Labour’s £28 billion green investment promise could be watered down – here’s why

Keir Starmer’s flagship climate change pledge has already been cut back significantly since 2021.

Marc Hudson, Visiting Fellow, Science Policy, University of Sussex • conversation
Feb. 2, 2024 ~7 min

The Conservatives have seized on cars as a political wedge – it's a bet on public turning against climate action

Today, as in the past, pro-car sentiment is a backlash against nascent environmental protest.

Matthew Paterson, Professor of International Politics, University of Manchester • conversation
Sept. 5, 2023 ~6 min


What a Labour government would mean for the right to roam

Labour has promised to extend access rights enjoyed in Scotland to the rest of Britain.

Ben Mayfield, Lecturer in Law, Lancaster University • conversation
Aug. 31, 2023 ~7 min

ChatGPT and other language AIs are nothing without humans – a sociologist explains how countless hidden people make the magic

Language model AIs seem smart because of how they string words together, but in reality they can’t do anything without many people guiding them every step of the way.

John P. Nelson, Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Ethics and Societal Implications of Artificial Intelligence, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
Aug. 18, 2023 ~8 min

Rishi Sunak’s green backtracking contrasts strongly with previous prime ministers’ efforts

Past prime ministers could afford to talk big on climate change – but now the impact of the environmental crisis is manifestly real, Sunak can’t afford to appease those who oppose green policies.

Marc Hudson, Visiting Fellow, Science Policy, University of Sussex • conversation
Aug. 3, 2023 ~7 min

Why Labour is right to stop future UK oil and gas development

Keir Starmer pledges to end new UK oil and gas exploration – an expert’s take on why this is the right move.

David Waltham, Professor of Geophysics, Royal Holloway University of London • conversation
June 21, 2023 ~7 min

Keir Starmer hasn't really called time on North Sea oil and gas – here's why

Labour would still honour existing licenses to drill for fossil fuels.

Gisa Weszkalnys, Associate Professor of Anthropology, London School of Economics and Political Science • conversation
June 7, 2023 ~8 min

Health care workers are frazzled – and poor sleep may turn stress into poor mental health

Disturbed sleep can worsen depressive symptoms of health care workers whose jobs come with high levels of emotional labor and work-family conflict.

Yuan Zhang, Associate Professor of Nursing, UMass Lowell • conversation
March 14, 2023 ~8 min


Labour’s Great British Energy is a good start – here's how to make it work for everyone

A state-owned start-up to promote renewables must be only a first step towards energy justice.

Ed Atkins, Senior Lecturer, School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol • conversation
Sept. 28, 2022 ~7 min

Skills shortage could undo UK government's net zero plans

Wind turbines need building, heat pumps need installing – but Britain has a chronic skills shortage.

John Weir, Research Associate in Talent and Skills, Energy & Environment Institute, University of Hull • conversation
Oct. 28, 2021 ~6 min

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