This briefing outlines the current knowledge about indoor air pollutants and their impacts on health. The briefing highlights current research to address knowledge gaps, outlines relevant legislation and guidance, alongside stakeholder perspectives on the challenges and opportunities to improve indoor air quality.
This POSTnote considers the relatively new process of local area energy planning that aims to deliver net zero targets more effectively at the regional level.
This POSTnote describes environmental impact metrics for food systems, which are complex networks of decision-makers, natural processes and human activities.
POSTnote
This POSTnote summarises how the One Health approach can be used to tackle key impacts of climate change and threats to public health. It outlines the key features, challenges and opportunities of implementation. This briefing takes a global perspective on implementing the approach, with areas of focus on UK policy.
POSTnote
This POSTnote considers advances in heat pump technology, their suitability for UK properties, barriers to deployment and government policy support mechanisms.
POSTbrief
Plant biosecurity refers to measures to prevent the introduction and spread of pests and pathogens via trade and natural pathways that pose plant health risks.
POSTnote
POSTnote summarising the network of Marine Protected Areas and its components, and the designation of Highly Protected Marine Areas in English inshore and offshore waters.
POSTnote
Air pollution is the greatest UK environmental public health threat. This POSTnote updates the 2014 POSTnote on ambient air quality (PN 458) and describes air pollutants, their health impacts and measures to mitigate poor air quality.
POSTnote
Biomass can be used to produce bioenergy in the form of electricity, heat, biogas or transport fuels, or to produce materials and chemicals. The Climate Change Committee recommend dedicated energy crops and forest residues as future sources of domestic biomass. This POSTnote summarises the opportunities and challenges surrounding the expansion of UK biomass production.
POSTnote
The UK’s energy system relies on the storage of fossil fuels to manage variations in supply and demand over varying timescales. As these are replaced to meet the net zero emissions target, new types of low-carbon, longer duration energy storage will be needed to provide secure energy supplies. This POSTnote examines different low-carbon storage technologies, their role in addressing future system needs, issues relating to scaling-up the technologies and Government strategy.
POSTbrief
Genome editing, also known as gene editing, encompasses a broad range of techniques that allows targeted changes in the DNA of animals (and plants). The Genetic Technology (Precision Breeding) Bill 2022 -2023, due for Second Reading in the House of Lords on 21 November 2022, intends to change the regulatory definition of certain genome-edited animals. https://doi.org/10.58248/PB50
POSTnote
Climate change is creating complex risks for societies, with globalisation increasing dependencies and interconnectedness between nations. This POSTnote sets out the potential security implications of climate change, arising from both its impacts on human systems and the ‘transition risks’ from climate change mitigation measures. It also describes the tools and approaches that could be used to manage the risks and opportunities arising.
POSTnote
The UK Government has committed to halting the long-term decline of species abundance and protecting 30% of land and sea by 2030. Achieving this will require consideration of the impacts of climate change on wildlife and their ecosystems. This POSTnote summarises options to allow nature to adapt to a changing climate and ensure the long-term effectiveness of conservation strategies.
POSTbrief
This POSTbrief describes approaches to and challenges of restoring different semi-natural habitat types in England including native woodlands, heathlands, grasslands, wetlands, and coastal habitats. This brief complements POSTnote 678 which focuses on terrestrial habitats and their restoration for the wider habitats target in England. Terrestrial habitats are usually described as including freshwater and coastal habitat types.
POSTnote
Changes in land use and management have destroyed, degraded, and fragmented habitats. This has driven the majority of declines in wildlife over the last century in England. Restoring habitats will deliver nature recovery. This POSTnote focuses on restoration of terrestrial habitats for the wider habitats target in England.
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