Our research on science and the environment

This government bill would introduce measures to support the UK in implementing an independent trade policy, having left the European Union.

Xylella fastidiosa is a bacteria that can cause severe disease and death in certain plants. This article explains what the disease is and discusses recent restrictions on plant imports that the UK Government has imposed to reduce the risk of it being introduced to the UK. Xylella is due to be the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 8 July 2020.

Farm businesses receive direct payments based on the amount of agricultural land that they maintain. Farmers receive payments if they meet certain requirements, including crop diversification requirements. This articles discusses what direct payments are, in addition to the Government’s statutory instrument that would set aside the requirements to qualify for direct payments for 2020.

In recent months there has been a renewed focus on the future of hydrogen as a low carbon energy carrier for the UK. This had led to calls from a variety of individuals and organisations for the Government and the newly formed Hydrogen Advisory Council to publish a hydrogen strategy. This issue is due to be the subject of an oral question in the House of Lords on 17 September 2020.

A government advisory body has updated its recommendations on how much of the UK’s electricity should be generated from renewables. What sparked the change?

Insulating homes decreases the amount of fuel needed to heat them, reducing carbon emissions. Increasing the number of insulation measures installed is necessary if the UK is to meet its target of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. This article looks at the link between carbon emissions and insulation, and what the Government is doing to increase insulation levels.

A government advisory body has updated its recommendations on how much of the UK’s electricity should be generated from renewables. What sparked the change?

Twenty-five years ago, the Environment Act 1995 established the Environment Agency (EA) and set out its duty to promote sustainable development.   The UK is committed to the UN’s 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. As part of this commitment, the UK Government published its 25-year environment plan for England in 2018. The plan set out the Government’s vision to restore and enhance the environment for the next generation

From October 2020, the Government plans to restrict the supply of certain single-use plastics. This article discusses the regulations which would provide for this change.

Scientific research in universities is funded through a mix of public money, EU funding and other sources. This article considers the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report on the pressures on science research funding in universities, including proposals in the Augar Review to lower the existing cap on tuition fees and the potential impact of Brexit. The committee’s report is due to debated in the House of Lords on 9 September 2020.

This article looks at the current candidates for a Covid-19 vaccine, focusing on the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca project, and the Moderna candidate from the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The article highlights the new mRNA technology being developed in some projects. It also looks at what the Government is doing to support vaccine development.

Catch up on science articles you may have missed from June 2020. This month we look at the issue of structural racism in healthcare, and the development of nuclear fusion.