Goal 14: Life below water

Our research

Researchers from the University’s School of Biological Sciences have used data from fisheries surveys of areas ranging from southern Portugal to northern Norway to examine factors determining where fish species are found. The study, published in 2023 and undertaken with partners at Exeter University, confirmed temperature as a key driver of variation in where fish assemble, with the most profound effects seen further north. Predictive models will now be able to help scientists, and the fisheries industry, understand the impact on fish populations of rising sea levels and temperatures due to climate change.

A Bristol-led collaborative research project has used artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite modelling to measure the thickness of Arctic sea ice across a full year for the first time. Previous satellite modelling has only been possible over the winter period, but with the addition of AI, models can now predict likely sea and ice conditions in summer, offering valuable insights into climate change and contributing to improved weather forecasting and shipping safety.

Our students

The University’s MSc Water and Environmental Management offers students the opportunity to specialise in addressing water and environmental challenges at local and global levels. The course combines practical skills with academic understanding, covering data science and artificial intelligence, sustainable systems and disaster resilience. Staff include expert practitioners and leading academics, leaving students equipped with the technical and managerial skills to contribute to sustainable management of environmental and water resources.

In summer 2022, the University’s Department of History organised a summer school for doctoral and postdoctoral students from across Europe on the theme of Rethinking Water in Environmental History. Supported by the European Society for Environmental History, the event explored the relationship between water and human society, and how use of water bodies changed over time through the use of technology, management, and governance.

Our communities

A provocative environmental artwork exploring plastic pollution in our oceans was displayed in the University’s Royal Fort Gardens in September 2023. The sculpture by eco-artist Wren Miller is shaped like a wave, 4 metres high and 6 metres wide, and is filled with 90kg of waste including plastic bottles, cans, face masks, plastic aprons, and scaffolding nets. Such items are often thrown away as litter, ending up in rivers and seas where they break down into microplastics and cause harm to wildlife and the environment. The piece is designed to prompt conversations among staff, students, visitors and local people, and is part of the wider Bristol’s Binning campaign to reduce littering in the city.

Researchers at Bristol’s Cabot Institute for the Environment shared information on the impact of wet wipes on our waters via an article in The Conversation in April 2023. The article, written for non-expert readers, explained how flushing wet wipes down the toilet, which nearly 25% of people admit doing, impacts water systems and the environment as plastic pollution in our rivers and seas. It offered suggestions for people to look for reusable, washable alternatives, and for manufacturers to label products to better enable consumers to make sustainable, environmental choices.

Ourselves

The University’s approach to sustainable water use is set out in our Carbon and Water Strategy. The strategy notes our legal and regulatory obligations in relation to protecting against contamination, waste, or misuse of water, as well as setting out our institutional ambitions to reduce water usage and increase efficiency. We follow UK government guidelines on water discharge standards and our wastewater is treated by Wessex Water, who process this in their water recycling centres. The treatment process protects ecosystems, wildlife, and human health and welfare, ensuring that our cleaned wastewater is safe to release into local rivers.

We also introduced a new Sustainable Food and Beverage Policy in 2022, focused on sustainability in campus catering outlets, hospitality, and student provision. The policy includes ambitions to reduce the amount of animal-based produce served, and to encourage people to make healthy, sustainable choices. It committed us to achieving Marine Stewardship Council re-accreditation, to confirm that all fish served on campus is sustainably sourced, which has since been achieved.