Approved work: International shipping and emissions
Shipping is regarded as "difficult-to-decarbonise". This POSTnote will examine commitments to mitigate shipping emissions the technologies that may help to achieve this.
Read more about contributing to the POST work programme
Approved work: Sharing public sector data
This POSTnote will review current data sharing practices between Government and private companies, and the related challenges and opportunities.
Approved work: Energy consumption of computing
This POSTnote will examine the energy consumption of data centres and data transmission networks. It will review energy trends and initiatives aiming to limit energy consumption.
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Work programme
Approved work: Conversion therapy
This POSTnote will examine research on current practices of conversion therapy and lived experiences of those who have gone through it and will review public attitudes to it.
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Work programme
Approved work: Upskilling and retraining the adult workforce
This POSTnote will review known skill gaps in the UK and what social groups are most impacted by them. It will also look at the impact of training on employment, income and social mobility.
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Work programme
Approved: Managing soils for carbon and plant productivity
UK soils are deteriorating. They are losing their organic carbon, eroding, and compacting. This POSTnote will look at mitigation strategies.
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Work programme
Approved: Reducing agricultural pressures on freshwater ecosystems
Runoff from farms and fields can contain a range of pollutants that impact habitats downstream. This POSTnote will look at ways to relieve agricultural pressures from water habitats.
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Work programme
Approved: Genome editing and the future of food
With UK and EU legislation on genome editing due a review, the potential for crops and livestock is huge. This POSTnote will look at new food trends and technologies.
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Work programme
Approved: Environmentally efficient residential buildings
A POSTnote on green building will summarise the key criteria affecting the environmental performance of buildings. It will review the challenges and opportunities for improving the UK housing stock to meet likely future standards.
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Work programme
Approved: Net zero and decarbonising construction
A POSTbrief on decarbonising construction will discuss opportunities for achieving net-zero in the built environment. It will look at options for reducing carbon emissions across the lifecycle of buildings and how this could inform sustainability targets and construction standards. It will provide an overview of innovations in low carbon building materials and the technologies that could be incorporated into buildings to reduce emissions.
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Work programme
Approved: Preventing zoonotic diseases
A POSTnote on preventing zoonotic diseases will review the evidence on a One Health approach to zoonoses prevention. It will focus on the animal-environment-human interface in both wild and domestic animals, reviewing national and international policy approaches, and lessons learnt from previous epidemics. It will also summarise opportunities and challenges for the UK’s role in global health and biosecurity policy arenas post COVID-19. Provisional start date: October 2021.
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Work programme
Approved: Testosterone and sports performance
A POSTnote on testosterone and sports performance will focus on the scientific literature that describes the relationship between sports performance and testosterone. It will examine the implications for transgender athletes and athletes with DSD, and how this informs policymaking by sporting bodies. It will also consider options to facilitate inclusive participation in sports and the ethical debate concerning fairness in sporting competition.