探花直播 of Cambridge - POLIS /taxonomy/affiliations/polis en British Academy elects Cambridge researchers to Fellowship /research/news/british-academy-elects-cambridge-researchers-to-fellowship <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/british-academy-885x428.jpg?itok=XmnujaXU" alt=" 探花直播British Academy" title=" 探花直播British Academy, Credit: 探花直播British Academy" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>They are among 86 distinguished scholars to be elected to the fellowship in recognition of their work in fields ranging from medieval history to international relations.</p> <p> 探花直播Cambridge academics made Fellows of the Academy this year are:</p> <p><a href="https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-elisabeth-van-houts">Professor Elisabeth van Houts</a> (History Faculty; Emmanuel College)</p> <p><a href="https://www.hist.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-tim-harper">Professor Tim Harper</a> (History Faculty; Magdalene College)</p> <p><a href="https://www.asnc.cam.ac.uk/people/Rosalind.Love/">Professor Rosalind Love</a> (Department of ASNC; Robinson College)</p> <p><a href="https://www.ames.cam.ac.uk/people/professor-james-montgomery">Professor James Montgomery</a> (FAMES; Trinity Hall)</p> <p><a href="https://www.polis.cam.ac.uk/staff/professor-ayse-zarakol">Professor Ay艧e Zarakol</a> (POLIS; Emmanuel College)</p> <p><a href="https://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/people/tim.dalgleish/">Professor Tim Dalgleish</a> (MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit)</p> <p>Founded in 1902, the British Academy is the UK鈥檚 national academy for the humanities and social sciences. It is a Fellowship consisting of over 1700 of the leading minds in these subjects from the UK and overseas.</p> <p>Current Fellows include the classicist Professor Dame Mary Beard, the historian Professor Sir Simon Schama and philosopher Professor Baroness Onora O鈥橬eill, while previous Fellows include Dame Frances Yates, Sir Winston Churchill, Seamus Heaney and Beatrice Webb. 探花直播Academy is also a funder of both national and international research, as well as a forum for debate and public engagement.</p> <p>In 2024, a total of 52 UK Fellows, 30 International Fellows and 4 Honorary Fellows have been elected to the British Academy Fellowship.</p> <p>Professor Ayse Zarakol said: 鈥淚 am absolutely delighted to be elected a Fellow of the British Academy in recognition of my interdisciplinary work at the intersection of international relations, global history and historical sociology. It is an honour to join such a long line of distinguished scholars. I very much look forward to working with the Academy to advance research on the big questions of our day and to ensure that UK remains a hospitable environment for social sciences and humanities research that attracts the best talent from around the world.鈥</p> <p>Professor Rosalind Love said: 鈥淎s a grateful recipient of one its Postdoctoral Fellowships, I have always revered the British Academy and am deeply humbled by this honour. It shows that the Academy values the teaching of Medieval Latin, and research in that area, at a time when the subject faces cuts elsewhere. I鈥檇 like to express sincerest gratitude to the teachers who gave me a solid grounding and to all who have supported me over the years: they made this possible. I look forward to working with other FBAs to shape the future of the Humanities.鈥</p> <p>Professor Tim Harper, Head of Cambridge鈥檚 School of the Humanities and Social Sciences, said: 鈥淚t is an honour to be elected a fellow of the British Academy. As a historian, I am very aware of the challenges and opportunities for the humanities and social sciences that we collectively face. I look forward to continuing to strive to strengthen their position.鈥</p> <p>Welcoming the Fellows, President of the British Academy Professor Julia Black said: 鈥淲e are delighted to welcome this year鈥檚 cohort of Fellows, and I offer my warmest congratulations to each and every one. From the Academy鈥檚 earliest days, our Fellows are the lifeblood of the organisation, representing the very best of our disciplines 鈥 and we could not do all that we do without their expertise, time and energy. I very much look forward to working closely with our new Fellows 鈥 the breadth and depth of their expertise adds so much to the Academy.鈥</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Six academics from the 探花直播 of Cambridge have been made Fellows of the prestigious British Academy for the humanities and social sciences.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">It is an honour to join such a long line of distinguished scholars.</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Ay艧e Zarakol</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/" target="_blank"> 探花直播British Academy</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> 探花直播British Academy</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License." src="/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/inner-images/cc-by-nc-sa-4-license.png" style="border-width: 0px; width: 88px; height: 31px;" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-license-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Licence type:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/imagecredit/attribution">Attribution</a></div></div></div> Thu, 18 Jul 2024 10:59:00 +0000 ta385 247011 at Is Democracy Dying? /news/april-2024-vice-chancellor-dialogue-event-is-democracy-dying <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/news/palace-of-westminster-unsplash-1770.jpg?itok=ovpiOreL" alt="Palace of Westminster, London." title="Credit: None" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p style="padding-top: 30px">2024 is the year of elections. A record number of elections will take place, with half the adult population of the world 鈥 some two billion people 鈥 having the chance to vote. Is this a milestone to be celebrated in our democratic history or are we at a crossroads where the fate of liberal democracy hangs in the balance?</p> <p>Against a backdrop of polarising populist movements, the erosion of trust in traditional institutions and a decline of democratic norms, we asked: is democracy dying? Is the election of populists an expression of democracy or a breakdown of democracy? How resilient are our democratic institutions in the face of unprecedented challenges? Is the tension between liberal and democracy ultimately too great to resolve?</p> <p>We addressed these questions in our second Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Dialogues, hosted by Vice-Chancellor <strong>Professor Deborah Prentice</strong> on 24 April 2024.</p> <h2>Our speakers</h2> <ul> <li><strong>David Goodhart</strong>, founding editor of Prospect magazine and Head of the Demography, Immigration and Integration unit at the think tank Policy Exchange. He is the author of 探花直播Road to Somewhere: 探花直播Populist Revolt and the Future of Politics.</li> <li><strong>Nabila Ramdani</strong>, award-winning journalist, broadcaster and academic. She is the author of Fixing France: How to Repair a Broken Republic.</li> <li><strong>Helen Thompson</strong>, Professor of Political Economy at the 探花直播. She is author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century.</li> </ul> <p style="padding-bottom: 20px"> 探花直播discussion was chaired by <strong>Roger Mosey</strong>, Master of Selwyn College and former Editorial Director of the BBC.</p> <h2> 探花直播Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Dialogues</h2> <p>There are two purposes to these events. 探花直播first is to establish whether there is any common ground between people who may seem to be far apart. If we are to make progress in legislation or in understanding the world we live in, we need to identify where we agree as well as where we disagree. 探花直播second is to ensure discussions involve the widest range of viewpoints 鈥 that nothing, within the law, is taboo and that freedom of speech and of thought, and of academic debate, is upheld.</p> <p><a href="/news/the-vice-chancellors-dialogues-is-assisted-dying-compassionate-or-dangerous-for-society">Watch our first event on whether assisted dying is compassionate, or dangerous for society &gt;</a></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>On 24 April 2024, the second Vice-Chancellor鈥檚 Dialogues event grappled with the question: 'Is Democracy Dying?' 探花直播event is part of a series of dialogues about some of the most difficult issues of our time.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-media field-type-file field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><div id="file-220561" class="file file-video file-video-youtube"> <h2 class="element-invisible"><a href="/file/cambridge-vice-chancellors-dialogues-is-democracy-dying">Cambridge Vice-Chancellor&#039;s Dialogues: Is democracy dying?</a></h2> <div class="content"> <div class="cam-video-container media-youtube-video media-youtube-1 "> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7XCV_pf4yhE?wmode=opaque&controls=1&rel=0&autohide=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> </div> </div> </div> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License." src="/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/inner-images/cc-by-nc-sa-4-license.png" style="border-width: 0px; width: 88px; height: 31px;" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified. All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">No</div></div></div> Mon, 15 Apr 2024 11:22:18 +0000 fymj2 245651 at Services across England now lag far behind East Germany, as experts call for 鈥榰niversal basic infrastructure鈥 in UK /research/news/services-across-england-now-lag-far-behind-east-germany-as-experts-call-for-universal-basic <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/rostock_0.jpg?itok=9yjiW14F" alt="Intercity 2 train at Warnem眉nde station in Rostock, one of the parts of eastern Germany look at in the report. " title="Intercity 2 train at Warnem眉nde station in Rostock, one of the parts of eastern Germany look at in the report. , Credit: Bjoern Wylezich/Getty " /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/townscapes-a-universal-basic-infrastructure-for-the-uk/">A new report</a> outlines the dismal state of England鈥檚 physical and 'social' infrastructure 鈥 from public services in health and education to the parks, cinemas and train stations that prop up communities 鈥 when compared to similar regions in what was once East Germany.聽聽</p> <p> 探花直播report鈥檚 authors call for a 鈥渦niversal basic infrastructure鈥 (UBI) if the UK is to 鈥榣evel up鈥 its regions and lift itself out of 'flatlining'聽productivity rates. This UBI would see a minimum level of public and private sector services covering everything from broadband to bus routes.</p> <p>Researchers matched eleven parts of England such as Manchester and Peterborough with German areas close in population and productivity, primarily in the former Soviet bloc 鈥 as this region was a central case study in the UK government鈥檚 flagship 2022 鈥楲evelling up鈥 White Paper.</p> <p> 探花直播report, led by the <a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/townscapes-a-universal-basic-infrastructure-for-the-uk/">Bennett Institute for Public Policy at the 探花直播 of Cambridge</a>, found that in 2021, German towns, cities and regions have on average twice as many hospitals and pharmacies per 100,000 people as their English counterparts. 聽</p> <p>Places in Germany have over 11 times more mental health centres and practitioners, and eight times more further education providers, than equivalent parts of England, according to 2021 data.*</p> <p>In 2020, German areas also have twice as many railway stations per 100,000 people as matching English areas, although England averages almost four times more bus stops than Germany.</p> <p>鈥淎ccess to physical and social infrastructure across England is highly variable, and shortfalls in provision affect both declining and growing areas,鈥 said report co-author Professor Diane Coyle from Cambridge 探花直播鈥檚 Bennett Institute for Public Policy.</p> <p>鈥淏ut even England鈥檚 wealthier areas are falling short of equivalent places in Germany, and have seen notable declines in a wide range of types of infrastructure over much of the last decade.鈥</p> <p> 探花直播report shows that areas such as Cambridge and Manchester have more healthcare facilities per 100,000 people, for example 鈥 as well as more banks, museums and restaurants 鈥 compared to areas such as Bolton, Rochdale and Stevenage.</p> <p>In fact, Cambridge, one of the country鈥檚 wealthiest locations outside of London, has over twice as many banks and building societies, on average, and over six times as many further education providers, as Oldham, Central Bedfordshire and Rochdale.聽聽</p> <p>However, the team also found that many elements of 鈥渟ocial infrastructure鈥 right across all eleven English areas have tumbled since 2014, regardless of regional wealth and average rates of income.</p> <p> 探花直播availability of public transport, GP practices, hospitals, mental health care, police stations, banks, cash machines, post offices, primary and further education facilities, theatres, swimming pools, museums, shopping centres, and chemists have declined across almost all English areas analysed in the report.</p> <p>All local authorities analysed in the report reduced at least one type of health service between 2014 and 2023. For example, Blackpool, Central Bedfordshire, Stevenage and Stoke-on-Trent all decreased their number of clinics, GP practices, hospitals, and dental treatment centres.</p> <p>Even in Cambridge the number of further education facilities per 100,000 people halved between 2014 and 2023, and GP practices per capita fell by over 14%.聽聽聽聽</p> <p> 探花直播number of police stations per capita fell in all places except Bolton, and the number of public parks and gardens reduced in four out of the five areas with data. Contrary to public perception, however, the number of libraries increased across most authorities in the report.</p> <p>鈥淯niversality across the nation is key when it comes to the infrastructure that facilitates most aspects of our daily lives,鈥 said report co-author Stella Erker from Cambridge 探花直播鈥檚 Bennett Institute for Public Policy.聽聽聽聽聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥 探花直播community assets we should all have access to, not just schools and doctors but parks, trains, pubs and gyms, are the foundation for human wellbeing, which in turn underpins economic growth.鈥</p> <p> 探花直播researchers point out that even rapidly expanding places in England are seeing social infrastructure go in the opposite direction 鈥 an impediment to desperately needed house-building.聽</p> <p>For example, Bedford sits in the 鈥極x-Cam-Arc鈥 鈥 an economic boom region encompassing Oxford, Cambridge and London 鈥 and is growing at three times the national rate, expanding by nearly 18% between 2011 and 2021.</p> <p>Yet the town has seen local services weaken, with reductions per capita in everything from bus stops and rail facilities to GP capacity, primary schools, and local banks and cashpoints, since 2014.</p> <p> 探花直播report calls for 鈥減rovision presumptions鈥: thresholds at which existing services cannot be reduced. Coyle, Erker and their co-author Prof Andy Westwood from the 探花直播 of Manchester argue that a minimum UBI level should be tied to an area鈥檚 population growth.</p> <p>Added Westwood: 鈥淎chieving a minimum level of universal basic infrastructure is an ambitious but necessary goal if we want to create economic opportunity across the country. It would prevent the current 鈥榩ostcode lottery鈥, and serve as a catalyst for growth in 鈥榣eft behind鈥 areas, as well as places that are growing rapidly but too often without adequate infrastructure and services.鈥</p> <p><u>Full list of towns, cities and areas analysed in report as follows:</u><br /> <strong>England</strong>: Bedford, Blackpool, Bolton, Cambridge, Central Bedfordshire, Manchester, Oldham, Peterborough, Rochdale, Stevenage, Stoke-on-Trent.<br /> <strong>East Germany</strong>: Bautzen, Cottbus, Erfurt, Halle an der Saale and Rostock. 探花直播report also used data from Hagen in the Ruhr, a post-industrial town in the west of Germany.</p> <p>*In 2021, German places averaged at 45 mental health centres and practitioners per 100,000, compared to 4 in English places. In 2021, German places averaged at 14 further education providers per 100,000 population, compared to 2 providers in the English places.聽</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Per capita access to hospitals, mental health services, and further education facilities in German towns and cities 鈥 primarily in the former GDR 鈥 now outstrip equivalent areas in England, often several times over, according to research.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Even England鈥檚 wealthier areas are falling short of equivalent places in Germany</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Diane Coyle</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/" target="_blank">Bjoern Wylezich/Getty </a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Intercity 2 train at Warnem眉nde station in Rostock, one of the parts of eastern Germany look at in the report. </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License." src="/sites/www.cam.ac.uk/files/inner-images/cc-by-nc-sa-4-license.png" style="border-width: 0px; width: 88px; height: 31px;" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified.聽 All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 as here, on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div> Tue, 05 Dec 2023 10:34:16 +0000 fpjl2 243571 at England needs a Secretary of State and 鈥榗ouncil of mayors鈥 at the heart of Whitehall /stories/englishdevolution <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>England has a level of centralised control comparable to far smaller nations, yet the country remains a 鈥済host-like presence鈥 barely acknowledged by Whitehall and Westminster, a new report suggests.</p> </p></div></div></div> Thu, 06 Apr 2023 08:40:15 +0000 fpjl2 238401 at Insulation only provides short-term reduction in household gas consumption /research/news/insulation-only-provides-short-term-reduction-in-household-gas-consumption-study-of-uk-housing <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/insulationpic.jpg?itok=m0cqntSN" alt="Man installing loft insulation" title="Man installing loft insulation, Credit: Getty images" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>Insulating the lofts and cavity walls of existing UK housing stock only reduces gas consumption for the first year or two, with all energy savings vanishing by the fourth year after a retrofit, according to research from policy experts at the 探花直播 of Cambridge.</p> <p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988322005643"> 探花直播latest study</a> is the first to track in detail household gas use across England and Wales for at least five years both before and after insulation installation.</p> <p>Researchers analysed gas consumption patterns of more than 55,000 dwellings over twelve years (2005-2017), and found that cavity wall insulation led to an average 7% drop in gas during the first year. This shrank to 2.7% in the second, and by the fourth year, any energy savings were negligible. 聽聽</p> <p>Loft insulation was half as effective as cavity wall, with an initial fall in gas consumption of around 4% on average, dropping to 1.8% after one year and becoming insignificant by the second year. For households with conservatories*, any gains in energy efficiency disappeared after the first year. 聽</p> <p> 探花直播findings suggests that when it comes to home insulation there may be a significant 'rebound effect': any savings through energy efficiency get cancelled out by a steady increase in energy use.**</p> <p> 探花直播UK Treasury recently announced some 拢6 billion in funding to reduce the energy consumption of buildings and industry by 15% over the next eight years, with a major focus on insulation retrofits across the residential sector.聽</p> <p>Researchers behind the study, published in the journal <em><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988322005643">Energy Economics</a></em>, say it is extremely difficult to identify specific causes of the 'rebound effect' they found, but behaviours such as turning up the heating, opening windows in stuffy rooms or building extensions may all contribute.</p> <p>They argue that good insulation is vital, but any drive to insulate UK homes should be combined with investment in heat pump installation and campaigns to encourage behaviour change <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-government-takes-major-steps-forward-to-secure-britains-energy-independence">if 2030 targets for energy independence are to be met</a>. 聽聽</p> <p>To capture the overall effect of insulating homes, the researchers accounted for various factors, including the age and size of buildings, the weather and gas prices.</p> <p>However, they did find that gas price influenced energy use 鈥 so the soaring cost of gas may mean greater energy reductions from insulation now than during the study period. 探花直播research also found household gas consumption fluctuated less after both loft and cavity wall insulation. 聽聽聽聽</p> <p>鈥 探花直播recent spotlight on increasing the energy efficiency in UK buildings is both welcome and long overdue, and there are very real benefits to households from good insulation, not least in terms of health and comfort,鈥 said study co-author Prof Laura Diaz Anadon, Director of the Cambridge Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance.</p> <p>鈥淗owever, home insulation alone is not a magic bullet. High gas prices will reduce the rebound effect in the short term, as homeowners have the need to keep costs down at the front of their minds. In the long term, simply funding more of the same insulation roll-out to meet the UK鈥檚 carbon reduction and energy security targets may not move the dial as much as is hoped.鈥</p> <p>Anadon and her Cambridge co-author Dr Cristina Penasco say that insulating old and draughty housing across the UK is a vital step, but argue that not encouraging homeowners to 鈥渇ully degasify heating鈥 while going through the disruption of a retrofit is a missed opportunity.</p> <p>Heat pumps, which extract warmth from outside to heat internal radiators, are highly efficient and negate the need for gas boilers. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41560-022-01104-8">Recent research</a> suggests the UK lags behind many other European countries on heat pump sales, and the <a href="https://www.theccc.org.uk/2022/03/09/taking-stock-of-the-uk-governments-heat-and-buildings-strategy/">UK Committee on Climate Change</a> has also highlighted the need to speed up heat pump deployment.</p> <p>鈥淲hen trying to get middle income households to conduct energy renovations, as the government are currently doing, it makes sense to further encourage heat pump installation at the same time," said Penasco, the study鈥檚 first author from Cambridge鈥檚 Department of Politics and International Studies.</p> <p>鈥淭his could be through incentives such as more generous and focused grant schemes, as well as obligations for boiler manufacturers and additional investments in skills for installers.鈥</p> <p>鈥淲e found that energy efficiency retrofits are often combined with home improvements that actually increase consumption, such as extensions.鈥*** Scotland currently offers grants and interest free loans for heat pumps, while the rest of the UK has reduced VAT in the form of a tax rebate.</p> <p>Residential housing accounted for almost a third (29.5%) of the UK鈥檚 total energy consumption in 2020, according to the International Energy Agency. In the UK, 85% of households use gas as their main heating source.聽</p> <p> 探花直播study used data collected by the UK鈥檚 Department of Energy and Climate Change, and compared energy use in individual households before and after insulation, as well as comparing households that did have efficiency renovations with those that did not.</p> <p>Researchers found that, compared to wealthier areas, households in more deprived areas had half the reductions in gas use: an average of 3% during the first and second year after insulation. Neighbourhoods where deprivation was highest had the lowest reduction in gas consumption.</p> <p>鈥淗ouseholds in more deprived areas often have to limit energy use, so any savings created by home insulation can quickly get redirected into keeping a house warmer for longer,鈥 said Penasco</p> <p>鈥淭his is a good outcome if policies are aimed at reducing fuel poverty in low-income households, but will not help with the UK鈥檚 emissions reductions targets or reliance on gas.鈥 In fact, when it came to household income, those in the bottom 20% increased gas consumption straight after insulation. 聽</p> <p>鈥淣ational caps on gas prices will not incentivise people to conserve energy,鈥 said Penasco, who argues that energy reduction targets could be set for individual households, and associated with waivers on energy bills in the long run, particularly for low income households.</p> <p>Added Anadon: 鈥淧eople do not deliberately squander energy savings. There is a need for education to lessen the rebound effect we have documented. Media appearances by ministers to discuss flow temperatures of boilers are positive signs that parts of the government are starting to think about this.鈥</p> <p>聽</p> <p><em>*Conservatories are one of the most popular home improvements in the UK. Data from 2011 suggests that almost 20% of households in England had some form of conservatory, and 80% of those had some form of heating.</em></p> <p><em>** 探花直播'rebound effect' is a fundamental concept in economics, and was first identified by William Jevons in 1865, when he observed that more efficient steam engines increased rather than reduced coal use, as engines were put into more widespread use. 聽</em></p> <p><em>*** Previous research suggests that extensions in the UK increase household energy consumption by 16% on average.聽聽聽</em></p> <p><em><strong>For more information on聽energy-related research in Cambridge, please visit聽<a href="https://www.energy.cam.ac.uk/">Energy聽IRC</a>, which brings together Cambridge鈥檚 research knowledge and expertise, in collaboration with global partners, to create solutions for a sustainable and resilient energy landscape for generations to come.聽</strong></em></p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>First study to look at long-term effect of home insulation in England and Wales finds fall in gas consumption per household was small and only lasts a few years.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">We found that energy efficiency retrofits are often combined with home improvements that actually increase consumption, such as extensions</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Cristina Penasco </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/" target="_blank">Getty images</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Man installing loft insulation</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified.聽 All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 as here, on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div> Sun, 01 Jan 2023 09:52:05 +0000 fpjl2 236221 at 鈥楲evelling up鈥 met with widespread scepticism across England /research/news/levelling-up-met-with-widespread-scepticism-across-england <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/news/kai-bossom-0kqwihvphzs-unsplash.jpg?itok=pPaKbn5p" alt="Hastings, UK" title="Hastings, UK, Credit: Kai Bossom via Unsplash" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>More than half of people across England (53%) think the government鈥檚 鈥榣evelling up鈥 strategy will either make no difference locally or result in less money for their area, according to <a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/English_British/">a new survey study</a> conducted by the 探花直播 of Cambridge and YouGov.聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>While more than two-thirds of English people (68%) are behind the idea of reducing regional inequalities, believing it should be a 鈥渉igh or medium priority鈥 for the government, one in two respondents across England suspect that levelling up will either not affect their local economy or actively harm it.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播research suggests major regional splits. Almost half (47%) of people in London and the South East think 鈥榣evelling up鈥 will mean less government investment in their area, and only 18% think it should be one of government鈥檚 top four priorities.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>However, in the Midlands and the North 鈥 regions with more post-industrial areas that could benefit from this policy programme 鈥 support for 鈥榣evelling up鈥 is much higher, but not overwhelming: 40% think it should be a high priority, and 41% believe their local area will see more money as a result.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播research, conducted in May of this year and <a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/publications/English_British/">published today</a> by the Bennett Institute for Public Policy and YouGov-Cambridge Centre for Public Opinion Research, also gathered data on national identity along with English attitudes to Brexit and Scottish independence.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淭hose Conservatives raising concerns over how a focus on levelling up might affect party support in the Home Counties are right to be worried,鈥 said report co-author Prof Michael Kenny, Director of Cambridge鈥檚 Bennett Institute.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淛ohnson insists that levelling up will not mean 鈥榬obbing Peter to pay Paul鈥, but residents of south east England appear to suspect the agenda will involve some redistribution, and that they will be on the losing end of it.鈥</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淗owever, large numbers of voters in historically Labour seats across the Midlands and North appear willing to buy the Prime Minister鈥檚 rhetoric, for the time being at least 鈥 underlying the depth of the challenge facing Keir Starmer in these areas,鈥 Kenny said.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播research follows a recent <a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Townscapes_The_value_of_infrastructure.pdf">Bennett Institute report</a> calling for 25% of both the Levelling Up and Towns funds to go towards spending on 鈥渟ocial infrastructure鈥: the amenities and businesses that plug people into their local communities 鈥 from pubs and parks to libraries and sports clubs.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淎 focus on services such as cinemas, museums and leisure centres may be a fast way of boosting local employment and pride, helping to assuage cynicism towards the levelling up agenda,鈥 said Kenny.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淕overnment has an ingrained bias towards large-scale infrastructure projects such as HS2. Interventions that seek to restore dilapidated town centres or support local initiatives are far more socially and economically beneficial than many in government appreciate.鈥</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播previous report, part of the Institute鈥檚 <a href="https://www.bennettinstitute.cam.ac.uk/research/research-projects/townscapes-project/">Townscapes</a> project, highlights the fact that social infrastructure-related services account for almost half the jobs in some 鈥渓eft behind鈥 towns, such as Skegness (46% of total employment).</p>&#13; &#13; <p><strong>British vs. English</strong></p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播latest study also investigated feelings of national identity across England. 探花直播largest share (37%) of people see themselves as equally British and English, while 30% class themselves as English 鈥 either ahead of, or instead of, British 鈥 compared to 21% who consider themselves entirely or predominantly British.</p>&#13; &#13; <p> 探花直播outlooks of English-leaning and British-leaning groups differ on some key issues. A majority of British identifiers (56%) think levels of immigration should be maintained or increased, but just 22% of English identifiers agree, while 66% of English-leaning respondents think the UK was right to leave the EU compared to 30% of the British group.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>However, both groups share a broadly positive outlook towards globalisation. In fact, over a third (36%) of those identifying as English 鈥 sometimes characterised as anti-cosmopolitan nationalists 鈥 think globalisation has been good for the UK economy, compared to just 23% who think it has been bad.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Moreover, 29% of English identifiers feel globalisation has benefitted their own standard of living, almost double those who think the opposite (16%). More English identifiers also feel it has been good (33%) rather than bad (29%) for UK cultural life.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>鈥淲hile some in metropolitan areas may fear a resurgent English nationalism in the hinterlands, our results suggest a need to avoid easy assumptions about those who feel more proud of their English national identity,鈥 said Kenny.</p>&#13; &#13; <p>Overall, the survey failed to detect any Brexit-related 鈥渂uyer鈥檚 remorse鈥 in England, with 46% stating that the UK was right to leave the EU, compared to 39% saying it was wrong to do so. On Scottish independence, the English appear to be somewhat ambivalent: over a quarter (26%) don鈥檛 yet know what they think, almost the same proportion that support it (27%), while 48% oppose it.聽聽聽</p>&#13; &#13; <p>When asked if Scotland currently receives its 鈥渇air share鈥 from Westminster, some 22% said it does, while 36% said it gets more than what鈥檚 fair, but a full third (33%) said they didn鈥檛 know 鈥 suggesting 鈥渓ow levels of awareness and understanding of devolution among the English鈥 according to the researchers.</p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Researchers say Tories are 鈥渞ight to be worried鈥 about parts of the Home Counties due to fears over the meaning of levelling up. 探花直播study also investigates national identity, finding some attitudes run counter to 鈥楲ittle Englander鈥 labels.</p>&#13; </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Interventions that seek to restore dilapidated town centres or support local initiatives are far more socially and economically beneficial than many in government appreciate</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Michael Kenny</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/0KQWihVphZs" target="_blank">Kai Bossom via Unsplash</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Hastings, UK</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br />&#13; 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified.聽 All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 as here, on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p>&#13; </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-license-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Licence type:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/imagecredit/attribution">Attribution</a></div></div></div> Tue, 14 Sep 2021 08:12:56 +0000 fpjl2 226661 at Ringfence funding for 鈥榮ocial plumbing鈥 to level up the UK /stories/socialplumbing <div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>Cambridge experts argue that spaces and facilities where people mix and engage, from pubs to playgrounds, are just as vital as physical infrastructure projects for reviving 鈥榣eft behind鈥 towns.</p> </p></div></div></div> Tue, 11 May 2021 10:31:32 +0000 fpjl2 223981 at Opinion: Why scientists need to work more closely with faith communities on climate change /research/discussion/opinion-why-scientists-need-to-work-more-closely-with-faith-communities-on-climate-change <div class="field field-name-field-news-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img class="cam-scale-with-grid" src="/sites/default/files/styles/content-580x288/public/news/research/discussion/thesept212014peoplesclimatemarchpeterbowdenviaflikrcropforweb.jpg?itok=2GPkAMq9" alt="Unitarian Universalist and larger faith contingent taking part in the 21 September 2014 Peoples Climate March" title="Unitarian Universalist and larger faith contingent taking part in the September 2014 People&amp;#039;s Climate March in New York, USA, Credit: 漏 Peter Bowden" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>I am used to sceptical looks when I talk to scientists about my work with religious communities. They have reason to see science as under threat from zealots: examples abound, from the treatment of Galileo Galilei to vaccine aversion. But faith communities can feel the same way about scientists. Even if they disagree on important topics, it鈥檚 both possible and essential to collaborate on urgent issues, such as the fact that large parts of Earth are becoming uninhabitable. In my view, this Easter, Passover or Ramadan is the perfect time to start.</p> <p>I鈥檓 a political scientist who studies how religious groups respond to problems, from environmental crises to domestic violence to racism. Since 2013, I have worked with other researchers, some religious and some not, to explore climate science with communities of faith.</p> <p>I鈥檝e seen the power of this approach: some 1,200 institutions have committed to divest from fossil-fuel companies, totalling US$14.5 trillion (拢10.5 trillion). One-third are faith-based organizations. Many, such as Operation Noah, are led by scientists. Similarly, the group Extinction Rebellion Muslims has built a transnational network with scientists and activists in Kenya, Gambia, the United Kingdom and beyond; they host 'Green Ramadan'聽seminars. Their efforts stalled plans for a luxury tourist resort that would have destroyed parts of the Nairobi National Park in Kenya. A co-campaigner, Maasai leader Nkamunu Patita, has been appointed to a government task force that will map wildlife-migration routes and be consulted in future development plans.</p> <p>聽</p> <p><em><strong>This is the opening of an opinion piece published in Nature on 30 March 2021. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00808-3">This is open access and can be read in full here</a>.</strong></em></p> <p>Dr Tobias M眉ller is a Junior Research Fellow at the Woolf Institute and an Affiliated Lecturer at Cambridge's Department of Politics and International Studies (POLIS).</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-summary field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><p>To make sufficient progress in the fight against climate change, scientists need to start聽taking聽religious groups more seriously as allies,聽writes聽Cambridge political scientist, Dr Tobias聽M眉ller,聽in <em>Nature</em>.</p> </p></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">I am used to sceptical looks when I talk to scientists about my work with religious communities</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-content-quote-name field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Tobias M眉ller</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-credit field-type-link-field field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/peterbowden/15137427999/in/photolist-p4DgXV-6bM4sn-pmaAyn-aPKc5e-pm9tgP-aPLhyF-e39Nvk-p4DspA-p4As8F-6bRcPA-p4Avmz-pma8WK-pm6x1q-aPLPnX-7nCzvk-p4B8Zp-pm7NTD-pm5N1h-pm5T79-D87xi9-219hWQJ-aPLFsR-aPLAyn-p4BzPb-p4ASTc-pkPMA8-p4AHkA-6bRg9Q-p4Dxqh-p4BRc2-uZYJBN-pj85ML-p4F5KP-pm8xGS-p4F3NT-pkPFXp-p4DWFX-pkPpsa-2eesR3L-pkPr5D-p4DBAJ-v1tbMF-v1KhFt-p4CLEh-pkPS5P-p4EVnw-pkPAEk-p4BmMC-aPLc4v-p4BKTB" target="_blank">漏 Peter Bowden</a></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-image-desctiprion field-type-text field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Unitarian Universalist and larger faith contingent taking part in the September 2014 People&#039;s Climate March in New York, USA</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-cc-attribute-text field-type-text-long field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p><a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" rel="license"><img alt="Creative Commons License" src="https://i.creativecommons.org/l/by/4.0/88x31.png" style="border-width:0" /></a><br /> 探花直播text in this work is licensed under a <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License</a>. Images, including our videos, are Copyright 漏 探花直播 of Cambridge and licensors/contributors as identified.聽 All rights reserved. We make our image and video content available in a number of ways 鈥 as here, on our <a href="/">main website</a> under its <a href="/about-this-site/terms-and-conditions">Terms and conditions</a>, and on a <a href="/about-this-site/connect-with-us">range of channels including social media</a> that permit your use and sharing of our content under their respective Terms.</p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-show-cc-text field-type-list-boolean field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even">Yes</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-license-type field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-above"><div class="field-label">Licence type:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><a href="/taxonomy/imagecredit/attribution-noncommerical">Attribution-Noncommerical</a></div></div></div> Tue, 06 Apr 2021 11:15:00 +0000 ta385 223361 at