Sustainable Consumption Institute - The University of Manchester

News

$fracking continues in the face of artists by Gwydion M. Williams$

The Rise of Anti-Net Zero Populism in the UK: Comparing Rhetorical Strategies for Climate Policy Dismantling

Professor Matthew Paterson, Stanley Wilshire and Dr Paul Tobin have written an article discussing the rise of anti-net zero populism in relation to climate change policy in the UK between 2021 and 2022.

Robots in the environment including in engineering nature

Towards new ecologies of automation: Robotics and the re-engineering of nature

A research article exploring the use and interaction of automation technologies and robotics in the environment including in engineering nature.

The Materiality of Nothing: Exploring Our Everyday Relationships with Objects Absent and Present

Dr Helen Holmes has written a monograph published by Routledge, The Materiality of Nothing: Exploring Our Everyday Relationships with Objects Absent and Present.

The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Politics book cover

The Oxford Handbook of Comparative Environmental Politics: ‘Continuity and change in carbon market politics’

Professor Matthew Paterson is a co-author on a chapter ‘Continuity and change in carbon market politics’ in a new book published by Oxford University Press.

How platform businesses mobilize their users and allies: Corporate grassroots lobbying and the Airbnb ‘movement’ for deregulation

Luke Yates has had an article published in the Socio-Economic Review.

Where are low-carbon places made an image from Unsplash

Where are low-carbon places made? Conceptualising and studying infrastructure junctions and the power geometries of low-carbon place-making

A research article about where, how, when, and for whom low-carbon places are made.

Renewable, Atmosphere, Environment and Clouds by Thomas Richter

What would a Net Zero society look like by 2050?

A commentary for the Academy of Social Sciences about what a Net Zero society might look like by 2050, based on work with the Government Office for Science and the Department for BEIS.

Professor Ruth Lane, Monash University, Seminar, Households and Churn in the Circular Economy

Professor Ruth Lane from Monash University presented her work on Households and Churn in the Circular Economy on Tuesday, 30 May 2023.

Infrastructuring Urban Futures: the Politics of Remaking Cities

Professor Mike Hodson is an editor and co-author on a new book published by Bristol University Press, Infrastructuring Urban Futures: the Politics of Remaking Cities.

One Bin to Rule Them All

Plastic packaging recycling remains disorganised and inefficient across the UK. A new policy report, from the University of Manchester’s ‘One Bin to Rule Them All’ research team, outlines three best practice responses.

Citizens of Worlds: Open Air Toolkits for Environmental Struggle

Jennifer Gabrys from Cambridge University presented at an online seminar on May 9th, 2023, 3-4.30 pm GMT.

SCI blog post explores themes surrounding climate governance and central banking

The piece explores how central banks could play a significant and constructive role in climate governance as well as what would make them significant obstacles to the transformation needed.

Participants documenting their discussions at the intergenerational workshop in Melbourne

Research project exploring young people, climate change and migration ends with intergenerational workshops and new creative resources

Young People at a Crossroads, a research project led by SCI Honorary Researcher Catherine Walker.

Towards green and just transitions in city regions

PhD candidate Usman Aziz, Professor Elvira Uyarra and Dr Josephine Mylan, from the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research (MIOIR) and Sustainable Consumption Institute (SCI), studied sustainability policymaking in city-regions.

Illustration of the world map by Maisy Summer.

How do we teach young people about climate change?

SCI Researcher Catherine Walker was invited to the PGCE GREEN conference “Climate and Environmental Justice in Education: what’s at stake?" to give a keynote speech on learning about the climate crisis from young people in migrant families.

Video: SCI Seminar on water security, peace, and sustainability

SCI PhD Student Chantal V. Bright held a seminar about the ‘Water-Peace Nexus’ and convened a panel discussion with researchers from a wide range of backgrounds.

Broadlears Agroforestry Research Project

SCI Researchers write about alternatives to agriculture in new blog

Steffen Hirth, Ulrike Ehgartner and Ivan Drlička discuss in a new blog post on the SCI blog whether we should abandon agriculture in favour of agroforestry systems.

Professor Kate Raworth gives SCI Annual Lecture

The founder of the Doughnut Economics Action Lab spoke about how to live within planetary boundaries by painting a more inclusive and prosperous future.

Educators’ guide for the Young People at a Crossroads Creative Book Cover

Educators’ guide for climate change education in schools out now

Catherine Walker has published her Educators’ guide for the Young People at a Crossroads Creative Book.

Climate change for food projects

SCI Honorary Researcher Ulrike Ehgartner co-published the report ‘Climate change for food projects: What it means and what to do about it’ for Food Research.

carbon capture and storage shipping banner

Capturing the carbon opportunity: Making carbon capture and storage a reality for UK businesses

Policy@Manchester are delighted to launch a new report in collaboration with the CBI.

Interview: Investment, Power and Protein in sub-Saharan Africa

Who is investing in the food system and what are they investing in? What should the future of food, specifically protein, look like in sub-Saharan Africa? SCI Lecturer Jeremy Brice speaks on a podcast about his new report for TABLE.

Creative, sensitive and grounded in diverse perspectives: Why we need inclusive climate change education

SCI Researcher writes about how climate change education can address rather than exacerbate eco-anxiety, whilst also learning from diverse perspectives in a new SCI blog post.

Confronting the climate on Manchester’s Curry Mile

SCI Researchers Zarina Ahmad and Sherilyn MacGregor held the highly successful event ‘Mangoes, meat and motors: confronting the climate on Manchester’s Curry Mile’ as part of the ESRC Festival of Social Science.

The unknowing expert – paper on ignorance in expert interviewing

SCI Lecturer Jeremy Brice published a new paper entitled ‘The unknowing expert: talking to a man about supply chains’, which deals with methodological issues surrounding ignorance in expert and elite interviewing.

SCI Researcher investigates the digitalisation of off-grid water infrastructure in peri-urban Ghana

SCI Researcher Ali Browne is the co-author of a paper on water ATMs and access to water alongside Godfred Amankwaa and Richard Heeks published in Water Alternatives. They examine water ATMs’ impacts on water access in a peri-urban community in Ghana.

Dr Maria Sharmina appointed Co-Director for Science and Engineering for Policy@Manchester

SCI Affiliate Researcher Dr Maria Sharmina will join the University's sector-leading policy engagement institute Policy@Manchester as the Co-Director for Science and Engineering.

Investment, Power and Protein in sub-Saharan Africa

SCI Lecturer Jeremy Brice published a new report examining financial investment in protein production in sub-Saharan Africa for TABLE.

Water for Peace and Development: SCI PhD student attends World Water Forum

In a new blog post on the SCI blog PhD researcher Chantal V. Bright writes about water for peace and development and her attendance at the World Water Forum in Dakar, Senegal, earlier this year.

Young People at a Crossroads: Stories of climate education, action and adaptation from around the world

SCI Research Fellow Catherine Walker celebrates the launch of her creative project book and the publication of a related journal article.

New SCI blog on the challenges, strategies & opportunities of (re-)making infrastructures in the face of the climate crisis

Torik Holmes and his collaborators Carla de Laurentis and Rebecca Windemer (UWE) published a new blog post on the SCI Blog about their SCI-funded workshop on the challenges, strategies and opportunities of (re-)making infrastructures in response to sustainability and climate emergencies.

New publication on how the inequality crisis is linked to the sociogenesis of climate change

SCI Honorary Professor Mark Harvey co-published a new article in Water International with Aviram Sharma. It’s entitled ‘Economies of water in Delhi: a neo-Polanyian analysis’ and can be accesses on the journal website.

SCI Director speaking at Conservative Party Fringe event

SCI Mat Paterson spoke at the Policy@Manchester Conservative Party Conference fringe event 'Can renewables catalyse levelling up and tackle the cost of living?'.

Research

Our four research themes explore how we can achieve less resource-intensive ways of life.

Large seminar at The University of Manchester. — Working groups

We are developing research collaborations on emerging new themes.

Advertisement for vegan food. — Projects

We have an ambitious research programme for addressing key issues in sustainability.

Study

Students at Whitworth Park. — Our teaching

We teach, and provide guest lectures, seminars and workshops, in subjects from business to sociology.

Students studying at Whitworth Park. — Postgraduate research

We are home to more than 20 PhD students from a wide variety of countries and disciplines.

Small group of students. — Research environment

We have an excellent international reputation and a proven track record of cutting-edge research.

About

We focus on how innovations can promote a more environmentally friendly lifestyle.

Our research focus has evolved from consumer behaviour to a range of topics.

Find out more about the staff and students that work within our Institute.