The future of British climate strategy

The University’s Sustainable Consumption Institute (SCI) challenges orthodox thinking on sustainable consumption and production by looking beyond individual actors, such as the consumer or the firm, to understand sustainable consumption and production.

Matthew Paterson, director of the Sustainable Consumption Institute and Professor of Politics at The University of Manchester, has run a project focused on UK climate policy and strategy. As part of the project, ‘The Future of British Climate Strategy’, on Friday 25 May Professor Paterson hosted a workshop of academics and UK NGOs seeking to examine climate policy in the UK and the future of climate strategy.

This project’s focus on climate means it fits well with the University’s sustainability strategy and commitment to a zero carbon future. The climate and what could be done to ensure a viable and healthy future for our country and planet are also key points for consideration for all political parties, so it is fitting that the workshop was run just before the recent general election.

Following the workshop, a report titled ‘Navigating the Backlash: The Future of British Climate Strategy’ has been created presenting recent political changes and the impact of these, including the backlash against the Conservative government’s climate policy and any changes that they made considering this backlash.

The report aims to answer the question ‘How is British politics changing in ways that affect the pursuit of ambitious climate action?’ and is a useful document to provide context for those researching or writing about climate policy.

For more information:

  • Read the report in full here.
  • Visit the Sustainable Consumption Institute website.