Topic description and stories

The climate crisis and biodiversity losses are affecting the planet at an alarming pace. Cambridge researchers are helping the response to these threats, building resilience, supporting the transition from fossil fuels to a zero-carbon future, and enabling us to act sustainably to protect the planet's precious resources and reduce waste.

The climate crisis: towards zero carbon

26 February 2020

Sir David Attenborough, Dr Jane Goodall DBE and leading Cambridge University researchers talk about the urgency of climate crisis – and some of the solutions that will take us towards zero carbon.

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Dog eating raw meat

Dogs may be at risk from high levels of lead from shotgun pellets in raw pheasant dog food, study finds

03 May 2023

Researchers tested samples of raw pheasant dog food and discovered that the majority contained high levels of lead that could put dogs’ health at...

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Seal swimming in the sea near Robinson Crusoe Island

Toxic discovery on Robinson Crusoe Island

30 Apr 2023

Dr Constanza Toro-Valdivieso has been to the ends of the Earth to collect seal poo. Her results show that seemingly healthy seals are contaminated by...

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Digger making tracks in forest

At least 80% of the world’s most important sites for biodiversity on land currently contain human developments

23 Mar 2023

At least 80% of sites identified as being internationally important for biodiversity on land currently contain infrastructure − of which more than 75...

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Maureen and her repaired toaster

Let's get fixable: why we need the right to repair

14 Mar 2023

From toasters that won’t pop to farmers hacking their own tractors, we ask why the right to repair is important for people and for the planet – and...

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‘Antisocial’ damselfish are scaring off cleaner fish customers – and this could contribute to coral reef breakdown

23 Feb 2023

Damselfish have been discovered to disrupt ‘cleaning services’ vital to the health of reefs. And climate change may mean this is only likely to get...

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Person checking barley in field

Cambridge-led consortium receives $35m to boost crop production sustainably in sub-Saharan Africa

31 Jan 2023

A Cambridge-led consortium has received US$35m (£28m) over five years to develop sustainable solutions to increasing the yields of small-scale...

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Green Leaf inside a Computer Circuit Board

Big data's hidden cost

16 Jan 2023

As the climate emergency and cost-of-living crisis focus our minds on how to reduce energy, a group of scientists have highlighted the hidden...

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Solar-powered reactor for converting plastic and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels

Solar-powered system converts plastic and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels

09 Jan 2023

Researchers have developed a system that can transform plastic waste and greenhouse gases into sustainable fuels and other valuable products – using...

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Puffins

Protecting Europe’s seabirds

08 Dec 2022

New conservation guide launched to protect European seabirds at risk from climate change

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Mussels

Mussel memory

28 Nov 2022

How fresh-water mussels and a stretch of the River Thames connected two postgraduate scientists separated by over half a century.

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Researcher holding a mussel

Mussel survey reveals alarming degradation of River Thames ecosystem since the 1960s

28 Nov 2022

Scientists replicated a 1964 River Thames survey and found that mussel numbers have declined by almost 95%, with one species – the depressed river...

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Aeroplane flying

The future of aviation: how will we fly to COP in 2035?

18 Nov 2022

In the week of COP27 people across the world have flown to Sharm El Sheikh to discuss action on climate change. Aviation is a crucial way to bring us...

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