Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero

By Dr Roshan Boojihawon, Department of Strategy and International Business, Birmingham Business School  Labour’s commitment to “throw everything” at the UK’s net-zero transition and now doing a U-turn appears to amplify the ambivalence and confusion regarding the policy’s role in helping Net Zero transitions, particularly for SMEs. SMEs’ efforts to respond to the recent calls … Continue reading “Labour’s U-Turn raises questions about whether its Green Plans can boost UK SMEs to reach Net Zero”

Governing Renewable Natural Resources: How can governance improve the environment and people’s lives in the Global South?

By Professor Fiona Nunan, International Development Department School of Government, University of Birmingham Governance matters for natural resources because it affects how they are used and managed and who gets to benefit. In low-income countries, governance often aims to improve people’s lives as well as the environment, but achieving these ‘win-win’ outcomes has proved elusive. … Continue reading “Governing Renewable Natural Resources: How can governance improve the environment and people’s lives in the Global South?”

Speaking Truth to Power: How Extinction Rebellion have lost their way

By Dr Alex Oaten, Department of Political Science and International Studies School of Government, University of Birmingham The recent wave of protests organised by the movement Extinction Rebellion (XR) has succeeded in drawing significant attention to the environmental degradation that has become a feature of the modern world. With the government seemingly unwilling to take … Continue reading “Speaking Truth to Power: How Extinction Rebellion have lost their way”

Is there a plastic crisis and what can be done about it?

By Dr Johannes Lohse, Lecturer in Economics The Department of Economics, University of Birmingham As for all environmental problems, there is a problem of unknown unknowns, which could significantly increase the social costs of plastic pollution. Plastic has come a long way. From being predicted a ‘great future’ in the 1967 film The Graduate, to … Continue reading “Is there a plastic crisis and what can be done about it?”

World Social Work Day: Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability

By Barbara Fawcett, Professor of Social Work (Adults and Communities) Department of Social Work and Social Care, University of Birmingham Social workers are catalysts for sustainable change in complex situations. World Social Work Day always makes us think about global challenges. It raises questions, such as how is social work making a difference worldwide; what … Continue reading “World Social Work Day: Promoting Community and Environmental Sustainability”