Scientists and researchers from across the University have outlined how the world’s key challenges can be addressed in a post-COVID world in a suite of online flash lectures.

Leading experts from our five research beacons (advanced materials, cancer, energy, industrial biotechnology and global inequalities) have offered their thoughts on how COVID-19 has put some of the major challenges facing the planet into sharper focus, or shown how the crisis has acted as a catalyst for positive change in society.

The lectures draw out some key themes – health, economic recovery, inequality, growth of the green sector and innovation – and cover topics such as new simple at-home tests for cervical cancer, re-evaluating the role of key workers in society; carbon removal technologies for cleaner energy generation; the sustainability of plastics; using plant-based and synthetic resources to develop a new and bio-based manufacturing sector as an alternative to the fossil-fuels.

Professor David Hulme from the University’s Global Development Institute, says: “COVID-19 has brought many issues into a very sharp focus. It’s a health crisis, and at the same, time it’s an economic crisis. But it may also be an opportunity to start to rethink some of the ways in which the world is governed and think about the strategies that countries and organisations have been pursuing.”

In the context of ‘green growth’, combating climate change is top of the agenda. Professor Alice Larkin, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, says: “There are two important lessons that we’ve learnt so far from the COVID-19 pandemic. Firstly, that our priorities can be different. And secondly, that change can happen quickly. These observations can also be harnessed to tackle the climate emergency because with everything going on in the world right now, you’d be forgiven for forgetting that we’re in one.”

For more information visit manchester.ac.uk/covid-catalysts.