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.

Read more

Beyond the pandemic: build a greener future

09 Nov 2020

It is crucial that recovery from the pandemic is shaped to support the responses to climate change and biodiversity loss if we hope to mitigate yet...

Read more
Baby orangutans in Central Kalimantan. Expansion of oil palm plantations is destroying their forest habitat.

Climate change and food demand could shrink species’ habitats by almost a quarter by 2100

06 Nov 2020

Mammals, birds and amphibians worldwide have lost on average 18% of their natural habitat range as a result of changes in land use and climate change...

Read more

Planting ideas: Botanic Garden opens access with living collections portal

02 Oct 2020

A new web portal to Cambridge University Botanic Garden's entire living collection, 14,000 plants, aims to open access and fast-track urgent global...

Read more

Crop Science Centre building

New Crop Science Centre opens in Cambridge

01 Oct 2020

A new Centre in Cambridge, designed to fast-track technologies to sustainably improve farmers’ yields worldwide, was launched today.

Read more

Provide shady spots to protect butterflies from climate change

24 Sep 2020

Researchers have discovered significant variations in the ability of different UK butterfly species to maintain a suitable body temperature. Species...

Read more
Hydrogen turbofan aircraft

Whittle Lab research key for accelerating the development of zero-carbon flight, says Prince of Wales

22 Sep 2020

Yesterday HRH The Prince of Wales gave the opening address to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers Turbo Expo conference, the largest annual...

Read more

Solar panel installation

ARPA-type funding gives green technology an ‘innovation advantage’, study finds

14 Sep 2020

Startups funded by US agency ARPA-E file patents at twice the rate of similar cleantech firms. The UK should trial its own climate-focused ARPA as...

Read more
'Blue Marble' image of Earth

Living Planet Report reveals 68% decline in global wildlife populations since 1970

10 Sep 2020

Global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have declined by over two-thirds in less than half a century, due in large part...

Read more

Call of the wild collector

28 Aug 2020

Walking at ‘botanist pace’ on Mount Terror in South Africa, Dr Ángela Cano likes to stop and smell the succulents. She then measures, photographs...

Read more

New insights into lithium-ion battery failure mechanism

24 Aug 2020

Researchers have identified a potential new degradation mechanism for electric vehicle batteries – a key step to designing effective methods to...

Read more
Concordia research station in Antarctica

Carbon dioxide ‘pulses’ are a common feature of the carbon cycle

20 Aug 2020

Researchers have found that pulse-like releases of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere are a pervasive feature of the carbon cycle and that they are...

Read more
A Cambridge college cafeteria

Adding a metre between meals boosts vegetarian appeal – study

13 Aug 2020

Researchers have identified the optimal dish positions to help 'nudge' diners into picking more planet-friendly meals in cafeterias.

Read more

Pages