A move towards a more sustainable bio-based economy has been given a new boost by Manchester researchers who have been able to simplify a process to transform waste materials into high value chemicals.

Manchester City Council has today announced its plan to bring forward its ambition to become a zero carbon city by twelve years, with a revised target of 2038.

Greater Manchester has set out its ambitions to become one of the leading green city-regions in the UK and Europe, at its inaugural Green Summit held today (Wednesday 21 March).

The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has announced his ambitions for making Greater Manchester one of the leading green cities in Europe, through a landmark summit to be held in Spring 2018.

A Greater Manchester study into our values has found that an overwhelming majority of individuals in the region – 85% – prioritise ‘compassionate’ values, such as social justice, environmental protection, forgiveness and honesty above ‘selfish’ values, such as wealth and social status.

Great places don’t happen by accident, you need a plan.

With the help of landscape architects Planit-IE and as part of its City of Trees commitments, the University of Manchester is bringing new green spaces into its £1bn transformation.

Greater Manchester sets out latest plans for reducing carbon emissions and opens a public consultation on climate change.

Climate leaders in Manchester come out against plans to extend fracking operations in neighbouring Lancashire.

From dark skies to lower energy bills, there’s never been a better time to join the global switch off - and for more than an hour.

A trial of new energy modelling software could help Greater Manchester deliver a ‘master plan’ for sustainable local heating.

As new research again shows a direct link between street trees and mental wellbeing, is it time to put renewed efforts into safeguarding Greater Manchester’s urban canopy?

Greater Manchester’s heritage trees are about to get some much needed tender loving care as a result of a new project from the Red Rose Forest, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF).

How do we address huge disparities in infrastructure funding between London and the South East and the rest of Britain? Perhaps we need a Great North Plan.

Danish and British experts are meeting in Manchester to ask a critical question: how do we create beautiful cities with a more resilient economy, healthier residents and a better quality of life for everyone?

Manchester-based social enterprise Cooler Projects has won the Social Enterprise Award for Environmental Achievement in the prestigious North-West Green Hero awards.

On October 16, 2014, there will be a half day of inspiring talks and discussion from speakers from the city, academia and all over the world exploring the challenge and opportunity of sustainability.

Steve Connor reviews the recently released 'England's Northwest and the Battle for Sustainable Development' by Walter Menzies.

On July 9, a satellite event in Manchester will hear the latest report on UK priorities and progress for climate change adaptation.

Manchester's climate change plan will report on progress and feature a keynote address from a leading climate campaigner at its AGM on Tuesday, 10 June.

A new partnership between Greater Manchester's local authorities and one of Japan's leading organisations for energy research is delivering smart heat to 600 local homes.

How can Greater Manchester secure a further 2.5m tonnes of carbon reductions, above and beyond business as usual, to ensure it hits its 48% target on CO2?

What impact did the Bedroom Tax have on Greater Manchester in 2013? Steve Connor reports on one snapshot that has been delivered in a pre-Christmas report from the Wythenshawe Community Housing Group

Something's going on, up in Oldham, and it's cascading out across every social media channel it can get a username for. Welcome to the #BraveNewOldham.

The idea that jobs in forestry, forest products and woodland management could be a boon for the urban metropolis of Manchester appears counter-intuitive, but there's real growth in trees.

With a further £20m to spend on cycling infrastructure, courtesy of its successful Vélocity funding bid, Greater Manchester is working hard to become a cycle-friendly city region, but what will be the economic impact?

Last night (25th July 2013) saw the 25th meeting of Manchester’s stakeholder steering group for climate change; the group of volunteers from across all sectors and walks of life that guides the delivery of the city’s action plan: A Certain Future.

Greater Manchester’s low carbon report card gives top marks for ambition but with more work to do on engagement, according to a European peer review.

Greater Manchester has made a bid for £20 million to make cycling safer and easier across the city region. If successful this will be the first phase of an ambitious "Vélocity 2025" strategy which will see cycling in Greater Manchester transformed over the next 12 years.

From the archive: a 2003 report from Industrial Evolution magazine on the technologies, innovations and solutions driving the growth of the sustainability sector in the Northwest of England.

From the archives: When the land is neglected, communities fragment and when our natural capital is plundered, regional partnerships stand ready to step in and help communities to helpthemselves, through environmental improvement. Originally published in Industrial Evolution in 2002.