the public to have meaningful stakes in new projects from local to national government. Labour must rise to the moment.

, Leverhulme Early Career Fellow, and , Researcher, Lancaster Environment Centre,

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

Winners of the National Trust's first 'Sky Gardening Challenge' in Swagֱ�� announced

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 12:30:25 +0100

The winning entries to the National Trust’s first ever Sky Gardening Challenge were announced on Thursday 25 July at a private garden party hosted at Castlefield Viaduct.

The pilot competition was open to residents of five neighbourhoods across Greater Swagֱ��: First Choice Homes Oldham Eldon Street and Barker Street (Oldham); Angel Gardens (Swagֱ��); Bentley House Estate (Hulme), and Middlewood Locks and New Maker Yards (Salford). Over 100 residents signed up to take part in the Challenge this summer, which aimed to get people greening up their balconies and window boxes in the hope of improving people’s connection to nature.

The challenge was themed around five categories:

Celebrate cultural heritage;
In the shade;
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle;
Wild about Wildlife;
Urban Farming.

People who signed up in April and May received freebies including seeds, peat-free compost, access to free workshops and socials and invaluable advice from the judges and National Trust gardeners along the way. Contestants shared their gardening journey with the National Trust in June, before a special panel of judges visited the homes of shortlisted entrants to review their progress, and select the four winners, and four runners up.

Residents were also offered the opportunity to take part in a study carried out by researchers in the Department of Geography at Swagֱ�� (, Andy Speak, , and ) which aims to understand the impact of balcony greening on people’s health and wellbeing, and on nature. As well as surveying contestants before and after greening their balconies, the University offered some residents the chance to install air quality and temperature sensors on their balconies, to monitor the environmental impact of balcony greening.

There were four top-prize winners:

Jo Magee in the ‘Celebrate Cultural Heritage’ category
Dean Jackson in the ‘In the Shade’ category
Lauren Sheasby in the ‘Urban Farming’ category and
Jack Selman in the ‘Wild about Wildlife’ category.

Winners each received £200 of gardening goodies as donated by Blue Diamond Garden Centres and CJ Wildlife.

Chloe Parker, customer of First Choice Homes Oldham, said: “Me and my 5 year old son Clayne joined the challenge as he loves nature and wanted to get involved, we’ve planted a number of seeds over 5/6 planters which are on our balcony wall. We’re both very new to this so there has been a lot of trial and error and we’ve realised nasturtiums and cornflower grows best in our space.”

Not only has this pilot encouraged people to green up their balconies, there has been evidence that it has helped to improve mental health too. One entrant commented: “The workshops and socials helped me get started and motivated me to do it as I have had lots of health problems and I had lost the will to do it. I felt very tired at first but now I can spend an hour or so everyday day and I love sitting in my garden listening the birds or even just the wind blowing through the trees.” Another said; “It’s like a pocket of peace in a busy town centre, a little piece of the countryside.”

The Sky Gardening Challenge was judged by gardening experts including Cloud Gardener, whose work featured in the RHS Urban Show; Victoria Holden, founder of Northern Lily, a social enterprise based in Oldham that promotes wildlife friendly gardening; Liz Dalby-Webb, Head Gardener at social enterprise Plant MCR; Kath Gavin, Sustainability Coordinator at Hulme Community Garden Centre; and Robyn Booth, National Trust gardener and author of balcony gardening book GROW.

An ancient lake supported human life in the Namib Sand Sea, say experts

Wed, 31 Jul 2024 11:22:07 +0100

, and ,

Desert regions in and the have been well studied by archaeologists as the and as routes of along “”. The archaeology of southern Africa’s west coast desert belt has not received the same attention.

The Namib Sand Sea, part of the Namib Desert, is on the west coast of Namibia. It is a hyperarid landscape of towering dunes, occupying about 34,000km² between the towns of Lüderitz in the south and Walvis Bay in the north. However, there are clues that this environment was not always so dry and inhospitable, suggesting that there is more to be learnt about ancient human life here.

We are part of an interdisciplinary research team of physical geographers, archaeologists and geospatial scientists, interested in the long-term history of deserts and human-environmental interactions.

Our provides a timeframe for the presence of a small freshwater lake that once existed in the Namib Sand Sea. This lake was fed by an ancient river and is surrounded by a rich record of stone tools from the (made between about 300,000 years ago and 20,000 years ago), indicating that people ventured into this landscape and used this occasional water source.

Dating the former lake site, Narabeb, makes it clearer when ancient humans would have been able to live here. It draws attention to the Namib Sand Sea as a place archaeologists should study to learn more about far-reaching and deep human connections across southern Africa.

An ancient lake and shifting sand dunes

Today, Narabeb is a landscape dominated by long sand dunes that tower more than 100 metres high over the former lake site. There is no standing water here and the landscape receives little to no rain most years. However, that’s probably not what our ancient ancestors would have seen here. Away from the lake, they might have seen a relatively flat plain, seasonally covered by grasses, beside a river.

The clue is in sediments at the site: mud layers that were laid down by water. To find out how long ago the lake was at Narabeb, we needed to date these layers.

We used a technique called – basically, making sand glow to tell the time. Sand grains release a trapped signal that builds up when sand is buried underground, and is reset when sand is exposed to sunlight. Using this technique, we can date when different layers were last on the surface before they got buried. We dated the sand beneath and above layers of mud that were deposited by water. Our results show that the lake was present at Narabeb at some point between 231,000 ± 20,000 and 223,000 ± 19,000 years ago and again about 135,000 ± 11,000 years ago.

Another clue is the shape of the landscape east of Narabeb. It is dune free, reminding us that ancient humans were not the only things migrating in the Namib Sand Sea. Have the dunes been on the move? For how long? And how quickly?

Drilling to the centre of these dunes to work that out remains logistically impossible. Instead, we used .

The modelling suggests that it would have taken around 210,000 years to accumulate the amount of sand around Narabeb (those 110m high dunes). This number is remarkably close to the oldest age for the lake. This suggests that the dunes may only just have been starting to form and that a river was supplying the lake with fresh water, supporting animals and attracting people. The sediments at Narabeb also clearly tell us that a river once flowed where there are now dunes.

The winds have pushed dunes from the south and west to north and east, creating barriers for the river and hindering movement of people and animals along the water course.

Ancient human presence

At we have found tools from an earlier species of the Homo genus. This is part of a growing body of evidence, adding to research in the Kalahari desert in the centre of southern Africa, that suggests to the story of human evolution and technological innovation than has been supposed.

The artefacts from Narabeb fit into the Middle Stone Age type of stone tool technology. Narabeb is a particularly rich site for stone tools, suggesting people made tools here for a long time and perhaps visited the site over many generations.

This research illustrates the need for a comprehensive study of areas that have not been on the map of the major routes of human and animal migration. These might reveal exciting records of diffusion, innovation and adaptation to marginal and changing environments.

Our results also make us think about the dynamic nature of environmental conditions in one of Earth’s oldest desert regions. It has long been thought that the Namib has been consistently very and not a place capable of containing “green corridors” at the times of interest for archaeologists. Now we can challenge that idea.

Future steps

Recent funding from the will allow us to extend our fieldwork, documenting archaeological sites and dating these “green corridors” across more of this landscape. along the ancient river course has revealed an expansive artefact-littered landscape. We also need to know more about where ancient populations found the materials they used to make stone tools.

This will allow us to piece together a network of archaeological sites and show where human migration might have been possible in this part of southern Africa. Up to now, it’s been a gap in the archaeological map.

More work is also needed to understand the shifts in climate that allowed the rivers to flow into the Namib. This Southern Hemisphere, west coast desert has a very different setting to north Africa and Arabia, which have for understanding their periodic “green corridors”. Ongoing work with the wider scientific community, including climate modellers, may create a clearer picture of the Namib’s “green corridors”.

, Reader in Physical Geography, and , Professor of Archaeology,

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

Restoring eroded peatlands reduces flood risk for communities downstream

Fri, 19 Jul 2024 09:53:56 +0100

Scientists from Swagֱ��, The University of Aberdeen and Newcastle University have found that the restoration of upland peatlands is a highly effective strategy for reducing downstream flooding.

New modelling approaches combined with long-term data collection on the peatlands of Kinder Scout where restoration work has taken place have allowed the experts to demonstrate that meaningful flood protection can be delivered during large storms, and has the potential to offer significant protection to communities at risk of flooding in locations where traditional hard engineering may not be economically viable.

The model was built using data from a field experiment conducted with Moors for the Future Partnership looking at the impact of restoration on runoff on Kinder Scout in the south Pennines. In 2022, the Kinder Scout National Nature reserve managed by National Trust was extended – partly in recognition of the importance of the scientific research that was taking place there. The new findings further emphasise the value of controlled long-term landscape experiments in understanding the impact of peatland restoration work.

Using new methods of modelling flood levels in the town of Glossop, which lies below the moorland peaks of Bleaklow and Kinder Scout in the Peak District, the team have demonstrated that fully restoring 41% of the upstream catchment via re-vegetation, gully blocking and sphagnum planting makes it more than 90% likely that the magnitude of a 100-year flood event would be reduced by more than 20%. If only 20% of the catchment is restored, they found that this would be 66% likely to reduce it by 10%.

Re-vegetating peatlands reduces downstream runoff because increased roughness of the vegetated surface slows the flow of water across the peatland. During a storm, a delay of some of this runoff means that the river peaks later and lower than it would have in an unrestored situation.

The peatlands of northern England are unusual as they have a limited presence of sphagnum moss, which is a mainstay of most peatland vegetation worldwide - but atmospheric pollution from the chimneys of northern England during the Industrial Revolution and other pressures on the landscape led to widespread loss of this moss cover. The experts have demonstrated that replanting this moss is a highly effective mechanism for slowing the flow of water across the peatland surface. Planting sphagnum into restored peatlands is a win-win strategy, as it also enhances carbon storage and biodiversity.

“This study is conducted using the latest hydrological modelling science but what really sets it apart is the quality of the observations behind it - the empirical data from Kinder Scout has been a real privilege to work with” said The University of Aberdeen’s Salim Goudarzi, lead author of the study. “In many ways our study is as concrete of a proof-of-concept as possible. We hope our modelling study will underpin expansion of ongoing peatlands restoration across northern England which will deliver a wide range of ecosystem benefits alongside flood protection".

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

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

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

UKRI award Swagֱ�� £1.7m to investigate gendered energy inequalities

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 12:36:07 +0100

The £1.7m award will fund an ambitious 5-year programme, led by Dr Saska Petrova, Professor in Human Geography at Swagֱ��. GENERATE aims to offer original insights into the social, spatial, and political inequalities that drive energy-related injustices, and the struggles linked to the growth of new low-carbon energy production in disadvantaged regions and communities.

Supported by UK Research and Innovation via the Horizon Europe guarantee scheme, GENERATE is a European Research Council Consolidator grant, and will involve research across six countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia) in Southeast Europe.

The project will undertake in-depth case studies involving range of rural and urban locations that have experienced rapid investment in renewable energy and housing retrofits. The knowledge gained from this region will be extended and applied globally, through a series of collaborations with practitioner and academic organisations in Asia, Africa, North America and Europe.

Professor Jamie Woodward named one of UK’s top environmental professionals

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 15:47:17 +0100

Jamie Woodward, Professor of Physical Geography at Swagֱ�� has been named one of the most impactful environmental professionals in the UK in The ENDS Report Power List 2024.

The names 100 UK environmental professionals who have made the greatest impact in the past two years, with Professor Woodward one of the 10 academics identified as shaping the science on environmental issues.

Through his work on microplastic pollution in Swagֱ��'s rivers, Jamie Woodward was one of the earliest academics to raise awareness about the issue of widespread discharges of untreated sewage into UK rivers and waterways. His research group demonstrated that the build-up of microplastics was directly linked to untreated sewage discharges outside periods of exceptional rainfall.

Professor Woodward has since worked tirelessly to expose this sewage scandal, and engage policymakers across Parliament and local government, to ensure water companies are held to account for their illegal practices.

He has appeared in documentaries, including Paul Whitehouse’s ‘ on the BBC, has been interviewed for both local and national TV and radio news and addressed attendees at the during a panel on sewage pollution.

On Saturday, 8 June, Professor Woodward will talk at the Universally Swagֱ�� Festival, joined by Matt Staniek, founder of Save Windermere. The free event, ‘Exposing the sewage scandal’ will wade into a discussion on the why sewage is being dumped into our precious rivers, lakes and coastal waters, and the impacts on nature, wildlife and public health – and the link to microplastic pollution – and how we can all get involved to do something about it.

Register for free tickets at

SEED recognition at the University's Making a Difference Awards 2024

Fri, 10 May 2024 10:58:48 +0100

Swagֱ��'s 10th ceremony took place on Thursday 9 May in the University’s Whitworth Hall, and live streamed on YouTube.

The Making a Difference Awards recognise the outstanding achievements of our staff, students, alumni and external partners, and celebrate how they are making a difference. The School of Environment, Education and Development is always well represented at the awards, and this year received six wins, and two highly commended awards. Congratulations go to all those involved.

Outstanding benefit to society through research - Winner

Gindo Tampubolon (Global Development Institute) and the SMARThealth team

The Systematic Medical Appraisal Referral and Treatment (SMARThealth) intervention provides Indonesian health volunteers with resources to improve cardiovascular health in rural communities. With a third of adult deaths in Indonesia attributed to cardiovascular disease, SMARThealth provides vital preventative care in places with limited healthcare. This involved training village health volunteers to use the SMARThealth platform – operated via a mobile app and basic medical equipment – to assess villagers’ cardiovascular risk in real-time through the use of the SMARThealth platform and share results with qualified health professionals to prescribe treatment. The SMARThealth programme has since been adopted and scaled by the district of Malang, preventing 120,000 potential deaths by screening millions of residents.

Outstanding benefit to society through research - Emerging impact winner

Swagֱ�� Institute of Education’s Neil Humphrey and the #BeeWell team

#BeeWell is a programme that combines academic expertise with youth-led change to make the wellbeing of young people everybody’s business. The project annually surveys young people and uses the results, in collaboration with schools and partner organisations, to deliver positive change in all our communities. Over 180 schools across all 10 Greater Swagֱ�� local authorities have implemented the co-developed #BeeWell survey to systematically assess and monitor the domains and drivers of wellbeing of more than 60,000 pupils since 2021. Discover more at

Outstanding teaching innovation in social responsibility - Winner

Swagֱ�� Institute of Education's Andy Howes, Sian Morgan, Hannah Strickland, Rai Lock, Anna Warburg and Rosa Archer

The project hosts an annual green conference for student teachers, where multiple secondary PGCE subjects convene to host a day during which they address climate justice issues as well as include skills sessions to innovate the practice of student teachers entering the profession. The aims of the day are to develop student teachers’ understanding and confidence with climate justice issues. This annual conference has been established for four years and has been growing in scope each year. This year included alumni experts, who are now Early Career Teachers (ECTs), enacting their learning in schools and contributing to the development of future secondary school teachers in English, Geography, Maths and Science.

Outstanding contribution to social and environmental impact through entrepreneurship - Highly commended

Ahmed Abdullah Saad Mohamed, Karim Habib and Salma Khaled

Educuality

Educuality is an innovative educational platform aiming to democratize learning by providing accessible and impactful peace education and environmental education through gamification. The project’s purpose is to foster social change and promote peace by educating young minds in the areas of peace and climate action. They aim to bridge societal gaps, especially focusing on rural areas, and to create a sustainable model for social change through education.

Outstanding public engagement initiative: Local/civic engagement - Winner

Sarah Marie Hall, Liz Ackerley, Alison Briggs, Laura Fenton and Santiago Leyva del Rio (Geography) and Isis Barei-Guyot (Global Development Institute)

This project brings together academic and non-academic partners to develop knowledge and contribute to anti-poverty strategies in Swagֱ��, as well as to inspire other inclusive research engagement. Through sharing and learning with community groups, the project has built collectives, led innovative and engaging outputs, and contributed to policy development in tackling poverty, homelessness and intersecting crises. Their 2022 event ‘Sharing Untold Stories in Creative Ways’ brought together local organisations fighting austerity and poverty through collaboration and creativity, by providing listening spaces, engagement platforms, and opportunities for capacity-building.

Outstanding public engagement initiative: Local/civic engagement - Winner

Tess Hartland (PhD student in Sociology, School of Social Sciences, co-supervised by the Global Development Institute’s Tanja Bastia)

As part of her PhD, Tess co-produced ‘Echoes of Displacement’, a captivating comic book narrating the collective story of people growing older while seeking sanctuary in the UK. The aim for this comic book is to increase understanding and awareness by communicating research beyond academia, authentically represent and amplify the voices of older refugees and foster community engagement. The comic has been used by international NGOs (e.g. Age Platform Europe) and local government (e.g. Age-friendly Swagֱ��) as best practice example for translating research and raising awareness of ageing experiences of marginalised groups.

Outstanding public engagement initiative: Local/civic engagement - Highly commended

Swagֱ�� Institute of Education’s Kirstie Hartwell, Kelly Burgoyne, and Emma Pagnamenta, Vesna Stojanovik and Rebecca Baxter from the University of Reading

Working with Families to Co-Create Learning Materials for a Parent-Delivered Early Language Intervention for Children with Down Syndrome

This project worked closely with six families to co-create learning materials, such as storybooks and activity packs, for a parent-delivered early language intervention programme specifically developed for children with Down Syndrome. The project represents critical initial steps in developing evidence-based intervention and highlights the benefits of working with families.

Outstanding public engagement initiative: National/international engagement - Winner

Joanne Tippett (Department of Planning, Property and Environmental Management) and the RoundView Team

Building on 15 years of the University’s research, this project provides a big-picture, positive framework for sustainability learning and communication. It builds confidence by helping people systematically assess solutions against the fundamental principles of environmental sustainability. Working with UNESCO UK and the National Trust, more than 133,500 people have engaged with the RoundView since 2022. These hands-on learning tools facilitate global engagement, reaching audiences from youth to professionals and local to global leaders, inspiring both knowledge and action towards sustainability. Learn more at

Find out more about the Making a Difference awards on our

Geography Laboratories awarded Gold LEAF certification for sustainability and efficiency action

Thu, 09 May 2024 12:43:22 +0100

Swagֱ��’s Geography Laboratories have been certified as operating to a Gold standard in the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF).

The University is committed to environmental sustainability goals as set out in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2023-2028. This includes driving efficiencies across our laboratory spaces, and one way we measure this is through the .

Followed by 85 global institutions, LEAF is a standard established by UCL to improve the sustainability and efficiency of laboratories. Assessment is across five categories: waste, people, sample and chemical management, equipment and ventilation. Institutions can achieve Bronze, Silver or Gold certification depending on how many sustainability actions they take.

“As a Geography lab, where much of our work is environmental study, we feel it’s important to lead by example in respect of efficiency and environmental impact” commented Jon Yarwood, Geography Laboratory Technician. “Through the audit we’ve worked through our Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to see where we can improve our reduction, reuse and recycling of chemicals and equipment and tested methods where we felt it could be appropriate, and in turn we’ve found where we can improve efficiency of processes”.

Sustainability has also been a key consideration for equipment choices and supplier selection in the Geography Lab, and environmentally conscious users also play an important role. “We’re fortunate to have very environmentally aware users who often discuss where they feel methods might feel particularly wasteful. They are very engaged with the lab induction and SOP training when it comes to good lab practice, such as in the use of fume hoods and waste disposal streams, and by asking questions about the possibility of re-use and recycling. Through these and interactions through the TEaM [Technical Excellence at Swagֱ��] network, we’ve also found ways we can improve”, said Jon.

‘City deals’ are coming to NZ – let’s make sure they’re not ‘city back-room deals’

Thu, 09 May 2024 09:41:13 +0100

Written by Associate Professor in Human Geography, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata Rau, Reader in Geography, University of Swagֱ�� and Professor of Human Geography, University of Swagֱ��

As local and regional councils struggle with inadequate infrastructure and unsustainable costs, New Zealand will be hearing a lot more about the potential solution offered by so-called “city deals”.

These deals are relatively long-term agreements between different levels of government (and sometimes other parties) about deciding, delivering and funding economic development and infrastructure initiatives within a defined local area.

Already, Wellington and Auckland councils are working towards regional deals with central government aimed at giving them more options for funding and managing their affairs. The National-led coalition is a framework for city deals later this year.

National flagged its intention to implement city deals before last year’s election. Since then, , and consulting firms, Infrastructure NZ and have all been having their say on how these might work.

A of New Zealand mayors and local government chiefs heard from Greater Swagֱ�� Mayor Andy Burnham about the UK’s first city deal over a decade ago. He extolled the virtues of a “place first” approach that involves and engages citizens more in the future of their cities.

In the UK, city deals signalled a shift away from a conventional one-size-fits-all model of regional development. Each deal is bespoke, reflecting local priorities. Beginning with Greater Swagֱ�� in 2011, there are now .

Australia has .

Their experiences suggest there are two general varieties of city deal. One revolves around mechanisms for funding infrastructure. The other goes further and involves devolving budgets and responsibilities from central government to newly created regional or city authorities.

City deals offer potential circuit-breakers for stalled and stagnant urban and regional progress, but New Zealand needs to take stock of the lessons being learned elsewhere.

Infrastructure deals

Infrastructure deals offer a co-operative mechanism for addressing deficits in local infrastructure. It’s a problem most wealthy countries are facing after decades of under-investment.

Filling the funding gap has been hindered by various factors: central government reluctance to borrow or tax more, short-term thinking based on electoral cycles, and different priorities within levels of government.

This has all primed politicians to look favourably on seemingly longer-term, co-operative ways to approach infrastructure development.

Australia has opted for infrastructure deals between federal and local governments. These have for providing local governments with formal channels of engagement and extra funding from federal government.

But the deals have also been criticised for . Eight years in, it’s still hard to say whether Australian city deals have really improved infrastructure problems.

Devolution deals

UK city deals have involved devolving limited budgets and responsibility from central government to new sub-national governments, called combined authorities.

At a national level, right-leaning political parties have tended to take up the devolution agenda. But at the local level, politicians of all stripes want more autonomy in what is a highly centralised country.

Greater Swagֱ�� is the poster child of devolution deals, with its Mayoral Combined Authority seen as a model for others. It retains 100% of its business rates tax revenue, has developed an active travel strategy, re-municipalised the regional bus system, and improved health and social care.

This “” deal was extended in 2023. But “devo deals”, as they are known, have been criticised for their (they’re negotiated in private, with no public consultation) and the absence of any attached statutory powers.

For instance, Greater Swagֱ�� has yet to gain approval for a spatial plan, which is key to setting the context and tone for economic and social development across ten local authorities. House building in the region has stalled as a result.

The art of the deal

City deals have become popular, in part, for politically symbolic reasons. Put simply, making a deal sounds sexier than “arranging a long-term inter-governmental agreement”.

Maybe not surprisingly, governments that favour city deals have been on the right of the political spectrum, with strong affinities to business. Former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull and current New Zealand prime minister Christopher Luxon also came to politics after corporate careers. City deals align neatly with their public images.

Beyond the symbolism, though, the experiences of Australia and the UK suggest such deals are not in themselves a quick fix for governing cities.

Negotiations often involve little or no reference to an overarching strategy, which can compound social inequalities and lead to unco-ordinated patchworks of projects. Governance has also tended to be opaque, risking the perception they are really “city back-room deals”.

They also call for capacity building in local government, which requires time and resources. UK central government demanded the establishment of a new level of administration – the mayoral combined authority – to oversee delivery of deals.

This entails significant bureaucratic and political manoeuvring. Yet even the largest and best-resourced local government bodies in Australia and New Zealand struggle to mobilise the bureaucratic power and expertise they need, routinely outsourcing to the private sector.

None of these challenges are impossible to overcome. But with city deals set to expand into New Zealand, there is room to refine the art of the deal itself.

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

Moss 'speed bumps' to prevent flooding in latest phase of Kinder Scout peatland restoration

Wed, 08 May 2024 15:28:28 +0100

Work has started to restore a new 526-hectare (1,300 acre) area of peatland on Kinder Scout in Derbyshire, the site of the famous mass trespass of 1932 that is now cared for by the National Trust.

Around 130,000 of the 800,000 sphagnum moss plug plants needed for the restoration have been planted in the first phase of the project. The sphagnum moss will help to create healthier blanket bog, protect the area’s precious peat and slow the flow of rainwater across the landscape.

Once the newly planted sphagnum moss plugs have established, they will act as 'speed-bumps' for rainwater falling on the moors, forcing it to weave its way slowly down the moorland slopes instead of running in a straight line, thereby helping to alleviate flooding in nearby local towns and villages including Glossop, Whaley Bridge and Edale, which have previously been at high risk.

Over time, the sphagnum moss will also help create the right conditions for peat to actively form, allowing the site to better lock up carbon and provide unique habitats for wildlife.

The latest restoration project builds on insights gained from previous restoration work and a study carried out by and Swagֱ�� as part of MoorLIFE 2020, published last year.

In this study, data collected from an outdoor laboratory on Kinder Scout National Nature Reserve was used as part of the study to assess the impact of earlier phases of peatland restoration in the area. It found that once sphagnum moss has grown, water takes over two hours longer to wend its way off the moors, compared to when rain falls on bare peat.

Sphagnum moss achieves this because it creates a rougher, more textured surface which slows the flow of water and delays rainwater arriving in streams and rivers all at once and from one direction. This helps to reduce the peak of flow.

Planting sphagnum moss, along with other peatland restoration techniques, also helps to improve water quality by filtering out the peat sediment before it reaches reservoirs.

The restoration work will also create the sufficiently wet conditions for a mix of moorland plants like heather, bilberry, and cotton grass to grow. It will help to protect the landscape for future generations at the same time as creating homes for wildlife like dragonflies, golden plover, frogs and lizards.

The first stage of this new stage of restoration of the Peak District’s peatlands has been made possible thanks to a first part of a grand total of £1.86m of funding from Natural England’s Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (NCPGS) as well as a portion of the £400,000 the National Trust have allocated to carry out the restoration works on Kinder Scout.

Peatlands across the country are in dire need of restoration to repair damage caused by centuries of pollution and land management which has destroyed vegetation and led to bare and eroding peat. In a damaged state, peat releases carbon into the atmosphere, turning from a fantastic carbon sink into a terrible carbon source.

However, as evidenced by the research projects Swagֱ�� and Moors for the Future Partnership, previous restoration projects at Kinder Scout have shown that it is possible to set the peatlands onto a road to recovery.

The work on the National Nature Reserve (NNR) at Kinder Scout is the latest part of the National Trust’s ongoing work to restore blanket bog across the Peak District.

To prevent disruption of the area’s ground nesting bird populations during their critical breeding season, works are now paused from April until August, at which point the sphagnum moss planting will resume, accompanied by the building of dams in gullies and the distribution of heather brash, lime, seed and fertiliser, which will stabilise bare peat by temporarily lowering its acidity and create the right conditions for moorland plants to grow.

The later stage of the project will also see the restoration of many of the NNR’s footpaths, working to reduce erosion as well as ensuring people can continue to enjoy Kinder Scout at its best and immerse themselves in its rich history as the site of the historic mass trespass events which led to the formation of the National Parks in the early twentieth century.

The project is expected to be completed in 2025. To find out more visit:

Group to investigate research governance of controversial ‘Solar Radiation Modification’ technology

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 09:00:00 +0100

Over the next three years, a group of European researchers including The University of Swagֱ��'s Dr Robert Bellamy will examine the governance principles and guidelines for responsible Solar Radiation Modification research. This contentious set of technologies may help tackle the climate crisis, but comes with additional risks.

SRM technologies aim to limit global warming by reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface - reflecting sunlight or increasing how much heat escapes back into space. One example of SRM is Stratospheric Aerosol Injection which involves releasing reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to increase the reflection of sunlight back into space.

Views on SRM research are diverse, and conversations can be contentious. Some are concerned that research and development of SRM would distract from vital efforts to reduce emissions. Others view SRM as a potential opportunity to limit heating, avoid dangerous ecological tipping points, and protect humanity from the worst impacts of the climate crisis. Many remain undecided, but see a need to study risks, uncertainties and potential benefits.

is a European Union-funded project which will examine principles and guidelines for a possible governance framework for responsible SRM research. The project will engage with diverse stakeholders and rightsholders, including marginalised and affected communities such as indigenous peoples in the Arctic and communities in the Global South. This collaborative approach will anchor project results in a diversity of voices, cultural contexts, and value-systems, reflecting the grappling of society with this complex and contentious issue.

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

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

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

Henrik Ernstson and his co-authors have won the 2023 International Journal of Urban and Regional Research prize for Best Article

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 15:43:00 +0000

Henrik Ernstson, Honorary Research Fellow in the Department of Geography and co-authors, Ricardo Cardoso (National University of Singapore) and Jia-Ching Chen (University of California) have won the 2023 Best Article prize awarded by the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research for their paper, ‘Blocos Urbanism: How oil becomes housing and infrastructure’.

The article reveals interdependencies between oil extraction off the Angolan Coast, city planning, and the concrete blocks used in peripheral developments in the capital city, Luanda, built under the Angolan government’s ‘New Centralities’ scheme.

Blocos urbanism conceptualises the influence of global economic forces on the economic, spatial and social development impacting the lives of Angolan people.

This article emerged from a study led by Henrik Ernstson at the University of Swagֱ��, ‘Grounding and Worlding Urban Infrastructures: Situated challenges, risks and contradictions of sustainability through African Cities’ (GROWL). The project worked at the intersection of political ecology and postcolonial urbanism, focusing on ‘petro-urbanism’ in Luanda and comparative infrastructure studies in Kenya and Uganda.

You can read Blocos Urbanism, and watch an accompanying documentary film here on the .

Report into Parliamentary Art Collections presented at Westminster

Fri, 17 Nov 2023 09:22:41 +0000

Dr Saskia Warren, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, presented the findings of her report ‘Our Parliamentary Art Collection: New Directions for Audiences, Interpretation, and Social Justice’ to The Lords Panel and Commons Committee at UK Parliament on 18 October 2023.

‘Our Parliamentary Art Collection’ investigates audience engagement and interpretation in the Palaces of Westminster and Parliamentary Art Collection, UK Parliament (comprising 10,000 items). For this project, Dr Warren collaborated with the as part of a Parliamentary Research Fellowship, supported by an ESRC IAA grant.

The project brings together insights from different perspectives to inform interpretation techniques, issues of display, and event programming to reflect on the role of the Parliamentary Art Collection in the UK and internationally in relation to the public in the 21st century.

Attending to critical, timely questions of social inequality and justice in relation to collections and issues of display, ‘Our Parliamentary Art Collection’ explores how stories are told about art works, who visits, and processes of meaning-making. The cross-national Parliamentary study also explored how other institutions are engaging with concerns relating to equality, diversity and social justice in their interpretation, collections, and audience development.

Through interviews, focus groups, walking tours and workshops, Dr Warren with the Heritage Collections Team, brought together new voices and ideas for interpretation and engagement within a heritage-listed space including exploring issues of equality, diversity and inclusion.

The Fellowship with Heritage Collections follows on from Dr Warren’s Arts and Humanities Research Council Leadership Fellowship (2017 – 2021), where she led on a programme of research, Geographies of Muslim Women and the UK Cultural and Creative Economy ('CreativeMuslimWomenUK'). Continuing an investigation into the representation, voices and practices of women, minority ethnic, and religious groups within art, heritage, and policy-making, ‘Our Parliamentary Art Collection’ builds upon key moments in the social history of UK Parliament such as the women’s suffrage movement and Race Relations Acts (1965, 1968, 1976) that have been shaped by women and minority ethnic groups, and which continue to impact lives today.

It is anticipated that the research project may bring about changes in interpretation and engagement practices across twelve different countries, through their parliamentary art collections, including addressing issues of access and inclusion for both artists and audiences.

To receive a copy of the ‘Our Parliamentary Art Collection’ report, please contact: Saskia.Warren@Swagֱ��.ac.uk

Call for COP28 discussions to address the destruction of non-forest regions

Thu, 09 Nov 2023 13:33:15 +0000

An international team of over 40 researchers is calling for COP28 discussions to address the destruction of non-forest regions, as featured in . The current global attention on forest loss does not recognise the importance of non-forest areas, according to Dr Polyanna da Conceição Bispo, Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography at Swagֱ��, Dr. Celso Silva-Junior Researcher from Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), Brazil and colleagues.

Describing the situation unfolding in non-forest areas as critical, they draw attention to the Brazilian Cerrado, often referred to as the Brazilian Savanna. The Cerrado is a globally recognised biodiversity hotspot, home to over 4,800 plant and vertebrate endemic species. However, the unique ecosystem has become Brazil's primary battleground for agricultural expansion.

According to DETER (a near-real-time deforestation-alert system, developed by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research) deforestation alerts in the Brazilian Amazon dropped by 33.6% during the first half of 2023 (compared to 2022), yet the Cerrado experienced a 21% increase in deforestation and conversion to farmland during the same period. More than half of the original Cerrado vegetation has now been lost.

The Cerrado, as well as a critical hub for the cultivation of essential commodities, is the ancestral home of Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities who rely on the sustainable use of its natural resources. Deforestation and conversion activity poses an existential threat to its unparalleled biodiversity, and projections show that approximately 480 endemic plant species could face extinction by 2050.

Discussing the Cerrado at COP28 is crucial due to the global focus on forest loss, neglecting the biodiversity and ecosystem services of non-forest biomes (e.g., Caatinga, Pampas, Pantanal, Chaco, African savannahs, and American Great Plain). Actions are needed to strengthen protection measures and address legal and policy gaps to mitigate deforestation, safeguard water resources, and protect Indigenous lands, emphasising the importance of non-forest ecosystems in combating the climate crisis.

Hidden histories: new exhibition seeks to unpack Swagֱ��'s colonial legacies

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 15:42:00 +0100

Swagֱ�� has launched a new exhibition exploring the social and environmental legacies of North West England’s cotton industry, science and economy.

Taking place at Burnley’s Queen Street Mill Textile Museum throughout October, the exhibition aims to unearth and unpick the social and environmental consequences of the North West’s cotton industry, through the artistic work of textile artist and creative facilitator Natalie Linney.

Based in Swagֱ��, Linney specialises in using textiles, form and print to respond to current, historical, environmental and anthropological themes. Drawing on multiple meanings of a ‘litmus test’, the exhibition seeks to reveal the local and global environmental impacts of cotton through cloth, colour and environmental materials.

Alongside the works by Linney, there is an exhibition of archival materials, photographs and artefacts curated by Dr Laura Pottinger, Professor Alison Browne, and the academic team at the University of Swagֱ��’s School of Environment, Education and Development.

The Litmus exhibition has been developed as part of the , a series of commissions and exhibitions exploring the legacy left behind by Lancashire’s textile industry.

All work was completed in collaboration with the Cottonopolis Collective – an interdisciplinary team of historians, geographers, scientists, cultural organisations and artists seeking to interrogate Swagֱ��’s position as the first industrialising city.

The general public are also invited to attend a on Sunday, 15 October, at which they can contribute some embroidered stitches to a collaborative piece reflecting on the themes of the exhibition.

The exhibition will remain open until Sunday, 29 October, and will seek to reveal the local and global environmental impacts of cotton through working collaboratively with cloth, colour and environmental materials.

To hear more about the LITMUS Exhibition and the British Textile Biennial, listen to Professor Alison Browne and research collaborator Dr Arianna Tozzi on the .

Exhibition to showcase Swagֱ�� Ship Canal's fascinating advertising archive

Wed, 06 Sep 2023 11:34:05 +0100

A new exhibition at Swagֱ�� Central Library is set to showcase visually striking adverts created by commercial artists in the twentieth century to promote Swagֱ�� Ship Canal and the Port of Swagֱ�� around the world.

Curated by Swagֱ��'s Dr Martin Dodge who worked with archivists from Swagֱ�� Central Library, Marketing the Swagֱ�� Ship Canal 1919 - 1939 includes original artwork that has not been seen by the public for nearly a century.

The 36-mile Swagֱ�� Ship Canal was opened by Queen Victoria in 1894, linking the landlocked city to the open ocean for the first time. The transformational impact of the canal - which was the largest of its kind in the world when it was opened - led to the Port of Swagֱ�� becoming the third busiest port in Britain. By 1958, almost twenty million tons of freight was being carried by ocean-going vessels along the route.

Dr Dodge has always been fascinated by the history of the canal, but as most existing research on it focused on the period of its planning and construction, he wanted to investigate how it operated through the twentieth century and to examine its impact on the region.

In collaboration with Swagֱ�� Central Library, he therefore began examining the extensive Ship Canal Company archives in the building’s basement, and a chance conversation with library archivist Jane Hodkinson uncovered original artwork that had not been seen by the public for around a century.

“The range and quality of original marketing that we unearthed seem to warrant sharing with a wider audience,” Dr Dodge said. “Much of the artwork is striking and largely unknown, not having been reproduced since the 1920s. The time period also saw a revolution in publicity with modern ideas on typefaces, much more dynamic imagery and bolder use of colour.”

Now the public will get the chance to see the fascinating advertisements for themselves through the exhibition that highlights the work of nine commercial artists engaged by the Ship Canal Company - some of whom were born locally and trained at Swagֱ�� School of Art.

The exhibition also includes a section on the Ship Canal Company's publicity chief Kenneth Brady, who had been a business journalist for the Swagֱ�� Guardian prior to his appointment in 1926 and brought new ideas in design and messaging to the company.

All of the featured artists are fascinating characters in themselves, with Dr Dodge having researched their backgrounds for the exhibition, as well as how they worked in Swagֱ�� and contributed designs for the Ship Canal Company.

Highlights of the exhibition include a striking ‘ship prow’ painting created by Paxton Chadwick, the futurist designs and humorous sketches of Bert Wilson, and the quirky illustrations of John Dronsfield.

“The Ship Canal was a truly a transformative project, the scale and ambition of which is hard to match in Britain today,” said Dr Dodge.

“I hope that people will be attracted to the exhibition by the striking advertising designs, but beyond that also by the biographical details on the ten people we examine and the work they created for the Ship Canal Company and others," added Dr Dodge.

A special event is being held on Saturday 9 September at 12pm to launch the exhibition, featuring contributions from speakers including Dr Dodge who will talk about the exhibition, and about the lives of commercial artist Bert Wilson, and Ken Brady, Swagֱ�� Ship Canal publicity chief from 1926; and Mike Ashworth, retired design and heritage manager London Underground, who will talk about commercial advertising in the 'Twenties.

Councillor John Hacking, Executive Member for Skills, Employment and Leisure at Swagֱ�� City Council, said: "The exhibition gives a fascinating insight into the world of commercial advertising in the last century, whilst at the same time showcasing the significant impact the Swagֱ�� Ship Canal had on Swagֱ��'s fortunes and its importance to the city."

The exhibition has been supported by Archives+ at Swagֱ�� Central Library, Swagֱ�� and the Swagֱ�� Geographical Society and will be on display until 15 January 2024.

Book a place at the free launch event on 9 September . More information about the exhibition can be found .

Swagֱ�� experts recognised by Advance HE for their teaching excellence

Thu, 03 Aug 2023 09:00:00 +0100

An Optometry team from Swagֱ�� has been awarded the University’s first-ever Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence by Advance HE, alongside two academics who have received National Teaching Fellowships in recognition of their own outstanding contributions to teaching.

Dr Catherine Porter and her Swagֱ�� Royal Eye Hospital colleagues Prof Robert Harper, Mr Patrick Gunn and Prof Cecilia Fenerty have been recognised for their collaborative work, which has had a demonstrable impact on the teaching and learning of Post Graduate Optometry students at the University. Together they run a Professional Certificate in Glaucoma, accredited by the College of Optometrists.

Education delivery partnerships between the University and the NHS are key to developing the regional skills base, as well as reducing the region’s stark health inequalities. The work of Dr Porter’s team directly contributes to this ambition by educating eye health practitioners in the effective early identification of Glaucoma, which is a leading cause of preventable blindness. These practitioners then work in ‘Enhanced Referral Schemes’ which reduce hospital waiting times for treatment and worry for patients. The team has increased the number of trained primary care practitioners in the Greater Swagֱ�� area by 300% in the past three years.

Dr Jen O’Brien and Dr Jennifer Silverthorne are among the new fellows named in the Advance HE National Teaching Fellowship Scheme, which recognises individuals who have made a tremendous impact on student outcomes and the teaching profession in higher education.

Dr O’Brien is a Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, as well as the University’s Academic Lead for Sustainability Teaching and Learning. She is an Inaugural Fellow of the Swagֱ�� Institute of Teaching and Learning and leads the ‘Informed and Inspired’ Challenge for Sustainable Futures. A Development Geographer by training, Jen is interested in the intersection between innovative pedagogy and independent field or applied research aiming to inspire and equip learners to ethically address challenges of sustainability, inequality and social justice to make a difference. She directs the University Living Lab, which links applied research needed by organisations with students who can undertake it for their assessment to effect change.

Jen leads Swagֱ��’s ‘Creating a Sustainable World’ course, which is run through the University College for Interdisciplinary Learning (UCIL). The first of its kind in the world, the course - which is available to undergraduates and postgraduates from across the University - uses the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to equip them with the skills to make positive social change and reflect critically about sustainability. It has been recognised by the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings, which ranks Swagֱ�� first in the UK and Europe and second in the world for its contribution to the SDGs.

Dr Jennifer Silverthorne is a Reader in Clinical Pharmacy in the Division of Pharmacy and Optometry who leads a team of clinical academics, senior NHS pharmacists and placement tutors providing clinical education. Her commitment to inclusive practice in the classroom, programme design and assessment has changed the University’s approach to Pharmacy teaching and influenced the practice of colleagues. Her reach into the sector through work with professional, statutory and regulatory bodies has transformed Pharmacy education to deliver a highly skilled, reflective and progressive workforce fit for the future.

“I’d like to congratulate Catherine, her team, Jen and Jennifer for their well-deserved awards,” said Professor April McMahon, the University’s Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students. “Being acknowledged in this way is a huge achievement, and it recognises their dedication to teaching, and to our colleagues and students.

“I’d also like to thank them for their overall outstanding contribution to the teaching and learning provision at our University. I am sure they will continue to drive forward even more positive change in the future.”

An independent panel of senior higher education leaders, representing the four UK nations, assures the quality of the National Teaching Fellowship Scheme and Collaborative Award for Teaching Excellence and recommends winners.

"Every year as we select the NTFS and CATE winners, we are in awe of these extraordinary and gifted people who are teaching with such professionalism, passion and commitment in higher education - this year was no different,” said Professor Becky Huxley-Binns, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education at the University of Hull, and Chair, UK Teaching Excellence Awards Advisory Panel 2023.

“These awards are incredibly important in recognising and celebrating these people and in sharing 'what works' so that colleagues can build on their expertise too and students can enjoy the benefits of great practice in teaching and learning.”

The awards ceremony will take place in Birmingham on Thursday 28^th September.

Walls along River Nile reveal ancient form of hydraulic engineering

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 09:00:00 +0100

An international team of researchers who discovered a vast network of stone walls along the River Nile in Egypt and Sudan say these massive ‘river groynes’ reveal an exceptionally long-lived form of hydraulic engineering in the Nile Valley, and shed light on connections between ancient Nubia and Egypt.

The findings of this study - conducted as part of the British Museum’s Amara West Research Project, in collaboration with the Sudanese National Corporation for Antiquities and Museums - have just been published in the journal .

Extensive Mapping: Lead author, Dr Matthew Dalton of The University of Western Australia, said “we used satellite imagery, drone and ground surveys, as well as historical sources, to locate nearly 1300 river groynes between the 1^st Cataract in southern Egypt and the 4^th Cataract in Sudan.”

Rediscovery of Lost Walls: Hundreds of these groynes are now submerged beneath the Aswan High Dam reservoir, and were relocated in 19th century travellers' diaries, a 200-year-old map, and archives of aerial photographs, including some taken by the Royal Air Force in 1934.

Ancient Origins: Many river groynes are now located in the desert, within ancient, dry Nile channels. "We know that reaches of the Nile in Sudan had multiple channels earlier in the Holocene and many of them dried out when river flows decreased due to climate change,” said study co-author Professor Jamie Woodward of Swagֱ��.

The team used radiocarbon and luminescence dating techniques to establish that some walls in these ancient channels were built over 3000 years ago.

Indigenous Engineering: These walls trapped fertile silts during the Nile's annual inundation, and crops could be grown on this reclaimed land without artificial irrigation.

Radiometric dating suggests that this form of landscape engineering was first undertaken by the region’s indigenous Nubian communities, as well as the inhabitants of towns established later by the ancient Egyptian state.

Continuity: “From speaking with farmers in Sudanese Nubia, we also learnt that river groynes continued to be built as recently as the 1970s, and that the land formed by some walls is still cultivated today,” Dr Dalton said. “This incredibly long-lived hydraulic technology played a crucial role in enabling communities to grow food and thrive in the challenging landscapes of Nubia for over 3000 years.”

Monumental Barrages: The researchers also identified much larger stone walls within the Nile, some up to five metres thick and 200 metres long – barrages which would have directed river flow and aided boat navigation through treacherous Nile rapids.

Dr Dalton said “these monumental river groynes helped to connect the people of ancient Egypt and Nubia by facilitating the long-distance movement of resources, armies, people and ideas up and down the Nile.”

Dr Neal Spencer, Deputy Director at the Fitzwilliam Museum (University of Cambridge) and Director of the Amara West Research Project, notes “this study shows how interdisciplinary research can provide insights into enduring traditions, technologies and agricultural practises within Nubia, balancing the inherently biased information in the ancient Egyptian textual record”.

To clean up England’s rivers we need to know how much sewage is dumped – but water firms won’t tell us

Thu, 23 Feb 2023 14:45:19 +0000

UK environment secretary Thérèse Coffey has demanded that water companies share plans for how they will . They could start by coming clean on how much sewage is being dumped. If we don’t know how much sewage is actually being released – for at least the worst offending locations – we won’t be able to measure environmental and industry improvement with any confidence.

Water companies in England have in wastewater treatment and sewerage infrastructure to keep pace with increasing populations and more intense rainfall. To take pressure off their sewer networks, companies allow huge volumes of untreated wastewater and sewage to be dumped into our rivers and coastal waters.

In the absence of effective regulation since the Environment Agency’s monitoring just over a decade ago, dumping sewage in rivers has contributed to a spectacularly profitable business model. Sewage pollution incidents – many of which were legal – increased over five years and countless urban rivers are now effectively extensions of the sewerage network. Our rivers are running out of time.

Only 14% of rivers in England have “good” ecological status and this figure could fall to just 6% by 2027. In February 2023, campaigns to save Britain’s rivers were launched by , and .

Water companies are under unprecedented scrutiny from the media, politicians, activists, university researchers like me and the wider public. Politicians know the sewage dumping scandal could cost seats at the next general election.

This is why is now demanding “every company comes back with a clear plan for what they are doing on every storm overflow, prioritising those near sites where people swim and our most precious habitats”.

Mapping sewage

Thames Water recently launched an interactive of 468 sewer overflow locations. The map updates every ten minutes, and shows in near real time where the company is discharging untreated wastewater and sewage to rivers.

In the middle of January 2023, after rainfall, about one third of the Thames Water sewer outfalls were discharging and another third had done so within the previous 48 hours. The map has also confirmed that many sewage discharges take place during dry weather.

The Thames Water sewage discharge map for Sunday 15 January 2023. Red shows an overflow that has polluted a river within the previous 48 hours. Orange shows an overflow that is currently discharging. A green tick indicates no current discharge.

Thames Water is the first water company to make such data across its entire region available to the public. The map highlights the staggering scale of the pollution problem and adds to a growing body of evidence showing that water companies are routinely using overflows to and other pollutants such as as an alternative to treatment.

We know when sewage was dumped – but not how much

But as a geographer and geomorphologist who specialises in rivers and has taken a , I know there is something missing in the data. Sewage discharges to rivers are recorded by sensors known as event duration monitors. These measure the of any flow, but are rarely set up to measure the volume of that flow.

This leaves the data open to manipulation. Was an “event” 100 litres or 1 billion litres? 1 billion might sound far-fetched, but next to Twickenham Stadium discharged over 1 billion litres of sewage directly into the River Thames on each of two days in October 2021.

So a water company could in theory reduce the duration and frequency of discharge events – turning the above map from red to green – but still increase the total amount of sewage dumped into rivers.

The absence of reliable baseline data on sewage dumping is a major problem and research has shown that water companies have not reported the .

The Environment Agency has a poor record of sewage pollution data scrutiny and several water companies are now routinely declining environmental information requests. How can we address the biodiversity crisis and make rivers safe for recreation if we don’t have reliable data on the volumes of pollutants pumped into them?

People need accurate information on what is happening to their local rivers so they can identify the and hold water companies to account. The Thames map is therefore a welcome step towards increasing transparency in the water industry and rebuilding trust, but it does not go far enough.

We need sewage volume data

In July 2022, United Utilities, which serves north-west England, announced a to upgrade wastewater treatment infrastructure on several rivers by 2025. The company states this will reduce the discharge of untreated wastewater and sewage into the region’s rivers by “more than 10 million tonnes a year – the equivalent of 4,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools”.

This is a remarkable admission of sustained sewage dumping on a colossal scale. It appears water companies can provide volumes when it suits them.

Water companies in England have been unwilling to calibrate their event duration monitoring sites to estimate sewage volumes. Yet they routinely collect very accurate data on the volumes of drinking water supplied to millions of homes, in order to calculate water bills.

The 2021 Environment Act requires them to make near real-time data about the frequency and duration of sewage discharges publicly available no later than 2025. But if the government’s plans to reduce sewage dumping are to be realised, we still need to know wastewater discharge volumes.

The Environmental Audit Committee made such a recommendation in its landmark , but the government argued it was too expensive. If Thérèse Coffey is serious about tackling this scandal, she must reverse that decision.

, Professor of Physical Geography,

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

The UK needs a national energy advice service

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 13:51:24 +0000

Written by , ; , , and ,

The UK government recently launched “”, a campaign aimed at providing “simple, low or no-cost actions that households can take to immediately cut energy use and save money”. The campaign speaks to persistent calls to increase the assistance provided to households across the UK.

Rapid energy price rises have pushed millions into fuel poverty, with an estimated . For many, independent advice on safely reducing energy use and accessing financial assistance can make a vital difference in confronting the combined cost of living and energy crises.

Trustworthy advice goes far beyond a few short-term behavioural “hacks” – some of which have been – to also include deeper measures to upgrade the UK’s .

To meet its climate change targets and protect households from rising energy costs, the UK must rapidly insulate millions of homes and . But installing such measures is often complicated and there is limited information, guidance or support. The UK can’t decarbonise its energy system without increasing the help available to households from trained energy experts.

Reducing the UK’s carbon emissions should go hand-in-hand with tackling fuel poverty. housing, heating systems and appliances are key drivers of fuel poverty, and people living in well-insulated, low-carbon homes are more likely to have affordable energy bills. While advice alone will never solve fuel poverty, when combined with other measures it can make a . Advisers can point people towards appropriate government aid and or help arrange debt repayment plans, or insulation and heating upgrades.

We know what works

Academic and policy experts, , have undertaken extensive research on integrated energy advice in the UK and beyond. Numerous across the UK and similar countries provide a useful testbed for understanding what works.

Research has shown there are , such as how energy advice is communicated, who is providing it, and how it is framed. The most effective forms of energy advice are those that are , primarily via in-person, community-based and context-sensitive work.

Yet energy advice provision in the UK remains fragmented and insufficient, with across the country. Organisations such as Citizens Advice do brilliant work, but they don’t have the resources to provide widespread, personalised advice.

NEAS to meet you

One thing that might help is the establishment of a National Energy Advice Service. Akin to the efforts involved in building the UK’s National Health Service back in the 1940s, it could provide widely accessible, free support for anyone who needs it. With dedicated funding from utilities or government, the service could help integrate , it could reduce skills shortages and help address both fuel poverty and the transition to net zero.

What does this mean in practice? People wanting to improve the energy performance of their home would be able to access a single advice line, or a website. This could either lead to an adviser visit, or advice could be provided remotely if more appropriate. The advice would allow a household to identify the best options in light of its budget and other circumstances, and any support or subsidy schemes that might be available. Perhaps most importantly, people could be pointed towards certified sellers and installers of relevant materials.

The advice service could also work directly with government agencies, the NHS and community groups to seek out and approach those who might benefit from energy efficiency upgrades. This could be done at the neighbourhood scale, through area-based targeting, community retrofit coordinators, , or other local initiatives. Any households or businesses who sign up would be advised on support schemes and energy upgrade options.

Everyone should have access to state-of-the-art energy measures, regardless of their income or other forms of disadvantage. The service must not be restricted to those with the confidence and resources to take the initiative.

So there is a strong case that this would promote energy justice. By integrating financial subsidies, and working with trustworthy installers and companies, a national-level advice service could help promote equitable access to low-carbon energy for all.

, Professor of Human Geography, ; , PhD Candidate, Low-Carbon Energy Transitions, , and , Senior Lecturer in Geography,

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

Antarctic glaciers formed 30 million years earlier than previously thought

Thu, 05 Jan 2023 12:30:22 +0000

A new study has revealed that glaciers formed in the highest mountains of Antarctica at least 60 million years ago, which is 30 million years earlier than previously thought, and almost as long ago as the geological era of the dinosaurs.

The continent of Antarctica is the coldest on Earth. Its extensive ice sheets, which today occupy approximately 98% of the land surface, have shrouded the continent for the last 34 million years, when they expanded as global climate cooled dramatically at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary.

However, there has been uncertainty as to whether glaciers formed immediately prior to this global climate cooling or have been a feature of the Antarctic landscape for a much longer period of time.

A involving Dr. Matt Tomkins from Swagֱ�� and Dr Iestyn Barr from Swagֱ�� Metropolitan University investigated glacial landforms in the Transantarctic Mountains, a 3500km mountain chain that divides East Antarctica and West Antarctica and stretches between the Weddell and Ross Seas.

Using a satellite-derived digital elevation model of the continent, the team identified and painstakingly mapped over 14,000 glacial cirques – large bowl-shaped hollows, formed by glacial erosion – and linked these observations to climate measurements obtained for a range of present-day glaciers.

Using this understanding of where glaciers form under present-climate conditions, the team were able to identify periods of similar climate in the geologic past and then predict when and where glaciers may have formed.

Based on this approach, the team discovered that glaciers likely existed in the highest mountains of Antarctica at least 60 million years ago, far earlier than reported by previous studies. The growth of mountain glaciers, akin to those observed today across the Alps, Scandinavia and the Himalayas, occurred despite the climate being up to 20°C warmer than present, when dense sub-tropical forests occupied the continent.

These glaciers were likely a feature of Antarctica for approximately 30 million years, fluctuating in size and number as the climate fluctuated between warmer and cooler temperatures during the ‘hothouse’ conditions of the early Cenozoic period, before the expansion of much larger ice sheets as climate cooled towards the ‘icehouse’ conditions of the late Cenozoic.

Dr. Tomkins commented: “Our research has revealed that glaciers have occupied Antarctica for a much longer period of time than previously assumed, approximately 30 million years before the onset of extensive ice-sheet glaciation.”

“This analysis is based on a unique dataset which has allowed for investigation of the early glacial history of the continent. This is typically very challenging or impossible to achieve due to the burial, modification or complete removal of glacial deposits by extensive ice cover and/or glacial erosion. Moreover, our focus on individual glacial landforms has allowed us to study smaller mountain glaciers, whose presence would be difficult to identify from distant offshore sediment records.”

Austerity has its own life – here’s how it lives on in future generations

Tue, 03 Jan 2023 12:08:10 +0000

,

Austerity in the UK is here to stay. The Bank of England has warned that the country is facing the longest recession since records began, predicting that the economic slump will . At the same time, the most recent budget has been called austerity 2.0 by , , and . This suggests the era of public spending cuts seen since 2010 has reached the next phase: austerity as the “”.

implemented since 2010 have not been substantially reversed or retracted in recent years. In fact, they have often been levelled at the most marginalised social groups.

In 2019, cuts in total expenditure on welfare and benefit payments alone were expected to total . And now, growing numbers of people in the UK are struggling with everyday costs of living, while a further of cuts to public funding were announced in the government’s November 2022 budget.

All of this shows how keenly economic policies are , in the mundane: eating, heating, caring, shopping and travelling. And perpetual and cumulative cuts like those we have seen made in recent years to welfare, education, social and healthcare services shape daily lives and social relationships. The effects continue, across time and generations. They also worsen existing relating to , race, class, age and disability.

My during the 2008-09 UK economic recession revealed how memories and intergenerational relationships are key to understanding what it means to get by in times of recession and crisis. For instance, upbringing, living through previous recessions, debt and hardship are central to how people respond to economic downturns. These experiences, family histories and memories are often shared across generations in a way that influences younger people about financial issues.

Policies that aim to tackle poverty and economic inequality need to go beyond a focus on “the household” because this is not the only (or even the predominant) framework for how social relationships are built. Instead, people live within and across households that intersect based on kinship, friendship, intimacy and more. These are the main mechanisms that people use to .

Further research shows how austerity can be experienced as a “”, affecting the things people can do, afford and dream about, including having security at home and work. It even extends to whether or not people are able to make decisions about . Suffice it to say, economic policies have more than momentary effects, they ripple across people’s lives – and that of their children – even if their circumstances improve.

A life of its own

Taking this further, shows how austerity policies also have their own life. In the UK, this started with the early dismantling of the welfare state alongside diminished investment in deprived and post-industrial areas from the 1980s onwards. have of the UK. So, while the current era of austerity arose from the recession following the global financial crisis 14 years ago, it is more deeply embedded in certain parts of the country.

We can get an idea of by listening to their stories. Yusuf, for example, spoke to me about the instabilities he currently faces at work and how that has affected his life choices. “There’s no job security or stability,” he says. “There’s not enough trade [as a mechanic] anymore like there used to be years ago.” As a result, Yusuf does not think he could afford to have children.

Employment opportunities and local industries across northern England (where my research was carried out), had already been hit hard by years of . But adding austerity to the mix meant these factors culminated in multi-faceted forms of insecurity and uncertainty for Yusuf. His lack of job security is then linked to being unable to afford to have children – a to the one he had imagined.

Even if austerity cuts were reversed today, the long-term effects for Yusuf and countless others could continue for generations. Economic policies should be implemented alongside forecasts of what their effects will be for future generations. Researching these future outcomes, as well as past and current experiences, will highlight the unevenness of austerity measures. This will help to ensure that austerity policies and the devastation they cause do not become normalised, condemning many more generations to their long-term negative effects.

, Professor in Human Geography,

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

Drastic retreat of Norway’s largest glacier highlights scale of climate change

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:04:00 +0000

A Geography expert from Swagֱ�� has demonstrated the speed and scale of climate change in a new book, by outlining the immense changes to Norway’s largest glacier he has observed during his career.

Honorary Senior Fellow Wilfred Theakstone began studying Austerdalsisen glacier - an outlet of the East Svartisen ice cap which lies across the Arctic Circle - way back in 1959 when he was based at Oslo University.

He moved to Swagֱ�� for the first time in 1963, and has continued to monitor the glacier’s changes throughout his long career.

Austerdalsisen reached its maximum size during the 'Little Ice Age' and was only a little smaller when it was first photographed in 1870, when its eastern branch ended in the lake Svartisvatnet. Today, tourists wishing to visit Austerdalsisen have to take a boat across the lake and walk from there to the glacier.

As the glacier retreated during the 20^th century, floods occurred every year between 1941-1958 when water passed underneath it, causing damage to communities and infrastructure in the valleys beyond. As a result, a tunnel was excavated beneath Austerdalsisen between 1955-1959 to provide a permanent outlet for the water, and a research project was started to monitor further changes to the glacier.

In the following decades when being observed and photographed by researchers, the rate of retreat increased dramatically and the lake was exposed as the glacier retreated. It now ends 3km from Svartisvatnet, and its front is more than 200m above the position that it occupied in 1870. Photographs of these stark changes appear in the book.

More than 96% of Norway’s electricity is generated by water power, and a network of tunnels, dams and reservoirs has been constructed to take water from glaciers to hydroelectric power stations - as glaciers shrink further, this source of supply will decrease.

Another problem is that Austerdalsisen has been a major tourist attraction in Norway, but the distance and time needed to reach it now are greater than they were just a few years ago which may deter future tourists. A loss of income from tourism could therefore have an unwelcome effect on the economy of the area close to the Arctic Circle.

Wilfred’s book - which he published at his own expense to draw attention to the effects of climate change - has been very well received by the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate, the authority responsible for observations of snow and ice in the country.

‘Norway’s largest glacier: 150 years of change’ can be purchased .

Exploring how to help leaders make Greater Swagֱ�� more ‘age-friendly’

Sat, 01 Oct 2022 09:00:00 +0100

To mark the UN’s on October 1^st, a new project has been launched which aims to help researchers and policymakers to make Greater Swagֱ�� a more ‘age-friendly’ region by providing a better understanding of the lives and experiences of older people.

Working with partner organisations across the region, Lecturer in Social and Cultural Geography Dr Amy Barron from Swagֱ�� has created a booklet which showcases the different ways older age is lived in Greater Swagֱ��, and an accompanying animation.

includes material from a co-produced with older residents. It details how policymakers and academics can use a more creative, participatory approach when working with older people, and introduces a selection of methods that might be used.

The booklet argues that such an approach can be used to better represent older people’s lives in policy and research - something pivotal to the creation of – as well as creating a living archive of everyday life that is of significance to policy and interested residents.

The project responds to calls from the Greater Swagֱ�� Ageing Hub about the need for new, innovative methods with regards to co-production. By showcasing how older age is experienced differently, the project responds to research and campaigns which have identified that representations of older age often fall back on medicalised, stereotypical accounts of what constitutes older lives.

“There is a risk the catch-all term of ‘older people’, which refers to a diverse group, becomes a catch-all agenda – we should not treat all ‘older people’ and places as the same,” said Dr Barron.

“This booklet offers great insight into the diversity of life experience amongst older people and some practical and effective research methods,” said Virginia Tandy, Director of The Creative Ageing Development Agency. “It also highlights the central importance of social connection and agency to ageing well.”

Creating Age-Friendly Cities is a key theme under Swagֱ��’s Global Inequalities Research Beacon and a for the UK Government. The is working to make the region age-friendly, and developing a rich understanding of older lives is pivotal to this task.

Ancient footprints on UK beach record demise of a biodiversity hotspot

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 16:00:00 +0100

A team of archaeologists and geographers from Swagֱ�� have discovered that hundreds of ancient animal and human footprints found on a beach in Merseyside record a major decline in large animal diversity in Ancient Britain.

Their new research, published in the journal , includes a new programme of radiocarbon dating which shows that the most species-rich footprint beds at Formby Point are much older than previously thought. The beds record a key period in the natural history of Britain from Mesolithic to Medieval times (9000 to 1000 years ago).

The footprint beds show that, as global sea levels rose rapidly after the last ice age around 9000 to 6000 years ago, humans formed part of rich intertidal ecosystems alongside aurochs, red deer, roe deer, wild boar, and beaver, as well as the predators wolf and lynx. On the other side of Britain, Doggerland was reclaimed by the North Sea in this period.

In the agriculture-based societies that followed, human footprints dominate the Neolithic period and later footprint beds, alongside a striking fall in large mammal species richness.

The researchers show that the area close to the modern shoreline was a hub of human and animal activity in the first few thousand years after the last glacial period. The vast coastal landscapes of the European Mesolithic were rich ecosystems teeming with large animals. This was a biodiversity hotspot with large grazers and predators – a northwest European Serengeti.

The observed decline in large mammals in the footprint record could be the result of several drivers including habitat shrinkage following sea level rise and the development of agricultural economies, as well as hunting pressures from a growing human population. This new record poses important questions of the conventional archaeological and fossil records.

“Assessing the threats to habitat and biodiversity posed by rising sea levels is a key research priority for our times – we need to better understand these processes in both the past and the present,” said Professor Jamie Woodward, who is an author of this study. “This research shows how sea level rise can transform coastal landscapes and degrade important ecosystems.”

Kinder Scout National Nature Reserve extended in size to continue important research into tackling climate change

Fri, 02 Sep 2022 12:58:46 +0100

As from today, Kinder Scout, the National Nature Reserve (NNR) in Derbyshire cared for by the National Trust, will be extended in size by 25 per cent (226 hectares) thanks to a declaration by Natural England.

As the highest point in the Peak District (636m / 2,087ft), this new extension takes the NNR to 1,082 hectares in size (equivalent to 1,000 international rugby pitches), in recognition of the scientific research this area provides to help tackle the climate and nature emergencies.

The extended area includes an ‘outdoor laboratory’ (consisting of scientific monitoring equipment such as dipwells, gauging weirs, and vegetation monitoring quadrats), created in 2010, which has enabled comparisons to take place between the impact of restored peatland against an unrestored control plot, providing valuable data to help improve understanding of the value of peat in natural flood management.

Three organisations, the National Trust, Swagֱ��, and Moors for the Future Partnership, have been studying the effects of this restoration work and the benefits that can help tackle climate change, creating a healthier habitat which attracts different wildlife associated with peatlands to help increase levels of biodiversity.

Professor Tim Allott from Swagֱ�� explains the importance of the control area: “The control area has been central to our scientific understanding of restoration on the site – as without it we would not have been able to properly assess the impact of the restoration work in slowing the flow of water on hillsides and reducing flood risk downstream. It also provides a 'museum' of the past damage on Kinder Scout.

“By simply standing within this small remaining ‘island’ of bare peatland, you get a dramatic sense of the scale of transformation of this iconic landscape by looking across the newly restored, vibrant, and diverse habitat which surrounds it.”

Craig Best, General Manager for the Peak District at the National Trust says: “When we started caring for Kinder in 1982 the mountain was a barren moonscape of bare peat, degraded by human activity over the centuries due to pollution, historical land management practices, high visitor numbers and climate change.

“However, following almost 40 years of restoration work with our partners and volunteers, the NNR is being transformed into a plateau of healthy peat bogs rich in vegetation such as cottongrass, and sphagnum moss while creating a strong habitat for wildlife such as mountain hare, upland birds like the golden plover, and the vital invertebrates that make up the basis of the food system. This work will continue alongside the activity on the extended area.”

Techniques trialled to help restore the peat bogs included covering bare peat with rich moorland vegetation and blocking gullies to help keep the moors wetter, which have helped increase the amount of carbon that can be stored as well as helping improve water quality as it filters into streams and reservoirs.

Monitoring data collected over the past decade, using the ‘outdoor laboratory’ in the new area of the NNR, shows this work has reduced erosion of peat by 98 per cent within 18 months of revegetation. It also revealed how different combinations of restoration work has made a significant impact in slowing water flow from the moors to the valleys, to help mitigate flooding[1].

Craig added: “Kinder has a rich history and was the backdrop to one of the mass trespass activities 90 years ago which led to open access to moorland and the creation of National Parks paving the way for millions of visitors to be able to escape city living and pollution to enjoy some of our most inspiring landscapes and connect with nature.

Commenting on the new declaration, Oliver Harmar, Chief Operating Officer at National England said: “National Nature Reserves were established to protect some of our most important habitats, species and geology, to provide 'outdoor laboratories’ for environmental science and opportunities for people to enjoy nature.

“They are at the heart of our ambition to create a Nature Recovery Network, full of wildlife-rich sites that are bigger, better and more connected. I’m pleased that this vision is very much alive at Kinder Scout, with the expansion demonstrating the power of collaborative action to drive nature recovery, including vital peatland restoration to capture and store carbon.

“Kinder Scout also holds a special place in our national history as the backdrop to the very creation of our National Parks and National Nature Reserves. Today, NNRs, like Kinder Scout, are great places to be inspired and get hands on with nature – they’re free, open and available to all.”

[1] The monitoring work on the Kinder Scout plateau undertaken by Moors for the Future Partnership and the University of Swagֱ�� represents a decade of data that has proved invaluable in understanding natural flood management (NFM) techniques. Since 2016, this monitoring has been financed under the EU Life-funded MoorLIFE 2020 project and has shown that:

· Revegetation of bare peat led to a 98% reduction in erosion of peat into the streams, within 18 months.

· A combination of revegetation, gully blocking and dense sphagnum planting led to a 65% reduction in peak flow (the time it takes for water to reach the valleys) during storm events, 10 years after initial revegetation (and five years after sphagnum planting).

· A combination of revegetation and dense sphagnum planting led to a 2 hours 40 minutes delay in delivery of peak flow during storm events. These NFM benefits increases in bigger storms.

Hot and dry conditions in UK causing unprecedented extreme wildfire danger

Thu, 11 Aug 2022 09:00:00 +0100

Record temperatures and dry weather in the UK this summer are causing exceptionally high levels of danger from extreme wildfires, according to experts.

The project team - led by Swagֱ��’s Dr Gareth Clay and including experts from the University of Birmingham, University of Exeter, Swansea University, London School of Economics, Portsmouth University and - is warning of further risks as hot and dry conditions continue this summer.

Their analysis has shown that the fire weather index - a numerical indicator of the likelihood of extreme fire behaviour calculated from long-term and short-term relevant weather measurements, including temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and wind – has reached a record level this summer.

Dr Tadas Nikonovas said: “The fire weather index on July 19th was the highest the UK has seen since at least 1979 when the available record began. Our visualisation shows the last 20 years of maximum fire weather index values for England, and illustrates how extreme the conditions were on the day.”

Professor Stefan Doerr, who leads the at Swansea University, said: “Our analysis also shows that while we saw heathland fires before and after the record temperatures in July, the catastrophic fires in England on July 19th were concentrated on grasslands and arable land close to densely populated areas. Indeed, there were very few fires in more remote areas, which are typically dominated by heathland fuels, on the day of the record temperatures.”

Dr Thomas Smith, from London School of Economics, added: “Anecdotal evidence suggests that few people were ‘out enjoying the countryside’ on the day of the extreme heat, because it was simply too hot, reducing the likelihood of ignitions in heathland area - while we know that the grassland and arable fires that led to the unprecedented loss of houses on July 19th may have been ignited close to homes and gardens where people were sheltering from the hot weather.”

Vegetation ‘fuel moisture’ data collected by the team at the University of Birmingham throughout July, show that in some cases, the moisture readings in some grassy fuels were extremely low (0-1%). Professor Nick Kettridge pointed out that in some cases it was so low that it was impossible to measure with the commonly-used measurement approach. “This level of dryness also explains the extreme nature of the fire behaviour, with large flames and fast-moving fires, even in places without high wind conditions,” he said.

These unprecedented fire weather and extreme fuel moisture conditions are expected to occur more frequently in the coming decades driven by human-caused climate change.

According to Professor Claire Belcher, of the University of Exeter, there is much that can be done to reduce the likelihood and potential impacts of fires. She said: “Major retailers stopping the sale of disposable barbeques in some regions is one welcome contribution to reducing accidental ignitions, but with the dry hot weather currently continuing in parts of the UK, the overall fire risk remains very high.”

The project is funded by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council.

Fig 1: Twenty-year record of maximum daily fire weather index values recorded over England - the top three days with highest values are highlighted. Generated using Copernicus Emergency Management Service historical fire indices dataset.

Millions more at risk from dangerous summer temperatures if climate goals aren’t met

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 12:27:40 +0100

Health-threatening heatwaves will become more intense due to climate change, putting millions more people at risk from dangerous summer temperatures, new research has revealed.

The analysis, released today by researchers at Swagֱ�� for Friends of the Earth, identifies the areas and communities across England set to be hardest hit by extreme heat.

Communities most vulnerable to the dangerous health impacts of soaring temperatures are those with a high number of older people and children, those without green space to shelter from the heat, and those where the type of housing, such as high rise buildings and mobile homes, is most susceptible to overheating.

, hot weather can place particular strain on the heart and lungs, meaning that the majority of serious illness and deaths caused by heat are respiratory and cardiovascular. Older people, those with pre-existing health conditions and young children are especially at risk.

Researchers found the top five local authorities with the most ‘at risk’ neighbourhoods are Birmingham, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Nottingham. A full list of all the areas most affected is available .

The research looks at which neighbourhoods (areas with an average population of 1,700) across England are most at risk of heat now and in future warming scenarios.

In all scenarios, the communities set to be most affected by global heating are those with below average carbon footprints – those less responsible for the climate crisis. The research also finds that people of colour are four times more likely to live in areas at high risk of dangerous levels of heat. The key findings include:

Even if the world stays on track to meet the global goal to limit warming to 1.5°C, more than 3,000 of the most vulnerable neighbourhoods – more than six million people – will regularly be exposed to ‘very hot weather’ of 27.5°C for five or more days during the summer months. If temperatures rise to 3°C, then the same areas will be regularly exposed to dangerously hot temperatures of over 30°C.
Overall, nearly half (48%) of neighbourhoods – or 28 million people – in England will be exposed to ‘very hot weather’ at 1.5°C of warming. This increases significantly if global temperatures rise by 2°C and 3°C to affect 60% (34 million people) and 81% (46 million people) of neighbourhoods, respectively.
Global temperature rise of 3°C would put 50% of neighbourhoods – or 30 million people – at risk of ‘dangerously hot weather’ where temperatures hit 30°C or more for five or more days during summer.

Friends of the Earth is calling for the 3,000 most vulnerable neighbourhoods to be prioritised for publicly-funded adaptation projects and greater efforts to reduce planet-heating greenhouse gases.

“Extreme heatwaves and health alerts like we’re seeing this week will become much more frequent and severe due to climate change" said Mike Childs, head of research at Friends of the Earth. “To prevent the most dangerous scenarios becoming a reality, all countries, including the UK, must make greater efforts to prevent runaway climate breakdown.”

Global temperatures are already 1.1°C above pre-industrial levels. Under the Paris Agreement, governments have agreed to limit warming to 1.5°C to avoid catastrophic climate change.

According to based on current climate pledges, the world is heading towards 2.4°C of warming, but these commitments are not being met. The UK government’s advisory body, the Committee on Climate Change, of the policies in its Net Zero Strategy are credible.

More detail on the research is available

Animation highlights importance of microplastics research in driving water company investigations

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 08:30:00 +0100

A has highlighted how Swagֱ��’s research on microplastic pollution in rivers has helped to drive investigations into the behaviour of water companies, and the roles of regulators in tacking illegal activity.

After being the high levels of microplastic contamination on the UK’s river beds, researchers from the University’s Department of Geography discovered that water companies themselves are the cause of this contamination, releasing wastewater during periods of dry weather into river flows that are too sluggish to disperse microplastics downstream.

The presence of high concentrations of microplastics on the river beds can only be explained by the discharge of untreated wastewater into river flows that are too low to wash the microplastics downstream.

The video – which was created in collaboration with animation company We are Cognitive – explains how the research linked the sewage pollution scandal and the microplastic problem for the first time, when there has been widespread concern about the environmental performance of the water companies in England and the extent to which they are complying with their legal obligations.

Since the research was published, concerns about the effectiveness of the UK’s Environment Agency have also been raised, as only 14% of rivers in England are in good ecological health.

The latest development has seen the new Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) launch an into the roles of Ofwat, the Environment Agency and the Defra Secretary of State in the regulation of combined sewer overflows (CSOs) in England.

“We have now opened enforcement cases against the majority of wastewater companies in England and Wales,” said David Black, Ofwat’s chief executive. “From what we have seen so far, the scale of the issue here is shocking – companies must resolve any problems at wastewater treatment works and do so quickly. Where they have breached their obligations, we will not hesitate to act.”

“We welcome this investigation by the Office for Environmental Protection,” said Professor Jamie Woodward. “Our work has shown that the sewage scandal and the microplastic problem are closely linked.”

Stuck on the bog - New research could be a ‘game changer’ for peatland restoration in Yorkshire’s wildest locations

Thu, 12 May 2022 13:24:40 +0100

New Research could revolutionise peatland restoration thanks to a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) funded by UKRI through Innovate UK and additional funding secured from Vp plc say Yorkshire Peat Partnership and University of Swagֱ��.

Funding from UKRI through Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, and Vp plc, will enable research to find a solution to one of peatland restoration’s most intractable problems: how to re-establish bog vegetation on areas of bare peat at altitude and facing into the harshest weather.

Yorkshire Peat Partnership has already worked on restoring 36,500 ha of Yorkshire's damaged peatlands over the last 11 years. Now the focus is on dealing with the most exposed, challenging, high altitude peatlands that are hard to restore.

Dr Tim Thom, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s Peat Programme Manager, said:

“Our restoration work on these areas is scoured away by the wind. It can require multiple visits – and therefore increased costs – to restore them. This research could be a massive breakthrough, not just for us, but for the whole peatland community.”

Restoration techniques on these highly exposed, bare areas – spreading a mixture of cut heather, grasses and moss rich with seed (known as brash) – have resulted in a 50% success rate, requiring up to three visits and costing as much as £28,000 per hectare for success.

Dr Thom adds; “It’s vital to get these areas revegetated to knit the restored areas together, leaving no ingress for the weather to start once more eroding the peat. Results from this research could be a game changer for peatland restoration in these vulnerable locations.”

Professor Martin Evans, Vice Dean and Head of School School of Environment, Education and Development, said:

“Restored bogs store carbon, mitigate flood risk and support biodiversity…this is a fantastic project which brings together the academic expertise of University of Swagֱ�� and innovative understanding of peatland restoration from Yorkshire Peat Partnership and Salix to develop new ways of restoring the degraded upland bogs of the UK.”

Yorkshire Peat Partnership will work with academics from the School of Environment, Education and Development at the University of Swagֱ�� and erosion control specialists, Salix via the KTP project, to find a medium that will bind the friable surface of eroding peat and promote seedling establishment despite the punishing weather on these sites. As well as reducing the overall costs of restoration, the project will look to create an outlet and potential market for products that were once considered waste (such as cut bracken) or have a limited market with a very low return (such as wool). Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) aim to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills that reside within the UK knowledge base. Swagֱ�� is at the top of Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) ranking, as it becomes partner of choice for innovation in businesses.

Siôn (surname and title) of Salix, said:

“We’re excited and proud to be part of a project that could revolutionise peatland restoration. If we’re successful, the sector will benefit from more sustainable, cost-effective products and techniques. This will help to further a culture that considers the benefits of a full life-cycle analysis of materials and methods, making peatland restoration as efficient and eco-friendly as it can possibly be.”

This research has been made possible by funding from Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency, and Vp plc.

Fred Pilkington, Environmental Programme Manager at Vp plc, said:

“Upon speaking with Dr Thom, it was clear that this project fit perfectly with Vp’s appetite to support UK-based conservation projects focussed on the triple win of nature, humanity and climate. This experimental peat restoration is sorely needed to discover the most appropriate restoration methods for highly degraded peatlands not only across Yorkshire but worldwide. I have been following the development of this project for a while now so I am very excited the remaining funding has been secured and that our employees and their families will have the opportunity to get involved and enhance their connection with the natural world. We are proud to support the Yorkshire Peat Partnership as part of a Group-wide sustainability commitment strategy to minimise our carbon emissions and environmental impact.”

Water companies are main cause of microplastic pollution in UK’s rivers

Thu, 13 May 2021 16:00:00 +0100

New research by experts from Swagֱ�� has found that the poor management of untreated wastewater and raw sewage by water companies is the main source of microplastic pollution in the UK’s rivers.

Three years ago, the researchers from the University’s Department of Geography were the high levels of microplastic contamination on the UK’s river beds.

Now, new research published in the journal Nature Sustainability has found that water companies themselves are the cause of this contamination, as they are releasing wastewater during periods of dry weather into river flows that are too sluggish to disperse microplastics downstream.

The quality of river bed habitats underpins the entire river ecosystem because many creatures live, feed and reproduce in this environment - when they are contaminated with microplastics, ecosystem exposure is maximised because the particles are stored on the bed for weeks or months before they are flushed away by flooding. The river bed is the worst place for extended periods of microplastic contamination because it increases opportunities for ingestion by aquatic creatures, and for them to move through the food chain. Microplastics are also vectors for other contaminants present in wastewater.

The researchers say that conventional treatment removes the great bulk of the microplastic load in wastewater – therefore, river beds that are heavily contaminated with microplastics provide a clear indication of poor wastewater management.

The discharge of raw sewage to rivers is already controversial and has generated widespread condemnation. An inquiry into is currently underway by the UK Parliament’s Environmental Audit Committee. However, the researchers are calling for more to be done to tackle the problem.

“Water companies must stop releasing untreated sewage and wastewater into rivers during periods of dry weather, as this causes river beds to be heavily contaminated with microplastics and maximises habitat damage,” said Professor Jamie Woodward, who led the research. “Rivers are also the main supplier of microplastics to the oceans - to tackle the global marine microplastic problem, we need to limit their input to rivers.”

AHCP lecturer awarded grant for practice-as-research project on creativity and climate resilience.

Tue, 18 Aug 2020 15:15:20 +0100

Funded by the UK Climate Resilience Programme “Living with Climate Uncertainty” the project is one of three funded UK projects exploring how societies have understood and adapted to climate change in the past and how we can learn from them to become more resilient to the impacts of future climate change.

The call, worth £1million in total, seeks to understand how communities have experienced and learned to cope with change and loss from climate changes, and the skills, attitudes, values and approaches needed to live with on-going uncertainty. Led by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the call primarily focuses on how people will be affected by and will respond to future climate changes.

Dr Jenna Ashton works with Co-Is Dr Kevin Malone, Reader in Composition in the Music Department in the School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, and Professor Sarah Lindley from the Geography Department in the School of Environment, Education and Development.

"Community Climate Resilience through Folk Pageantry" offers a creative, imaginative and interdisciplinary practice-as-research project focusing on community knowledge to deliver a Swagֱ��-focused case study responding directly to its climate action policies and community contexts. The project builds on existing research practices of the PI and Co-Is across intersectional areas of geography, mapping, performance, music, socially-engaged arts practices, and intangible and material heritages.

The project will explore a variety of issues, including how a community articulates its perspectives on social justice and equality with regard to climate resilience; how interdisciplinary creativity can be researched and applied to activate community climate resilience; how a community can create, own and embed creative outcomes for resilience; the means to best transfer these methods to policy-makers for wider implementation.

Project partners include Swagֱ�� Climate Change Agency (MCCA), Swagֱ�� City Council (MCC), Neighbourhoods North Swagֱ�� (Miles Platting & Newton Heath ward), Northern Chamber Orchestra (NCO) and National Trust North Region (NT), with advisory and impact-related support from Swagֱ�� Arts and Sustainability Team (MAST) and the EU C-Change Project, Swagֱ�� Institute of Education (MIE, UoM), and the Black Environment Network (BEN). A Bird in the Hand Theatre's puppet maker and director Alison Duddle is a co-creator.

Planned Outputs from the project will include pageant performances in Miles Platting & Newton Heath; a schools resource licensed learning and performance pack; toolbox for creative methods workshops for policy practitioners and neighbourhood managers; documentation; recommendations report for transferability of creative practices, and other published papers and project book.

For further information, contact PI - Dr Jenna C Ashton:

e: Jenna.Ashton@manchester.ac.uk

Project site and Twitter:

Underwater avalanches are trapping microplastics in the deep ocean

Tue, 24 Mar 2020 10:27:53 +0000

A collaborative research project between the Universities of Swagֱ��, Utrecht, and Durham, and the National Oceanography Centre has revealed for the first time how submarine sediment avalanches can transport microplastics from land into the deep ocean.

The study also revealed that these flows, the largest on earth, are responsible for sorting different types of microplastics – burying some, and moving others vast distances across the sea floor.

These findings may help predict the location of future seafloor microplastic hotspots, which in turn could help direct research into the impact of microplastics on marine life.

Over 10 million tons of plastic pollution is exported into the oceans each year. It is thought that around 99% of this is stored in the deep sea, often prefentially accumulating in submarine canyons.

However, it was previously not known how plastic pollution gets to the deep sea from land. The new research, published in , has shown that microplastics can be moved by gravity-driven sediment flows, which can travel thousands of kilometers over the seafloor.

Quartz sand was mixed with microplastic fragments and fibers and released in a flume tank that was designed to simulate real-world flows. University of Swagֱ�� researcher, Dr Ian Kane, developed techniques to analyse the sediment carried within these flows and deposited on the seafloor, and the samples were analysed in Swagֱ�� Geography Laboratories.

Concentrations of microplastic fragments were concentrated in the lower parts of the flow while microplastic fibres were distributed throughout the flow and settled more slowly. The larger surface to volume ratio of fibres is thought to be the reason they are more evenly distributed. The high concentration of microplastic fibres in sand layers at the base of the flow is thought to be because they get more easily trapped by sand particles.

Dr Ian Kane said: “This is in contrast to what we have seen in rivers, where floods flush out microplastics; the high sediment load in these deep ocean currents causes fibres to be trapped on the seafloor, as sediment settles out of the flows."

Studying the distribution of different types of plastic on the seafloor is important because the size and type of plastic particle determines how toxins build up the surface, as well as how likely it is the plastic will enter the gut of any animal that eats it, and what animal may eat it.

These experiments show that sediment flows have the potential to transport large quantities of plastic pollution from nearshore environments into the deep sea, where they may impact local ecosystems. The next steps for research will involve sampling and monitoring deep-sea submarine canyon, to understand how robustly these experimental findings can be applied to natural systems and the effects on deep-sea ecosystems.

The paper can be viewed at:

Microplastics flowing into our oceans threaten deep sea marine life

Thu, 02 May 2019 13:02:00 +0100

Researchers from Swagֱ�� and the (NOC) are racing to understand how microplastics are transported to the deep-sea floor in an effort to combat the growing ecological problem.

An estimated 8.3 billion tons of non-biodegradable plastic has been produced over the last 65 years. Much of this is not recycled and is disposed into the natural environment. Plastic has a long environmental residence time and accumulates in sedimentary systems worldwide, posing a threat to important ecosystems and potentially human health as it re-enters the food chain.

New research published in the journal reveals that microplastics often accumulate on the deep sea floor in the same place as diverse and dense marine life communities. This is because the same submarine sediment flows that transfer vital oxygen and nutrients needed to sustain life, also transport microplastics from urban rivers to the deep-sea floor via pathways such as submarine canyons.

Microplastics are very small pieces of plastic debris including, microbeads, microfibres and plastic fragments, which enter river systems from multiple sources including, industrial effluent, storm water drains and domestic wastewater.

The ‘’ has caused an increase in public concern with the impact of plastic in our oceans and its effects on marine life. Despite this only around 1% of the plastic in the ocean floats on its surface, most of the rest sinks down to the seabed. Due to their small size microplastics are incredibly hard to track.

Microplastics have been found to pervade the modern day seafloor across the full range of marine environments. These light and highly mobile particles are delivered to the coast by rivers, wind and ice and to the sea surface from shipping and marine industries. The relative abundance of microplastics in submarine canyons and deep-sea trenches suggests that delivery of microplastics to the seafloor is strongly controlled by gravity currents, and by settling from the surface through water columns.

The paper’s lead author, Dr Ian Kane from Swagֱ��, said: “Microplastics have been found in nearly all environments on our planet, yet we only have a very limited idea of how they are transported; particularly in the deep sea. There is now a pressing need to get more data to link hotspots of marine pollution with transport processes, and determine the ultimate fate of microplastics in the deep sea”.

NOC scientist, Dr Mike Clare, who is an author on this paper, said: “Ocean currents and other near-seafloor flows appear to control where the sinking plastic ends up. It’s essential that we develop a basic understanding of the processes that control the distribution of microplastics, so that we can better understand where and how these tiny fragments and fibres enter the food chain through seafloor marine life”.

Microplastic fragments show an affinity with areas where macroplastics and marine litter are common, while microfibers have a wider distribution and are likely to be transported easily by bottom currents. The role of redistribution by bottom currents is not well understood but it is likely that microplastics can be easily distributed far from direct input points such as major rivers.

The implications of ingested microplastics on fishing stocks as well as directly for human health are as-yet poorly understood, now a concerted research effort is required on multiple fronts. Researchers hope some of the suggestions from studies such as this will contribute to addressing this global environmental crisis to address these and other societal and economic implications.

Previous research from Swagֱ�� discovered that UK rivers are also densely contaminated with microplastics in the first detailed catchment-wide study of its kind in the world.

Scientists chart history of Greenland Ice Sheet for first time

Mon, 15 Apr 2019 16:00:00 +0100

New research charts the history of the and its impact on global sea levels throughout history to present day.

Scientists from Swagֱ��, , and the have used extensive reflection seismic surveys to image the structure of the Earth beneath the seafloor off the coast of northwest Greenland.

Writing in the journal the study provides the first insight into millions of years of geological history of the northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet. This is the first study of its kind and provides an unprecedented insight into the dynamics of the Greenland Ice Sheet over the last 2.7 million years. By understanding the structure beneath the seafloor scientists are able to reconstruct what the Greenland Ice Sheet was doing and how it impacted the ocean environments around it.

This work shows that on at least 11 occasions during this time the Greenland Ice Sheet became so large that it extended over 120 km beyond its present-day margin during peak glaciation. During intervening warmer periods the ice sheet melted back to near the present-day coastline, resulting in significant global and regional sea-level rise. These findings are important to help how the Ice Sheet might evolve in the future in response to ongoing and future climate warming.

Dr Andrew Newton, jointly affiliated with both Swagֱ�� and Queen’s University Belfast said: “This is an important result because it shows that over the last 2.7 million years the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has been highly dynamic, even when temperatures outside the ice ages were not as warm as today. This means that we can expect the ice sheet to directly respond to rising temperatures across the Arctic, which it is already doing.”

Professor Mads Huuse, Swagֱ�� said: “By understanding how it changed in the past we may be able to get a better idea of how the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets might change in the future. The information generated from this work can also be used to test the accuracy of numerical models that are used to project how climate might evolve in the future as it warms.

“The better these models are at recreating our observations of the past, the more confidence we can have in what they project for the future. Better climate models are essential for future planning and mitigation of the consequences of climate change, in particular the contribution to sea level rise of melting ice sheets.”

The Greenland Ice Sheet was also a topic in the recent David Attenborough-narrated docu-series Our Planet, by Netflix. The team captured jaw dropping footage, showing the scale and impact of millions of tonnes of ice collapsing into the sea.

Forgotten maps of Swagֱ�� slums restored and available to view

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 10:44:14 +0100

A new project has repaired, photographed and shared online forgotten maps of Swagֱ��’s slums, which had been overlooked for the last 130 years.

The maps from the early 1880s provide information on the age of dwellings and the use of other buildings, and help us to visualise the dense physical layout of some of the city’s most notorious slums such as Red Bank, which was described by Friedrich Engels as “utterly uninhabitable” when he wrote about Swagֱ�� in the 1840s.

The maps had been overlooked by historians, urban geographers and other scholars for the last 130 years, as they were bound into reports by the city’s Medical Officer of Health who used his influence to improve the physical living conditions and wellbeing of Swagֱ��’s citizens.

The reports were not widely distributed and the maps were printed on lightweight paper, folded in as inserts – consequently, many of the maps were in a fragile state.

Geographer Dr Martin Dodge worked with experts from the University of Swagֱ�� Library to carefully conserve, photograph and digitise the maps, as part of a wider project to make little-known maps and plans of Swagֱ�� publicly available.“I first stumbled over a handful of the maps when researching for an exhibition on the history of Swagֱ��,” said Dr Dodge. “They were intriguing visually, but hard to make sense of as they had been separated from their source.

"I found that the set of more than 30 maps were published in volumes of important but now quite rare Medical Officer of Health reports written by John Leigh. A set of these reports, luckily, is held in the Swagֱ�� Medical Collection in the University Library archives.”

The maps provide detail of the city centre area in a key period of change towards the end of the 19th century. While there are many available maps showing streets, there are few sources for land use - and in particular, the age of buildings and the quality of housing. The restored maps fill a gap between the survey in 1850s published by Joseph Adshead, and the 1904 map of housing condition in Swagֱ�� and Salford by campaigner Thomas R. Marr. In some respects, they are comparable to Charles Booth's London poverty mapping in the 1890s.

Reports containing the maps have also been digitised, providing grim and detailed statistical accounts of the mortality experienced in Victorian Swagֱ��. The cause of death, occupation, age and sex is recorded for individuals in each sanitary district, along with their address and the date of death.

“The maps were printed on poor quality paper, which had been folded and bound into reports as inserts,” said Special Collections Librarian Donna Sherman. “Over time, the paper had become brittle and would tear and deteriorate along the creases when consulted. Our map conservator repaired the fragile maps, which were then carefully photographed by our expert photographers. Our Imaging Services team then uploaded the digitised maps to our online map collection.”

The maps can be viewed at .

Geography professor given lifetime achievement award for literature contributions

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 10:08:55 +0100

A Swagֱ�� academic is to receive an award for his significant contributions to scientific literature.

, Director of Research for the School of Environment, Education and Development and a Professor of Geography, has been named as one of two recipients of the Taylor and Francis Lifetime Achievement Award by Routledge and CRC Press.

The award is given to authors who have submitted "truly outstanding contributions to the scientific literature", according to the two publishers.

"Professor Noel Castree's outstanding record of publications encapsulates the award's intent to honour our authors," Routledge and CRC said in a statement.

"Professor Castree has made significant and pioneering contributions in the discipline of geography and allied fields. His extensive publication record includes books, book chapters, and articles in prestigious journals. "

As well as serving as co-editor of the book series Key Ideas In Geography, Professor Castree has written Routledge books such as Nature, Making Sense of Nature and The Companion to Environmental Studies.

The other recipient of the award was Dr Qihao Weng of Indiana State University.

Geography academic receives recognition from two universities in Scandinavia

Tue, 09 Oct 2018 09:33:00 +0100

Professor Erik Swyngedouw will receive an honorary doctorate at Malmö University on 19 October.

Erik, Professor of Human Geography in the Department of Geography, has visited Malmö University on several occasions over the past ten years.

In 2016, he taught the doctoral course ‘Urban isms’ and this year he will teach the Nordic doctoral course ‘Thinking Spatially’ which is organised in collaboration with other universities.

Rebecka Lettevall, Dean of the Faculty of Culture and Society at Malmö, commented that awarding Erik an honorary doctorate means 'linking a world-leading scholar to our research environments in urban studies, policy studies and environmental studies'.

"This aids us in achieving our ambitious and strategic research goals," added Rebecka.

This is the second time Erik has been recognised by a university from Scandinavia over recent weeks.

He was recently awarded an honorary doctorate from Roskilde University in Denmark on 22 September.

SEED finds success in Making a Difference 2018 awards

Fri, 04 May 2018 09:35:00 +0100

The Making a Difference Awards for 2018 were announced at a ceremony in the Whitworth Hall on Tuesday, 1 May, with six School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED) colleagues recognised for their commitment to social responsibility.

The School's six successes came in three categories, highlighting the breadth of support our colleagues have shown to social responsibility over the past year. Congratulations to the following winners:

Outstanding benefit to society through research

Winner - and the HeadStart learning team (Swagֱ�� Institute of Education) for HeadStart learning
Winner (emerging impact) - (Geography) for Everyday Austerity

Outstanding contribution to social innovation

Winner - (Geography) for #Huckathon: Mapping hidden homes in post-conflict Northern Uganda to deliver medical care
Highly Commended - Seyedehsomayeh Taherimoosavi (Planning and Environmental Management) for Tackling fuel poverty with artificial intelligence techniques and blockchain technology

Outstanding local engagement

Highly Commended - Craig Thomas and team (Geography) for The Old Abbey Taphouse: A STEAM hub in a pub
Highly Commended - Caroline Boyd and team (Global Development Institute and the Humanitarian and Conflict Response Institute) for Be//Longing

Professor Jamie Woodward presents on 'Wonders of The Ice Age’

Thu, 26 Apr 2018 09:37:00 +0100

Professor Jamie Woodward, Head of Geography in the School of Environment, Education and Development (SEED), gave the annual Bexwyke Lecture at Swagֱ�� Grammar School to Year 4 and 5 pupils from ten schools across Swagֱ��. More than 400 children attended the day.

Pupils had been working on a range of Ice Age topics leading up to the lecture, and also took part in a series of workshops on the day. Jamie’s research explores landscape change over thousands of years and considers how humans have coped with changing environments, making him the ideal choice for presenting to the pupils on the topic.

Before Jamie’s lecture, the pupils were invited to compete in a prize-winning challenge to write a poem inspired by the Ice Age, whether it be about the Ice Age itself, or simply inspired by the theme of ice and snow. Jamie had the tough task of judging the entries, and he presented a prize to the winner at the end of his lecture.

Jamie said: "These outreach events are not just a key part of the Department of Geography delivering on the University’s social responsibility agenda, they are enormous fun. They are an excellent way of building links with local primary schools and, hopefully, inspiring their students.

"We should certainly move away from the idea that getting children thinking about university and university research need only focus on secondary schools.

"I enjoyed judging the poetry competition and I was extremely impressed with the quality of the questions at the end of my talk. These really kept me on my toes and they kept coming with such enthusiasm. One Year 5 pupil asked, 'how do we date Ice Age art?' Another asked 'how do we know the colour of a woolly mammoth?' Both brilliant questions with far from straightforward answers!"

City regions: bigger is better?

Wed, 02 Sep 2015 16:01:38 +0100

Thirty-four key actors in the North West were interviewed
The paper identifies the factors which explain Greater Swagֱ��’s prominence in national policy debates

Research presented to the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual International Conference today looks at the argument for backing larger city regions in the north.

In seeking to develop a credible intellectual and political case for a Greater Swagֱ�� city region, based on a bigger is better argument, authorities in Greater Swagֱ�� have been careful in choosing their comparators in order to make their case, argues new research presented to and released by the Royal Geographical Society today.

Other cities such as Bristol and smaller urban areas like Milton Keynes, Cambridge and Warrington have actually experienced higher levels of economic growth on many indicators and may actually be better positioned to take forward the government’s growth agenda than some of the larger cities, , of Swagֱ��, was telling the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) Annual International Conference.

The research was completed by Professor Haughton, and , of Swagֱ��. Thirty-four key actors in the North West were interviewed about attempts to develop new geographies to cover Swagֱ��, Liverpool, and their surrounding areas.

The paper identifies the factors which explain Greater Swagֱ��’s prominence in national policy debates and its longstanding status as a model for other city regions: strong and stable local political leadership; pragmatism in its dealings with central government; and a flexible approach to drawing in supporting partners. However, the paper also argues that Swagֱ��’s political leaders have been astute in developing a powerful intellectual case, based on agglomeration economics, which has helped secure the support of successive governments.

This case, the paper argues, is a potent one, but misplaced. “The argument largely ignores the inconvenient fact that some of England’s highest economic growth rates are actually in medium-sized cities. It is similarly quiet about the government’s continuing focus on public investment in London, and instead makes the case for Swagֱ�� getting similar preferential treatment. But government funding is not zero-sum. If some areas get more, others get less”.

“The case for a Greater Swagֱ�� city region seems to rest on the assumption that areas close to Swagֱ�� will benefit from the greater growth and tax revenue the city will supposedly generate as a consequence of preferential government investment, for instance in infrastructure. But we need to keep a careful eye on other potential growth areas outside Greater Swagֱ��, such as Warrington and Chester, to make sure they are not disadvantaged. Similarly, we should be concerned about whether struggling smaller northern towns and cities become further disadvantaged as public investment is focused elsewhere. Are they to be left to hope for trickle-down? It could be a long wait if so,” said Professor Haughton.

Tunnels Through Time: Swagֱ��’s century-long transport headache

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:46:34 +0100

Failed bids to connect Swagֱ�� city centre to its airport over the decades have been mapped at Swagֱ��.

‘Tunnels through time’ displays efforts over the last 100 years to ‘solve’ a major transport headache, with new rail plans, including for monorail and tube systems, emerging every ten years or so.

, senior lecturer in geography at The University, gathered the information and outline maps from old transport reports and newspaper articles. Six of the schemes were plotted onto a single overview map by University of Swagֱ�� cartographer Graham Bowden. They sit alongside the current Metrolink expansion to Swagֱ�� Airport.

Dr Dodge said: “For me, what is fascinating is the sense of deja-vu as seemingly every decade or so a 'new' proposal comes forward to solve the problem by a grand engineering endeavour. This utopian quote from a newspaper correspondent, in 1936, echoes down the years: ‘A judicious policy of suburban railway electrification, coupled with a well-designed tube railway system, would go a long way towards making the population in and around Swagֱ�� happier and healthier.’

“And yet all the schemes would have been expensive and crucially uneconomic given the shape of the city, the small size of the central zone and the scale of daily passengers. The desire for tube travel for status of a serious city simply could not be afforded through the 20th Century.”

The most developed proposal was for a Picc-Vic tunnel in the late 1960s, which re-emerged through University research in 2012. The project, which would have delivered an underground railway beneath Swagֱ�� Town Hall and station for the Arndale, very nearly got built but was defeated by national economic decline in the early 1970s.

Dr Dodge points to the view of influential city surveyor, Rowland Nicholas, in the 1945 City of Swagֱ�� Plan, that building an underground to serve a population of Swagֱ��’s size would be to do so at a financial loss – a conclusion that Dr Dodge says was mirrored against the backdrop of the repeated efforts.

He continued: “In many ways the tram to the airport has little or nothing to do with air travellers. The rail station at the airport which opened in 1993 with a link onto the Styal Line is, in my opinion, much more useful. The tram link is much more about economic regeneration and getting service workers from Wytheshawe to and from the airport in anticipation the big Airport City expansion.

“The dinky tram out to the airport now certainly does not match the ambitious prospect for a monorail investigated in the mid-1960s. Interestingly this scheme would have come along Cambridge Street and provided a station for the University."

Student battles illness to graduate and become a published author

Mon, 13 Jul 2015 17:45:00 +0100

A student who overcame a debilitating illness has not only recovered to graduate but has done so well that his dissertation has formed the basis of a scientific study and has been published in an academic journal.

Ben Gibson, from Ilkley, Yorkshire, received his degree in Geography and Geology today during a ceremony at the University of Swagֱ��.

But it could have turned out so differently if he had not had the determination to continue his studies despite suffering from Crohn’s disease.

Ben was 18 when he was diagnosed with the condition, where the body’s immune system starts to attack its own digestive system. Among the severe symptoms caused are abdominal pain, weight loss and fever. There is no known cure for the condition but there are treatments to lessen the symptoms. Ben had to take a year out of his studies to return home and recover his health, but then came back determined to complete his course

The 23 year old said: “It is exhausting. It saps you of all energy and makes it incredibly hard to concentrate on your work. My dissertation took so much out of me that I had to return home for a year. I lost so much weight and was unable to work due to the amount of pain I was in a lot of the time.

“Stress makes it worse and I was worrying about my final year. The pain would just come on suddenly. So I went home for a year and got a job to give my body a rest.

“I was worried about studies so I’m just delighted to have finished with a degree that I thought I wasn’t going to get and I‘m ready to move on with the next stage in my life now.”

Ben’s dissertation work was to catalogue all known specimens of ichthyosaurs, extinct marine reptiles that lived during the time of the dinosaurs, which had been found in Nottinghamshire. To complete it he had to write to (and visit) dozens of museums for information and collate all the data for his undergraduate dissertation.

Dean Lomax, his supervisor at Swagֱ��, said: “Ben did remarkably well and should be proud of himself. Undergraduate students rarely consider that their dissertation work could actually form a scientific study and be good enough to form a publication, so the fact that Ben completed it despite all of his health problems makes it a doubly special achievement. A fine example of what a student can achieve when there is genuine interest in their topic of choice”.

“These ichthyosaurs had never been documented before so this was a really useful piece of work and together Ben and I were able to turn his dissertation into a scientific paper contributing to palaeontology. Ben will become a published author as a result.”

Notes for editors

Media contact

Sam Wood
Media Relations Officer
University of Swagֱ��
Tel: +44 (0)161 2758155
Mob: +44 (0)7886 473422
Email: samuel.wood@manchester.ac.uk

New map of UK tornadoes produced

Tue, 16 Jun 2015 10:19:00 +0100

Researchers have updated a map of the UK that pinpoints tornado hotspots for the first time in two decades.

Although most people think of twisters striking ‘Tornado Alley’ in the US, the UK actually has more tornadoes per area than any other country. And now we know where they are most likely to occur.

In a paper published in the journal Monthly Weather Review, the team from the University of Swagֱ�� show how they used eye-witness reports of the twisters to put together the map, which covers the UK from 1980–2012. Data for the study came from TORRO, an organisation which collects severe weather reports from the media and over 350 observers in the UK, Ireland and around the world.

During that period the country experienced an average of 34 tornadoes every year. Although the peak season for tornadoes is from May to October, they can occur at any time of the year. Most of those were in England (78%), with the most prone regions the south, south east and west where the threat of a tornado may be as high as 6% in any given year (in other words, a one in 17-year event).

Few of the storms were very strong however, with 95% classified as being F0 or F1 (or estimated wind speeds of up to 112 mph) with the remainder F2 (estimated wind speeds up to 157 mph). There were none any stronger than that, such as the devastating F5s (estimated wind speeds over 300 mph) that can hit the United States and cause widespread loss of life and damage to property. There were no tornadoes reported at all in large parts of Wales, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland during 1980–2012. The study only included land-based tornadoes (not waterspouts) as they pose more of a threat to life and property.

Lead author of the paper Kelsey Mulder, of the School of Earth, Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at Swagֱ��, said: “F2 tornadoes are still quite strong and are perfectly capable of causing damage and injury. For example there was the twister that hit Birmingham in 2005 that caused 19 injuries and £40m of damage. Because tornadoes are capable of causing such damage it is important that we have some kind of idea where they are most likely to hit.”

Tornadoes are impossible to spot on satellite images and weather radar images aren’t always accurate either. They can show rotation where a tornado doesn’t occur and sometimes tornadoes occur where rotation is not shown on the radar. So the only way we know about them for sure is from eye-witness reports.

Kelsey added: “It seems that most tornadoes in the UK are created along long, narrow storms that form along cold fronts, whereas most tornadoes in the United States are created by isolated storms, which are more similar to the beautiful supercells you see in the movie Twister. Even in the United States, tornadoes formed along cold fronts tend to be weaker than those formed from supercells. That could be one reason why tornadoes in the UK are much weaker. But the process for how tornadoes form along cold fronts is not yet very well understood. Understanding why is my current research project.”

And Kelsey has a special reason for dedicating her life to studying tornadoes. She explained: “I was inspired to study these beautiful things when I was six years old. My home town of Boulder in Colorado was hit by one. It was my last day of school when the town was hit. It was only a small one that destroyed a few sheds but I was so scared at the time. But then later I realised just how amazing the weather is and I decided I wanted to study it.”

The areas of the UK most likely to have a tornado are:

Between London and Reading 6% chance per year of a tornado occurring within 10km of a given location

From Bristol, north to Birmingham and Swagֱ�� 5%

Northeast of London to Ipswich 4%

South coast of Wales near Swansea 3%

Notes for editors

The paper “Climatology, storm morphologies and Environments of Tornadoes in the British Isles: 1980–2012” is published in the June 2015 issue of Monthly Weather Review.

Media contact

Sam Wood
Media Relations Officer
University of Swagֱ��
Tel: +44 (0)161 2758155
Mob: +44 (0)7886 473422
Email: samuel.wood@manchester.ac.uk

Twitter reveals where is happiest about Christmas

Wed, 24 Dec 2014 09:45:00 +0000

Researchers at Swagֱ�� have identified Doncaster as being the most positive city in the UK about Christmas, whilst Oxford is the most negative.

Marco Smolla and Jamie Soul, from the Faculty of Life Sciences, captured and analysed 3 million tweets with the word Christmas or Xmas in to listen in on what the nation is saying about the festive season.

Some of the most common words that came up were love, shopping, decorations, presents and Santa. But there were also some more unexpected ones, such as harrystyles and ill.

The pair then scored the tweets as happy or sad based on the words in the text and ranked cities.

The top 5 most negative were:

1. Oxford (12.9% of tweets were negative)
2. Southampton (12.6%)
3. Newcastle upon Tyne (11.3%)
4. Birmingham (11.2%)
5. Liverpool (11.1%)

The top 5 most positive were:

1. Doncaster (70.3% of tweets were positive)
2. Dukinfield (55.7%)
3. Sunderland (54.2%)
4. Nottingham (52.8%)
5. Leeds (51.2%)

Examples of some of the negative tweets include:

“Absolute Heartbreak! To lose is one thing but to lose it in the 90th min from a counter attack is an absolute disgrace! Christmas ruined!” said a Twitter user in Scarborough.

“X Factor is Christmas number one...blah blah blah music is dead and Christmas number 1 is meaningless now etc etc etc.” said another person in Huddersfield.

Jamie says: “Whilst we had great fun carrying out this exercise the results help to illustrate the use of bioinformatics techniques for analysing complex, big data. These skills are used every day by thousands of researchers to help understand human disease.”

Marco adds: “The programming language that we use is helping researchers around the world to make sense of the immense amount of data that has been collected over the past few years. Statistical analysis is now an important part in our fight against disease.”

Notes for editors

Tweets were captured worldwide between 16:00 and 19:00 on Sunday 21 December. The full table of cities ranked in order of the most negative to the least is below:

City	Number of tweets	Positive	Negative	Positive %	Negative %
Oxford	594	248	77	41.75084175	12.96296296
Southampton	609	271	77	44.49917898	12.64367816
Newcastle upon Tyne	1672	694	189	41.50717703	11.30382775
Birmingham	2408	1133	271	47.05149502	11.25415282
Liverpool	2430	1062	272	43.7037037	11.19341564
Bristol	1385	679	154	49.02527076	11.11913357
Cambridge	731	372	81	50.88919289	11.08071135
Leicester	631	318	69	50.39619651	10.93502377
Kingston upon Hull	1513	649	165	42.89491077	10.90548579
Glasgow	1894	843	205	44.50897571	10.82365364
Swagֱ��	4298	1951	460	45.39320614	10.7026524
Edinburgh	1318	571	136	43.323217	10.31866464
Leeds	1414	725	145	51.27298444	10.25459689
Brighton	838	403	85	48.09069212	10.14319809
Sheffield	1144	527	116	46.06643357	10.13986014
London	17082	8116	1726	47.51200094	10.10420325
Sunderland	531	288	53	54.23728814	9.981167608
Cardiff	1221	559	117	45.78214578	9.582309582
Norwich	749	347	69	46.32843792	9.212283044
Belfast	759	360	69	47.43083004	9.090909091
Nottingham	1094	578	92	52.83363803	8.409506399
Coventry	705	286	59	40.56737589	8.368794326
Dukinfield	1132	631	80	55.74204947	7.067137809
Doncaster	633	445	34	70.30015798	5.371248025

A word cloud of the most common words is available from the press office.

For more information please contact:

Morwenna Grills
Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Life Sciences
Swagֱ��

Tel: 0161 275 2111
Mob: 07920 087466
Email: Morwenna.Grills@manchester.ac.uk

Rare treasure made by Elizabethan mapmaker goes on display in Swagֱ��

Wed, 03 Dec 2014 10:00:00 +0000

A unique 17th century map of Lancashire recently found in Swagֱ��’s John Rylands Library has been placed on public display for the first time.

This cartographic treasure, hand drawn by the Elizabethan Herald William Smith, is on show at The John Rylands Library, in Swagֱ�� city centre, this week until December 22.

Dr Ian Saunders, a historian specialising in printed maps of Lancashire, believes that the map was made between 1602 and 1604. It was the final draft for a rare map of Lancashire which recently appeared in Dr Saunders’s book: Printed Maps of Lancashire: the first two hundred years.

Dr Saunders said: “It is a full size design for a copper plate to be engraved in Amsterdam by Jodocus Hondius, who was the finest map engraver of the period. This plate was intended for the printing of a map of Lancashire, almost certainly as part of a county atlas, but the plates for only 12 counties were produced and the atlas project never came to fruition. For the first fifty years of its existence the plate was not used.”

Smith’s maps were based on earlier ones by Saxton and Norden, but introduced additional features such as boundaries of the Hundreds into which counties were divided, extra place names and a table of symbols.

Dr Saunders continues: “It is thought that the county series was never completed due to Hondius taking on the commission for engraving a new atlas by John Speed, The Theatre of the Empire of Great Britain, which has been celebrated for 400 years as one of the world’s most popular cartographic treasures.

“Speed openly acknowledged his friend Smith’s influence on his own maps and it is probable that his publisher George Humble bought the twelve plates and stored them away to prevent their use for a competing publication.”

The 12 county maps drawn by Smith were previously known as the Anonymous Series and their origin was a cartographic mystery, which seemed impossible to solve for over 300 years.

Confirmation of Smith as the map-maker finally came in 1958, when four manuscript originals of Hertfordshire, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Cheshire were discovered by Mr R. V. Tooley in Holland and acquired by the British Museum.

Dr Saunders said: “It is not known how the Lancashire map became separated from the manuscripts of the other four counties. It was bequeathed to the Library by Leonard Penna, who informed his friend Mr Alan Monks of its significance. Mr Monks recognised the printed version of the map when he saw it in Dr Saunders’s book.

“Dr Saunders was astounded when Mr Monks alerted him to the existence of the original drawing at the John Rylands Library.”

John Hodgson, a manuscripts and archives manager and Donna Sherman, who is a map librarian at the Library, have worked with Dr Saunders to bring the map to light.

Dr Saunders said: “It is thrilling to be one of the very few people who had seen and handled this map during the past 400 years.”

Notes for editors

Experts from John Rylands Library are available for interview via the University’s Media Relations Office.

High resolution images of the Lancashire map are available upon request.

Swagֱ�� Library has digitised both sides of this map, so that it can be examined in terms of content as well as demonstrating these 17th century cartographic printing techniques.

The map was bequeathed to the John Rylands Library in Swagֱ�� by Mr Leonard Penna of Holywell Bay, Cornwall, and upon his death in 1979 it was transferred to the Library.

Media enquiries to:

Kath Paddison
Media Relations Officer Swagֱ��
Tel: 0161 275 0790
Mob: 07990 550050
Email: kath.paddison@manchester.ac.uk

Ethnic inequalities mapped across England and Wales

Wed, 03 Dec 2014 08:00:00 +0000

New online profiler from Swagֱ��'s measures education, employment, health and housing inequalities between ethnic minorities and White British residents in every area of England and Wales

The lives of ethnic minorities across the country have been mapped by experts at Swagֱ�� with a new profiler that allows you to explore standards of living in each area of England and Wales.

Academics and researchers at the University’s Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) have drilled down into Census data to rank districts by inequality, comparing the experience of minority groups to White British residents living side by side.

CoDE, in collaboration with race equality think tank , has produced measures of ethnic inequalities in education, employment, health and housing for each local authority district in England and Wales, for 2001 and 2011.

The profiler is available for all to use and takes only a few seconds to generate a profile of ethnic inequalities in any chosen area.

Despite Britain continuing to diversify, differences in living standards for minorities and white British residents have remained persistent since 2000, according to the findings of the Local Ethnic Inequalities Area Profiler which launches today (WED). Left alone, the problem will not solve itself, the academics behind it warn.

The project highlights the 20 areas with the most and least inequality between ethnic minorities and White British neighbours and also shows that the problem is not unique to typically diverse urban areas, with more rural areas of Lancashire and East Staffordshire and parts of Kent, Somerset and Lincolnshire showing significant levels of inequality.

Other key findings:

Bradford, where 36% of the population identified connections to an ethnic minority group, stands out as one of the few success stories, managing to bridge the inequalities gap between residents since the turn of the millennium. In education, the number of ethnic minority 16-24-year-olds without qualifications is now in line with the number of white British young adults. This compares to 25% of ethnic minority 16-24-year-olds and 19% of White British in 2001.

In Tower Hamlets, London, 48% of Asian households and 43% of households from ethnic minority groups as a whole lived in overcrowded homes compared with 24% of White British households.

In Breckland, in rural East England, the minority population almost doubled from 5% to 9% between 2001 and 2011. Ethnic inequalities widened on all indicators in that time.

Dr Nissa Finney said: “Ethnic inequalities are not only widespread in England and Wales, they are persistent. These inequalities are not, and will not, disappear of their own accord. This is particularly the case in employment and housing. For example, overcrowding was experienced by ethnic groups in every district over the past decade.

“The findings provide clear evidence that ethnic inequalities are a local concern, and that addressing inequalities is not purely an issue for authorities with diverse and poor populations.

“They also demonstrate that inequalities can be reduced and there are districts across the country that have achieved this over the 2000s.”

Dr Omar Khan, director of the Runnymede Trust, said: "This report contains a wealth of information that shows why ethnic inequalities are relevant in every village, town and city in England and Wales. The evidence also suggests that local and national policymakers and decisonmakers must act much more directly to ensure that a third generation doesn't continue to experience disadvantage because of their ethnic background."

Notes for editors

Dr Nissa Finney is available for interview. The CoDE team are also available to extract area specific data for journalists.

Inequality is defined as the difference in the proportion of the White British group and the ethnic minority group who experience disadvantage on a particular indicator. The indicators of inequality used are: percentage aged 16-24 with no qualifications (Education); percentage aged 25 and over who are unemployed (Employment); percentage with a limiting long term illness (indirectly age standardized) (Health); percentage living with an occupancy rating of -1 or below, indicating overcrowding (Housing).

In collaboration with the Runnymede Trust, the ESRC Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE) has produced measures of ethnic inequalities in education, employment, health and housing for each local authority district of England and Wales, for 2001 and 2011, using census data. The study has been led by Nissa Finney and Kitty Lymperopoulou at the University of Swagֱ��.

Resources available from the project are available from 6am on Wednesday 3 December.

They include:

Local Ethnic Inequalities Area Profiler. This Excel-based tool allows you to explore summary data for each district.
Report, summarizing key findings and detailing methods of the project.
Briefing, highlighting key results and policy implications

The report launches 3 December 2014 in London. The launch is organised by the New Local Government Network, in association with CoDE and the Runnymede Trust.

Media enquiries to:

Deborah Linton
Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Humanities
Swagֱ��
Tel: 0161 275 8257, 07789 948 783
Email: deborah.linton@manchester.ac.uk

Wales mixed ethnic groups more likely to claim national identity than Scots

Wed, 12 Nov 2014 08:00:00 +0000

Research on the 2011 Census, carried out by the Centre on Dynamics and Ethnicity at Swagֱ��, found that 47% of mixed ethnicity groups in Wales claimed a Welsh only identity, compared to 37% of Scots counterparts.

New research on the 2011 Census reveals that people from ‘mixed’ ethnic groups in Wales are more likely to claim their national identity than counterparts in Scotland.

The latest briefing from Swagֱ��’s Centre on Dynamics and Ethnicity (CoDE), reveals that 47% of mixed ethnicity individuals living in Wales identify themselves as Welsh only, according to responses to the 2011 Census, compared to 37% of mixed groups in Scotland who identify only as Scottish.

In England, 46% of mixed groups identified as English only when responding to the 2011 national population survey.

Analyists at CoDE also found that Wales’ mixed ethnic groups were more likely to select Welsh as their only national identity than those from all other ethnic minority groups living in Wales.

A question on national identity was included in the 2011 Census for the first time. In Wales, other options were Welsh, English, Scottish, Northern Irish and British.

Dr. Bethan Harries, a research associate in Sociology and the Centre on Dynamics of Ethnicity at Swagֱ��, explained: “National identity is more complex and nuanced than is often suggested in political debates over nationhood, citizenship and belonging.

“The Census data shows how a broad range of factors may influence how people identify but it is not possible to reduce these explanations to just one. Place of birth, age, history and geography of migration settlement patterns all appear to shape how people identify.

“What is more, in comparing groups it is crucial to reflect on how some ethnic minority groups have a much longer history in and relationship to Wales than others. They include multiple generations of citizens of Wales and this is likely to affect how people identify.”

The mixed ethnic groups reflect some of Wales’ longest standing populations. Experts at CoDE found that the highest proportion of mixed ethnicity respondents who identify as Welsh only came from people belonging to the White and Black Caribbean (59%) group, reflecting historic patterns of settlement in industrial areas, especially the South-East.

The Census reveals that other ethnic minority groups in Wales also commonly identify with a UK identity. More than four-fifths of Bangladeshi, Pakistani and Black Caribbean groups identify with a UK national identity compared to one fifth of the White Other group and one third of the White Irish group in Wales. The ethnic groups in Wales most likely to identify as British only are Bangladeshi (64%), Pakistani (56%) and Black Caribbean (41%), which reflects the historical connections of these regions to Britain, and may also be shaped by ties to larger co-ethnic populations in other parts of the UK.

Today’s findings on national identity in Wales are the latest in a series of analysis of 2011 Census data by the Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (co-hosted by the Universities of Swagֱ�� and Glasgow).

The latest briefing explores how national identity relates to other characteristics such as ethnicity, Welsh language speaking, age and place of birth and draws comparisons with the data from other parts of the UK.

Other key findings include:

58% of the population in Wales identify as Welsh and 7% identify as Welsh and British.
Welsh only national identity is reported more for younger people aged 0 to 17 than those aged 18 or older.
People who can speak Welsh are more likely to report only a Welsh national identity (77%) than those who do not speak Welsh (53%). Yet, in some areas where a high number of residents identify as Welsh only, the proportion of Welsh speakers is relatively low.
People born in Wales are more likely to report only a Welsh national identity (76%). People born in the Pacific and North America and the Caribbean are more likely to report only a Welsh national identity (14% and 10% respectively) than people born in England (8%).

This briefing is part of a series prepared by the University of Swagֱ�� with support from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and as part of the work of the Economic and Social Research Council-funded research Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity (CoDE).

Notes for editors

Authors, Dr Bethan Harries and Dr Bridget Byrne, will be available for interview on Wednesday, 12 October.

The briefing is available to journalists, under embargo and in advance of publication, on request. From 12 October 2014 it can be viewed . This site also has a range of other briefings, including comparable ones for England and Scotland.

The analysis is set out in a briefing document produced by Bethan Harries, Bridget Byrne and Kitty Lymperopoulou, as part of a series prepared at the University of Swagֱ�� with support from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, and the research Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity, co-hosted by the Universities of Swagֱ�� and Glasgow.

The Centre on the Dynamics of Ethnicity is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Media enquiries to:

Deborah Linton
Media Relations Officer
Faculty of Humanities
Swagֱ��

Tel: 0161 275 8257
Email: deborah.linton@manchester.ac.uk

Northerners have upper crust in UK language divide

Thu, 05 Dec 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Whereas ‘pants’-wearing Northerners enjoy a ‘bap’, ‘bun’ or ‘barm’ for their ’tea’, Southerners in ‘trousers’ are more likely to tuck into a ‘roll’ for their ‘dinner’, find language researchers at Swagֱ��.

A survey of 1400 English speakers by linguist Dr Laurel MacKenzie and her students reveals a North-South divide on how we describe everyday items such as bread, trousers, footwear and evening meals.

They also show how Northerners and Southerners can pronounce the same words in completely different ways.

In an example, ‘one’ and ‘gone’ typically rhyme when spoken by Northerners, but not Southerners. In addition, ‘give it me’ is more acceptable in the North whereas they’re more likely to use ‘give it to me’ in the South.

Also according to the survey, Brummies can’t make up their mind if they’re Northern or Southern: like their Northern neighbours, they rhyme ‘one’ and ‘gone’, but they mirror the South in calling the evening meal ‘dinner’ and fail to rhyme the words ‘foot’ and ‘strut’.

The way we describe soft round bread is also subdivided into smaller regions: ‘bun’ is common in Tyneside, ‘barm’ and ‘muffin’ in the North West, ‘teacake’ North of Swagֱ�� and ‘cob’ in the Midlands. Southerners stick to the less exotic ‘rolls’.

And only Scousers rhyme the words ‘fur’ and ‘bear’ along with the nearby residents of Merseyside, St. Helens and Wigan.

People between the ages of 10 and 87, spanning a geographical region from Moray in Scotland to Cornwall responded to the survey by the students, now in their third year.

One of the students, George Bailey, compiled the results into a series of interactive Google maps that show the regional patterns, hosted on the University’s Multilingual Swagֱ�� website http://mlm.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/maps.html

Dr MacKenzie said: “This research shows a clear North-South divide in many of the words we choose to use when describing everyday items, and the way we pronounce them.

“Variation is pervasive in language, and often correlates with social factors, like age, socioeconomic status and a person’s place of origin.

“But it’s not completely clear why different words are used to describe the same thing in different parts of the country. There are sometimes anecdotal explanations -- for instance, daps, the South West’s word for sports shoes, is said to be an abbreviation of Dunlop Athletic Plimsolls -- but they’re often hard to verify.”

She added: “The source of regional differences in pronunciation is often more clearly understood. Changes in pronunciation may start in a particular area and spread outward, but be stopped or slowed down by political or geographical barriers.

“The Northern way of rhyming the words ‘put’ and ‘cut’, for example, is faithful to how these words were pronounced centuries ago.

“Speakers in the South of England moved away from this pronunciation in the 1500s, but their way of saying these words didn’t make it to the North.

“However, we’ve compared our maps to those put together a few decades ago, and it looks like the Southern pronunciation is slowly creeping northward.”

George Bailey, from Whitefield in Greater Swagֱ�� said: "I suppose the posh image of Southerners is a bit of a stereotype. But, as a Mancunian, there is a real sense of Northern identity here. The North-South divide is talked about so much, but it's nice that we can now clearly see evidence that the language is different too.

"I know I'd get some funny looks from my family and friends if I started using 'dinner' for the evening meal. I'd feel like I was betraying my Northern roots!"

Fellow student who took part in the survey, Southerner Jessica Fox, from Southampton, has lived in Swagֱ�� for two-and-a-half years.

She said: “It’s certainly different living in the North and as it was my first time here it took some getting used to. For example, I never say ‘tea’ for ‘dinner’, because to me it sounds as if I’m offering somebody a hot drink!

“Sometimes it’s very awkward and the locals see you as posh. My boyfriend’s parents are very Mancunian, so I’m conscious of how I sound to them.

“Having said that, I’ve been here for a while now and seeing myself staying on after I graduate - so I have taken on the lingo a bit by now.”

Notes for editors

Images are available

To see the maps visit

Dr MacKenzie, George Bailey and Jessica Fox are available for interview

For media enquires contact:

Mike Addelman
Press Officer
Faculty of Humanities
Swagֱ��
0161 275 0790
07717 881567
Michael.addelman@manchester.ac.uk

'Swagֱ�� is Britain’s city of languages'

Wed, 14 Aug 2013 01:00:00 +0100

Swagֱ�� is the UK’s language capital, according to researchers at Swagֱ��.

The team based at the University’s Multilingual Swagֱ�� project say there could be up to 200 languages spoken by long-term residents in the Greater Swagֱ�� area – far higher than their previous figure of 153.

Around 40 per cent of Swagֱ��’s young people and close to 50 per cent of the city’s adult population are likely to be multilingual according to the researchers.

The city’s libraries hold 20,000 books and other media in languages other than English, which between 2012 to 2013 were issued more than 70,000 times, they say.

Also according to the team, 3000 pupils at Swagֱ�� state schools sat GCSE exams in foreign languages in 2012.

A digest complied by the team is to be published online and launched at a special event on August 15, attended by representatives of Swagֱ��’s local agencies and public services, including Swagֱ�� City council, police, fire, local hospitals and school services.

Coordinated by Professor Yaron Matras, the team which includes undergraduate students, has been working closely with local authorities, the NHS and schools to advise on the language needs of the city.

Professor Matras said: “Multilingual Swagֱ�� is the only project of its type anywhere in the world, so comparisons are going to be hard with other cities and local authority areas.

“But we do know Swagֱ�� has the densest multilingual population for its size in the UK and the highest population growth rate in England over the past decade.

“Its local authority is responsible for 480,000 people, bigger than any London borough, so in combination with the data from our research - it’s fair to assume that Swagֱ�� has one of the world’s most diverse linguistic cultures.

“And it’s rare to find Mancunians who cannot speak English at all (3%). Just 17 %, most of them elderly, report that they cannot speak English well.

“A massive 80% of Swagֱ�� residents whose first language is not English report they speak English well or very well.”

The community languages with the largest number of speakers in Swagֱ�� are Urdu, Arabic, Chinese, Bengali, Polish, Panjabi, and Somali.

Urdu is the most popular community language: there are 10,005 Urdu books, and 6497 Urdu speaking pupils.

He added: “Swagֱ�� is very likely to be the most linguistically diverse city Europe, certainly when compared to other cities of its size, perhaps only outflanked by London and Paris.

“So Swagֱ��’s language diversity is one of its greatest strengths. In fact language skills are often in demand, with online adverts in the first part of 2013 offering jobs in customer service, sales/marketing, management roles and teaching

“Jobs asking for knowledge of Arabic, Cantonese, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, mandarin, Polish, Portuguese, Panjabi, and other languages were offered at a salary range of £16,000 to £35,000.”

Alex Robertson is a former linguistics student at the University and now a researcher on the project.

She said: Swagֱ��’s language diversity is an incredible asset and I am delighted to have been part of a project which highlights this. After working closely with schoolchildren and services in the city, I can confidently say that our numerous languages are not a barrier, but a rich resource which holds powerful potential on a local and global scale.

“To have made the transition from undergraduate student to graduate researcher is an honour and a great pleasure for me. The practical experience has not only fuelled my academic interest in the topic, but granted me a unique opportunity to explore Swagֱ��’s cultural fabric.”

Notes for editors

The Multilingual Swagֱ�� Digest and a 20 min video on languages in Swagֱ�� will available at from 15 August. The web based Multilingual Swagֱ��, an archive at set up in 2010 to document, protect and support the languages spoken in Swagֱ��, it is now the world’s largest project if its kind. Authored by linguistics students and available for free, it contains over 100 reports on multilingualism and language minorities in Swagֱ��. If members of the public wish to contact Multilingual Swagֱ��, email mlm@manchester.ac.uk.

For media enquiries contact:
Mike Addelman
Press Officer
Faculty of Humanities
Swagֱ��
0161 275 0790
07717 881567
Michael.addelman@manchester.ac.uk