Nearly two-thirds (61%) of adults say they expect global research universities, such as the University of Cambridge, to come up with new technologies and innovations that will help to reduce the effects of climate change, according to new polling released today.
This is ahead of the government (47%) and private sector businesses (46%).
Public First carried out a survey of 2,000 UK adults on behalf of the University of Cambridge. Findings demonstrate just how important the public believe research universities are in the fight against climate change, developing innovations to head off the looming climate and nature crises.
Respondents said that over the next 50 years the most important steps to take were investments into new low-carbon energy infrastructure (59%), action by businesses to reduce their impact on the environment (52%) and government funding to support research into new technologies (50%).
The poll results showed that the public thinks the removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere (38%), alongside the development of alternative fuels for cars and aircraft (37%) and better batteries (30%) that store larger amounts of energy are the most pressing problems.
University of Cambridge Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Education and Environmental Sustainability Professor Bhaskar Vira said:
"Cambridge has hundreds of projects addressing the climate and nature crises from fundamental scientific and technological research to policy and public engagement. Nurturing an ecosystem which allows our colleagues to work on these urgent issues is a key part of our mission to contribute to society."
One of the major challenges facing the world in the fight against climate change is the lack of progress in developing alternative fuels for cars and aircraft. Electric alternatives to petrol and diesel vehicles are often more expensive than their fossil-fuelled counterparts and are experiencing a slower than necessary rollout.
The University of Cambridge, through the Aviation Impact Accelerator (AIA) is engaged in research to support industry in the development of a more sustainable aviation sector. The global aviation industry now contributes 2-3% of annual CO2 emissions with the true climate impact being up to 4% when non-CO2 emissions such as contrails are considered.
The AIA develops evidence-based tools that provide decision-makers in Government, industry and civil society with the insight necessary to map, understand, and embark on the pathways towards sustainable aviation.
Cambridge is also working to solve one of the biggest technological puzzles to creating a new low-carbon energy infrastructure: how to build next-generation batteries that could power a green revolution.
Professor Dame Clare Grey's research group in the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry at Cambridge is conducting research on materials that could be used in a range of different next-generation batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors that will provide the backbone for our energy infrastructure.
One innovation that has spun out of Professor Grey's lab includes Nyobolt, a fast-charging battery for cars that is smaller, lighter, charges fasters and holds a substantially larger charge than what is currently available on the market.
Respondents told Public First that carbon removal from the atmosphere was a key priority.
Cambridge is working on innovative technology for carbon drawdown, but research shows the planet's most effective carbon removal agent is still nature. Cambridge initiatives such as Cambridge Conservation Initiative, the Conservation Research Institute and the Centre for Landscape Regeneration are addressing biodiversity loss, boosting the power of nature to sequester carbon and cut global greenhouse gas emissions in projects across the planet.
