Sustainable Futures

Celebrating the brilliant women across Sustainable Futures this #IWD2026 💜
Grateful for the leadership, creativity and energy they bring every day.

At the GM Green Summit 2026 today — come find us at Stand 40 🌿
Great conversations, big ideas, and real action for a greener Greater Manchester. Come say hi! 💬✨
#GMGreenSummit #Sustainability #ClimateAction

🌱 New funding alert
We are launching a Community Impact Fund offering up to £3,000 for community‑based environmental sustainability projects. Open to UoM researchers working with community partners across Manchester and beyond.
Deadline: 29 March 2026
Apply here: forms.office.com/e/UetbMdsxS1

UK's first deep geothermal electricity plant switches on The plan to generate deep geothermal electricity in Cornwall had been years in the making, but the discovery that the water was rich in lithium - a key component to make car batteries - was "just luck...

#MindfulMonday: UK's first deep geothermal electricity plant switches on news.sky.com/story/uks-fi...

Did you know the pangolin has no vocal chords? In June 2025, Olympias Music Foundation delivered a 3-day session of musical exploration, environmental awareness, and song writing with key partner,… Olympias Music Foundation x The HERDS - If a Pangolin Could Speak

🦔✨ World Pangolin Day — 21 Feb
Shouting out one of the planet’s most unique and vulnerable animals today: the pangolin.
Eight species. All threatened. All worth protecting.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-t0...
#WorldPangolinDay #Conservation #Pangolins

Environmental science community webinar: UKRI investment approach Following the spending review, which provided a record four-year settlement, UK Research and Innovation is changing the way some of its investment is directed. This is to align with national prioritie...

🌍 UKRI is hosting a webinar on their evolving investment approach for environmental science.
Great chance to hear updates, ask questions + connect with the community.
📅 27 Feb
🔗 www.ukri.org/events/envir...
#EnvironmentalScience #UKRI #ResearchCommunity

Alongside #IPBES12, we hosted a parallel event with Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Salford exploring regional ambitions for nature. We shared practical examples of research and innovation partnerships driving nature‑positive change and what it will take to scale them.

A major new book by Paul Tobin, @matpaterson.bsky.social @uompols.bsky.social @officialuom.bsky.social, and Stacy D VanDeveer @umassboston.bsky.social examines why climate strategies often clash—even among those committed to action.

www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/w...

@sustainableuom.bsky.social

🌿 Mangrove.World turns gameplay into real mangrove restoration. A smart blend of science, storytelling and climate action.
#MangroveWorld #ClimateAction

🌍 Just Earth Observation for Conservation (JEOC) is rethinking how satellite and drone data shape conservation.
The project brings communities, researchers, and practitioners together to ensure Earth observation is ethical, equitable, and centred on the people who live in conservation landscapes.

A collaboration between Quilombola communities and international researchers is uniting traditional knowledge with eDNA, remote sensing, and AI to build community‑led conservation. Led by Dr Polyanna Bispo at @OfficialUoM, it’s a new model for Amazon stewardship.

🌍 IPBES‑12 kicks off in Manchester today!
As leaders, scientists and communities come together, it’s a crucial moment to turn biodiversity knowledge into real action. Over the next few days we’ll share interdisciplinary research from The University of Manchester on nature restoration.
#IPBES12

YouTube video by Sustainable Futures In Conversation: African Climate Futures with Carl Death, Kelechi Anucha and Jade Munslow Ong

🌍 African Climate Futures – Recording Out Now
A powerful conversation with Carl Death, Kelechi Anucha and Jade Munslow Ong on how climate futures are imagined and contested across Africa.
🎥 Watch the YouTube recording: youtu.be/G1Au8apzo0w
#AfricanClimateFutures #ClimateJustice #AfricanStudies

Kicking off 2026 on a high. Our Away Day brought the full team together for the first time — a great moment to set priorities for the year ahead.
Thrilled to welcome our new Theme Leads:
• Dr Tom McDonald – Materials
• Dr Sarah Mander – Equity
• Dr Ian Thornhill MCIEEM – Nature
Exciting times!

Scientists identify major geothermal energy source beneath Manchester city centre - Energy Live News Researchers uncover deep geothermal potential beneath a Manchester car park that could power thousands of homes with clean energy

🌍 Big news beneath Manchester: researchers have identified major geothermal potential under the University campus — enough clean energy to rival 100,000 solar panels. A tiny drill site, huge impact for the city’s energy future.
tinyurl.com/44bxsx79
#GeothermalEnergy #CleanEnergy #Manchester

UN Environment Assembly Reaffirms Commitment to Multilateral Action for a Resilient Planet More than 6,000 participants from 186 countries gathered at United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) headquarters in Nairobi for the week-long UN Environment Assembly (UNEA). UNEA-7 concluded on 12...

🌍 UNEA‑7 advanced global action on wildfires, AMR, AI governance and protecting vulnerable ecosystems. Read how The University of Manchester researchers contributed to the agenda: www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/u...
#UNEA7 #UNEP #ClimateAction #Sustainability

Hedgehog hole cut into a brick wall

Hedgehogs are in trouble. They can travel up to 2 miles a night in search of food and a mate - but barriers around gardens make this hard, contributing to population declines. Linking gardens to create a network of hedgehog-friendly spaces can help.
More: littlegreenspace.org.uk/features/hom...

An aerial view of a car with cars and lorries, besides a warehouse full of solar panels, in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. Photo by Bernd Dittrich via Unsplash

A positive piece to start the year, in Nature: Despite growing political divides + uncertainty, ambitious #ClimateAction is underway and key elements are irreversible, with multiple backstops & positive loops that reinforce our progress: doi.org/10.1038/s415...

💡Authors inc. clequere.bsky.social

Dr Kelechi Anucha joins Dr Carl Death and Prof Jade Munslow Ong for African Climate Futures for an evening digging into how climate change is imagined and contested across the continent.
🗓️ 22 Jan 2026
📍 House of Books and Friends
🕕 17:00–19:00
🎟️ Tickets: tinyurl.com/etzcr4uy
#ClimateJustice

🎆 2025 RECAP 🎆
We've done a lot in 2025 and we're already looking forward to all the exciting things we have planned for 2026! From the usual events to Ideas Catalysts and Innovation Labs, we've tried new things and continued growing our network. Thank you for your support!

🌍 The Environmental Audit Committee has published two evidence submissions from Tyndall Centre researchers on the Seventh Carbon Budget. They call for cross‑disciplinary review, participatory policy, and a shift to credible, UNFCCC‑aligned climate action. More: lnkd.in/eAu7SqHA lnkd.in/e9JnBuCD

🌿 The Lords Built Environment Committee has published written evidence from Dr Jack Benton on creating communities in new towns. He highlights why embedding nature & biodiversity from the start boosts flood management, wellbeing & social cohesion. Read more: lnkd.in

🌟 Season’s greetings from all of us at Sustainable Futures!
We’re grateful for all the brilliant people we’ve worked with this year and the interdisciplinary community that continues to inspire us. Wishing you rest and joy over the holidays!

Reflecting on progress at COP30: Interview with José A. Puppim de Oliveira - Global Development Institute Blog Last month, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hosted its annual conference of the parties (COP) in Belém, Brazil. Known as COP30, this year’s climate summit took…

🌍 At COP30 in Belém, Brazil, @José A. Puppim de Oliveira reflects on progress since Paris & the challenges ahead. Collaboration + innovation remain key for climate action. Read the full interview 👉 blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk/reflecting-o... #COP30 #ClimateAction

✨ Innovation in Action! 🚀 Our Innovation Lab with FutureEverything brought bold ideas to life. Congrats to LanthaGen Bio, Ardwick Climate Action, Cellnex UK & Peak District NP for stellar pitches! Collaboration + creativity = a better future 🌍💡 #Innovation

Nature Insight: Speed Dating with the Future | IPBES Speed dating is about having a short time to communicate things that could change your life. That’s exactly what we’re doing on this podcast, by introducing you to people with unique insight into our…

🌿🎙️ New episodes of Nature Insight are live!
Dive into conversations on conservation, biodiversity & climate futures with voices shaping our planet’s story.
Listen here 👉 natureinsight.podbean.com
#NatureInsight #Conservation #ClimateAction #Biodiversity #Podcast

What a day at the Co-created Futures Conference! 🌍✨
Congratulations to Tetyana Solovey, Topo Mokokwane & Dwica Wulandari for winning the poster competition 👏
Thanks to our speakers & attendees for making it a collaborative experience. 🚀
#CoCreatedFutures #Innovation #Collaboration #FutureThinking

The University of Manchester launches £400m global fundraising and volunteering campaign to tackle the world's biggest challenges The University of Manchester launches "Challenge Accepted", its first major global fundraising and volunteering campaign●        The campaign will mobilise more than half a million global alumni, supp...

'Challenge Accepted' is now live! 💫

Our global fundraising campaign aims to raise £400 million to help higher education drive real, transformative change:

➿Student inclusion and success
🥼Research with purpose
🔬Innovation and enterprise
🌐Culture and community

www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/t...

🚨 Last Chance to Register! 🚨
The Co-Created Futures Conference is almost here 🌍✨ Join us for a dynamic day!
🔑 Keynote: Abigail Herron (Aviva Investors, ESG leader)
🛠️ Interactive stalls & exhibitors
🌱 Climate education with The RoundView
👉 Sign up now: tinyurl.com/3aw64c9x

MIOIR Seminar Series with Professor Meric Gertler Meric S. Gertler discusses the case for universities to take leading roles in the fight against climate change.

🌍 How can universities lead the fight against the climate crisis?

Join us for our next MIOIR Seminar with Prof Meric Gertler, President Emeritus of the University of Toronto.

📅 1 Dec 2025
⏰ 15:30–16:30
📍 AMBS & Online

Register here👉 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/mioir-semi... #ClimateLeadership