Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · 11h

We're excited to be hosting the @sheffielduni.bsky.social Sustainability Symposium 2025 today!

Through panel discussions featuring academics, practitioners & activists, we will be exploring how systemic change comes through true interdisciplinarity and the creation of community. #SheffSustSymp

Jon Alexander speaking at the University of Sheffield Sustainability Symposium 2025

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · 6d

Hot off the press - our new Grantham Centre t-shirts are here! 👕

A huge thank you to the award-winning social enterprise @printedbyus.bsky.social for producing them 🙏

This amazing local organisation teaches homeless and vulnerable people new skills to help them move towards more fulfilling lives

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · 8d

Eco-Friendly or Eco-Fraud - Just how damaging is #Greenwash?

There is another chance to watch our event from this year's @festofdebate.bsky.social where our panel of experts separate fact from fiction and deliberate the issues around #sustainability rhetoric.

Watch here ⬇️
tinyurl.com/bddzzpy5

Eco-Friendly or Eco-Fraud - Let's Talk About Greenwashing

YouTube video by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

youtu.be

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · 21d

The Reform UK led #Kent County Council is on the verge of ditching its #climate emergency declaration, despite the motion being at odds with the latest research.

@richsulley.bsky.social from our #GreenWatch team shares his expert views. Read the full story here ⬇️
tinyurl.com/bdyz5zfs

Ditching the declaration: the real cost of Reform UK's plans to rescind the climate emergency in Kent

Reform UK look set to rescind the climate emergency declaration in Kent. But does the motion align with the latest research? Our Green Watch team share their views.

tinyurl.com

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Sep 8

Council leaders are expected to vote in favour of investing public money to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport, despite warnings about the financial risk and impact on the environment.

Senior Research Fellow @richsulley.bsky.social spoke to @theipaper.com about the decision ⬇️
tinyurl.com/2s3p8kxy

Inside Labour's £190m gamble to re-open a Red Wall airport

Doncaster Sheffield Airport closed in 2022 after owners Peel Group said it wasn’t commercially viable – has anything changed?

inews.co.uk

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Aug 5

Last month our Grantham Scholar Meg Meredith co-hosted a PGR Interdisciplinary Soil Research Workshop. The engaging session explored interdisciplinary working and provided an opportunity for PGRs to start conversations with researchers from other disciplines working on the broad topic of soil. 🌱

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Aug 1

We welcome the new evidence provided by @granthamicl.bsky.social on the climate & health risks associated with #AirportExpansion.

This year @richsulley.bsky.social wrote an @uk.theconversation.com article on why Heathrow expansion is incompatible with #NetZero.

Read here ⬇️
tinyurl.com/4kerye8w

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Reposted by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

richsulley.bsky.social @richsulley.bsky.social · Jul 30

As part of @granthamcsf.bsky.social's #Greenwatch project we cast our eye on headlines and claims and see if they stack up. In this article we investigated an idea for decarbonising shipping and using lifecycle analysis and some simple chemistry looked at the numbers.

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 30

A new #CarbonCapture technology made headlines recently with the claim it can clean up cargo shipping. The key ingredient: quicklime

It works by reacting it directly with CO2 from the ship's exhaust to make limestone

Can it be that simple? Our #GreenWatch team investigated
➡️ tinyurl.com/3pzrzj3w

Making Waves: Could emissions capture at sea be the answer to low-carbon shipping?

tinyurl.com

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 30

A new #CarbonCapture technology made headlines recently with the claim it can clean up cargo shipping. The key ingredient: quicklime

It works by reacting it directly with CO2 from the ship's exhaust to make limestone

Can it be that simple? Our #GreenWatch team investigated
➡️ tinyurl.com/3pzrzj3w

Making Waves: Could emissions capture at sea be the answer to low-carbon shipping?

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

richsulley.bsky.social @richsulley.bsky.social · Jul 23

Exciting Times at the Grantham Centre.

We've got money available to UoS researchers with ideas that can multiply the effect of existing sustainability research, or kick start something new.

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 23

📢 We're very excited to launch the Grantham Amplification Fund!

We're pledging £500,000 to kickstart impactful #sustainability research projects!

It's open to all @sheffielduni.bsky.social academics, researchers & professional service staff.

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/26ut4mpf

#ResearchFunding

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 23

We're also thrilled to partner with South Yorkshire Sustainability Centre to launch the 'Regional Readiness Fund' 🤝

This fund aims to encourage researchers to work with partners within #SouthYorkshire to drive projects that address sustainability challenges.

Find out more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/3saw64h3

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 23

📢 We're very excited to launch the Grantham Amplification Fund!

We're pledging £500,000 to kickstart impactful #sustainability research projects!

It's open to all @sheffielduni.bsky.social academics, researchers & professional service staff.

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/26ut4mpf

#ResearchFunding

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 11

⚠️ A new comprehensive list of chemicals used in plastics shows that over a quarter of those used are classified ‘chemicals of concern’! Should we be worried? 😟

Our Co-Director, Rachael Rothman, went on BBC Inside Science to discuss the new findings ⬇️ (starts: 2:02)
🔊 www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

BBC Inside Science - How can we reduce the impact of plastic on the environment? - BBC Sounds

Solutions to plastic waste from creating cleaner products to cleaning up ocean litter.

www.bbc.co.uk

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jul 7

What impact would #Degrowth or #GreenGrowth in the Global North have on economies in the Global South? 🌍

Congratulations to our Research Associate, Dr Ben Lowe, on the publication of his fascinating new research paper. 🙌

Read in full here ⬇️
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Macroeconomic implications for the Global South of a green transition in the Global North

This paper examines the potential macroeconomic impacts on countries and regions in the Global South arising from a reduction in the material footprin…

www.sciencedirect.com

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 30

This is the world’s most #sustainable solar-powered cold room 🧊

It is improving food security, supporting the local economy and cutting greenhouse gas emissions in Sub-Saharan Africa 🌍

Our Research Fellow, Stuart Walker, was part of the team behind the project.

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/mr66x5zb

Five builders working on the walls and installing the insulation of the sustainable cold room in Kenya. A quote from Dr Stuart Walker, Research Fellow in Sustainability Assessment at the Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures appears over the top. It reads: "It's maybe not obvious initially, but it doesn't take long to realise that the availability of cold storage has the potential to change lives."

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 26

Vegan cake, bicycles & a Repair Tree - it must be the Grantham Centre Summer Social 😎

Thanks to all those who came to our summer social this week to celebrate the amazing work done by our Scholars & Supervisors! A big thanks also to Reyt.Repair & A Different Gear for leading the repair workshops 🙏

Two Grantham Scholars sitting at a table enjoying food at the summer social event.

A man from Reyt.Repair leaning over a sewing machine to show a Grantham Scholar how to use it.

Three Grantham Scholars sitting a table, using pliers to try and rewire a plug.

A man from A Different Gear holding up a bicycle tyre in front of a group of Grantham Centre scholars and supervisors. He is demonstrating how to remove the inner tube of the tyre.

Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 20

Sheffield’s stripes on #ShowYourStripes Day - a striking visual of our rapidly warming climate 📈

Wherever you are in the world, your stripes will tell the same story.

Read more about how graphs are shaping our understanding of the #ClimateCrisis ⬇️
grantham.sheffield.ac.uk/the-graphs-s...

From Stripes to Doughnuts: the iconic graphs shaping the climate conversation

For Show Your Stripes Day we decided to take a look at five iconic graphs shaping the climate conversation.

grantham.sheffield.ac.uk

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 19

Climate change is here. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions alone won’t save us — we must adapt and act now! ⚠️

You can now watch the full recording of this fascinating @festofdebate.bsky.social event hosted by our Grantham Scholars. ⬇️

📽️ youtu.be/IxV3D7t3Oxg?...

#FoD2025 #ClimateCrisis

Adapt or Collapse? The Radical Overhaul Our Living World Needs in the Age of Climate Crisis

YouTube video by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

youtu.be

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 16

For World Refill Day, our Senior Researcher @sarahcgreenwood.bsky.social explains how our research is perfecting reusable packaging systems to reduce plastic pollution. 🥤

📽️ youtube.com/shorts/gdilz...

Read the research paper ⬇️
tinyurl.com/2bnbmwbw

#WorldRefillDay #MoreThanYouThink

World Refill Day 2025

YouTube video by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

youtube.com

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 13

Water is a basic human need, yet water scarcity is causing suffering for millions of households across Kenya. 💧

A video project, funded by our GO Fund initiative, aims to empower local voices and highlight their innovative water practices. 🎥

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/59fc73wy

A local man from Mathare, Niarobi, sitting down behind a camera to be interviewed by Grantham Scholar, Monica Martin Grau. A quote over the top from community leader Martin Mureithi reads "“The research was not only inspirational but a reminder that more needs to be done to improve livelihoods in regards to water.”

Reposted by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

The University of Sheffield @sheffielduni.bsky.social · Jun 11

30% of England’s household waste went to landfill in 2023. Could a giant greenhouse powered by burning waste be a greener way to grow food? @granthamcsf.bsky.social's Alex Newman explains the project - and the challenges it faces - for @uk.theconversation.com

theconversation.com/why-burning-...

Why burning waste to power a giant greenhouse really could be a greener way of growing food

The proposed Rivenhall greenhouses could burn all household waste but the project must prove its low-carbon credentials to be more than just hot air.

theconversation.com

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 11

Is burning waste to power and heat a massive greenhouse really a greener way to grow food, or just more hot air? 🔥

Our Research Associate in our Sustainability Assessment team, Alex Newman, shared his thoughts on the project with @uk.theconversation.com 🍅

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/yubd5sy3

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 3

On 9 Oct 2023, prescribed burns in the Peak District
caused smoke to cover #Sheffield and #AirPollution to spike 🔥

This inspired our Grantham Associate, Maria Val Martin, & other researchers to create a system to detect and measure the impacts of moorland fires.

Read more ⬇️
tinyurl.com/szkzedxw

Researchers create system to log air quality impacts of moorland fires

Peak District pilot scheme combines satellite data with sensors on the ground to measure particle pollution

www.theguardian.com

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Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures @granthamcsf.bsky.social · Jun 2

COP29 was a landmark moment in the development of a global carbon market. But what happened next?

Our COP29 delegate, Issi Steeley, has followed the progress closely. Read her article to learn more about the history and challenges of the #CarbonMarket.

➡️ tinyurl.com/3k2fmhjk

Following Article 6.4 and the development of a global carbon market

COP29 was a landmark moment in the development of a global carbon market. So what comes next and what are the challenges of a carbon market?

tinyurl.com

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Reposted by Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures

richsulley.bsky.social @richsulley.bsky.social · May 30

At @granthamcsf.bsky.social @festofdebate.bsky.social event on the future for plastics these questions were raised again, “𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵?”, “𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘢 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘪𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮?”, “𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘪𝘦?”

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