Member of Parliament visits University of Manchester’s cutting-edge environmental research facilities

The University of Manchester welcomed Afzal Khan MP for a visit to the Firs Environmental Research Station, which recently underwent a £2 million redevelopment. Mr Khan, who has represented Manchester Gorton in Parliament since 2017, also explored the Manchester Air Quality Supersite – one of the largest sites in the UK dedicated to air quality research. The Firs upgrade, funded by the University’s endowment fund, includes state-of-the-art greenhouse facilities for research on food security and climate change. The Manchester Air Quality Supersite, located on the University’s Fallowfield campus, houses a mobile research laboratory that collects detailed data on urban air pollution. Mr Khan engaged in a roundtable discussion with senior academics, including Professor Hugh Coe, Professor Giles Johnson, Professor Sheena Cruickshank, and Dr Oliver Hughes. The University highlighted its role in academic research to reduce air pollution globally. Professor Cruickshank discussed community engagement to promote ‘active transport’ and reduce air pollution in high-risk areas. Greater Manchester faces high levels of pollution, contributing to around 1,200 premature deaths annually. Mr Khan praised the research stations for their work in climate change and air quality research and thanked Policy@Manchester for arranging the informative visit.