Policy Leeds January signpost

Evidence on schools and climate presented in Westminster, new reports address issues relating to child vulnerability and air quality, plus events evaluate Britain’s future.

Photo by Tupungato on Adobe Stock.

Schools and climate research at Parliamentary Evidence Week 2025

On 21 January, two teams from the University of Leeds will be attending parliament to present their research and proposed policy changes to MP’s and peers.

The event will involve quick fire policy briefings and conversations to provide Parliamentarians with evidence to inform and inspire change.

Improve school attendance

Megan Wood (School of Psychology) and Lydia Gunning (Born in Bradford) will present how routinely collected public service data can be better used to tackle this crisis and boost children’s health and wellbeing.

For more information about the research, read the Improve school attendance policy brief or read blog ‘Tackling school absence using data: understanding the why and the how’ on the origins of the work. MP’s and peers can book a slot to speak to Dr Megan Wood and Dr Lydia Gunning at Parliamentary Evidence Week.

Regional climate actions that make a real difference

Andrew Wood, Millie Duncan, Muriel Bonjean Stanton and Kate Lock (all from the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission) will share insights on how UK regions can galvanise decisive climate action to reduce carbon emissions to meet local and national goals, and adapt to a rapidly changing climate.

For more information about their research, read the Regional climate actions that make a real difference policy brief. MP’s and peers can book a slot to speak to the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission team at Parliamentary Evidence Week.

Policy Leeds and the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission will be sharing updates about the event on their social channels. Follow Policy Leeds on LinkedIn and the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission on LinkedIn. Stay tuned for more about the outcomes of the event in the weeks that follow.

Report offers plan for addressing childhood vulnerability, crime and justice

The eleventh Child of the North reports was published at the end of November, and it reveals how thousands of children become involved in the criminal justice system or become victims of serious violence or crime annually. The evidence highlights several concerning patterns, including how 85% of boys in Youth Offender Institutions have previously been excluded from school. It recommends targeted action, with a focus on education and well-being, to divert vulnerable young people away from criminal exploitation.

The report was the penultimate of the series, with the twelfth and final report scheduled for publication at the end of January.

Read ‘An evidence-based plan for addressing childhood vulnerability, crime and justice’

Policy projects for 2025 connect and skill share

On 9 January, colleagues across the University came together to talk about their latest policy-relevant research projects.

Attendees gather at networking event

Commencing in October 2024 and funded through the Research England Policy Support Fund, Research England Participatory Research Fund, and ESRC Impact Acceleration Accounts, this year’s projects cover a broad range of subject areas. Including, nature-based solutions, agri-environment schemes, climate transition, public safety, economic resilience, and community engagement.

To ensure the work is targeted and impactful, the event offered our research teams an opportunity to share progress, current plans, best practice and make connections. Highlights included peer-peer advice on co-production, collaboration, scaling partnerships, and tips for engaging policymakers.

We also hosted an expert panel, chaired by Carrie Heitmeyer (Government Office of Science) with Rosemary Armitage (Leeds City Council), Peter O’Brien (Yorkshire Universities) and Patrick Reynolds (Pagefield). Key talking points included the Government’s priorities and what they mean for regional research-policy engagement, plus insights on the potential expansion of devolution and how this will affect University-civic partnerships.

More information:

• Visit our website for more on this year’s Policy Support Fund projects.
• See the RIS website for more about the **Participatory Research Funded projects.**
• Find the ESRC IAA project summaries on the LSSI website.
• Follow us on Medium, where we will share our upcoming blog on key points from the panel discussion.

Events

CHORAL Winter gathering

15 Jan, 3pm — 5:30pm, Room 8.43 X, Worsley Building, University of Leeds

Hear the latest from the Child Health Outcomes Research at Leeds (CHORAL) team, with networking, updates and opportunities to get involved with the work.

Register for the CHORAL Winter gathering

Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) Joint Showcase Event

20 Jan, 10am — 1:30pm, Esther Simpson Building LT (1.01), University of Leeds

Join the Leeds Social Sciences Institute and the Research and Innovation Service for this event showcasing the diverse range of IAA-funded projects that are being delivered across various departments and funding councils at the University of Leeds.

Find out more about the IAA Showcase Event or register.

Delivering a net zero energy system

23 January, 9:30am — 4:30pm, Cloth Hall Court, Quebec Street, Leeds

Delivering new and existing targets on our way to net zero will require rapid change. What role can our research play, and how can University researchers work with stakeholders to deliver a clean, affordable and secure energy system?

Register for ‘Delivering a net zero energy system’

Mission (Im)possible: How to Reclaim Britain’s Future? With Torsten Bell MP

23 January, 4-5:30pm, Esther Simpson LT (1.01)

Register for this event by Leeds Social Sciences Institute to share in insights from Torsten Bell’s new book ‘How We Get Our Future Back’. Discussion will explore solutions to the pressing challenges facing Britain, including inequality and economic stagnation.

Register for Mission (Impossible): How to reclaim Britain’s future?

The cost of climate change: a seminar with Dr Leonie Wenz

27 January, 12–1pm, Online and in person (School of Earth and Environment seminar rooms 1&2)

Discover recent research efforts by the Potsdam-Institute for Climate Impact Research to quantify socioeconomic impacts of climate change. Dr Leonie will reveal the economic damage done and the resultant benefits of climate change mitigation.

Sign up for ‘The cost of climate change’

News in brief

Policy Leeds joins BlueSky

We’re excited to announce that we’ve recently joined BlueSky, along with many of our research communications and policy colleagues. As we build our community on this new platform, we look forward to developing our network in collaborative and impactful ways. Please note that following this move, we will no longer be active on X (formerly Twitter). Follow us on BlueSky.

New report calls for health-focused air quality improvements in buildings

Professor Cath Noakes (School of Civil Engineering) and colleagues at the National Engineering Policy Centre (NEPC) have released a report advocating for policy changes to create safer, healthier indoor spaces. They emphasise that efforts to improve energy efficiency in homes, schools, hospitals, and other public buildings should prioritise indoor air quality.

Read ‘Healthy, safe, sustainable buildings — maximising benefits in building retrofit’

Debt Relief Bill to be debated in parliament

Legislation drafted by Dr Karina Patrício Ferreira Lima (School of Law) and colleagues from the University of Warwick proposes measures to deal with the sovereign debt crisis in developing countries. The bill is scheduled for reading in UK Parliament in spring 2025.

Find out more about the drafting of the Sovereign debt relief bill.

New beta version of Carbon & Place’s retrofit explorer

Britain has some of the coldest and leakiest buildings in Europe. The new beta version of the retrofit explorer tool lets you view data about buildings and their energy consumption to allow communities, planners, and policymakers in the UK to understand their carbon footprint. The tool has been developed by Institute for Transport researchers and partners.

Access the Carbon & Place retrofit explorer

Articles, blogs and papers

• N8 workshop aligns data science with regional effort to support children. The outcomes of this workshop, compered by Professor Mark Mon Williams (School of Psychology) and Dr Sam Relton (School of Medicine) in October, are revealed.
• Why stopping knife crime needs to start in the kitchen. Professor Graham Farrell and Associate Professor Toby Davies (both School of Law) discuss the findings of their new paper ‘A schedule for phasing-out knife crime’.
• Rewilding’s social–ecological aims: Integrating coexistence into a rewilding continuum. Professor Steve Carver (School of Geography) co-authors this paper that presents results from a grounded theory study of rewilding aims.
• A gold rush for ‘green finance’ risks changing our relationship to nature. Professor Julia Ortega (Water@Leeds), Joshua Cohen (Water@Leeds) and Ruth Bookbinder (School of Earth and Environment) author this article for the Conversation.
• A public mandate for climate change adaptation in the UK. New report by Kate Sambrook (University of Manchester), Rachel Harcourt, Suraje Dessai and Andrea Taylor (all School of Earth and Environment) shares public opinion on the climate crisis and urges action from the government.
• Advancing cultural heritage governance for climate change adaptation. Dr Francesca Giliberto (Leeds University Business School) shares their new project that will explore the intricate relationship between cultural heritage governance, climate adaptation, and community resilience, particularly in urban areas vulnerable to flooding.
• BBC Morning Live with Dr Laura Bainbridge (School of Law). Laura is interviewed discussing the trafficking, recruitment and exploitation of young people into county lines gangs. Clip starts at 20:30.
• Westminster Hall: Parliament’s best kept secret? Cristina Leston-Bandeira co-authors this article looking at the type of business that occurs in the chamber and whether the space adds value to the House of Commons.

Researcher opportunities

The UK Government Office for Science showcase session

21 January, 3:30pm — 4:30pm, Online

The Government Office for Science (GO-Science) share who they are and how they work, highlight the ways in which academics can get involved and contribute evidence for government decision making.

Register for the ‘GO-Science showcase session’

Fair Energy Futures sandpit event

Wednesday 26 February 2025, 09:30am — 13:30pm, Seminar Room B .08 The Parkinson Building

Do you work in an area that has a focus on, or could contribute to, the global transition to a Fair Energy Future? The Horizons Institute and Energy Leeds would like to invite you to participate in our upcoming Fair Energy Futures sandpit event on themes set out for Fair Energy Futures.

Register for the Fair Energy Futures sandpit.

Do you have Leeds facing policy news, opportunities or events to share? Let us know! Email your updates to policyleeds@leeds.ac.uk.

Find more information on policy collaborations from across University of Leeds on the Policy Leeds website. If you would like to keep in touch with our work between signposts, please connect with us on LinkedIn, or find us on Bluesky.