Latest news with #Queen'sUniversityBelfast
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Covid-19 Inquiry: Disability campaigner lays out care sector issues
A Belfast woman with cerebral palsy has told the Covid-19 Inquiry that living alone in sheltered accommodation during the pandemic without direct contact with family was "really frightening".Giving evidence on behalf of Disability Action, Joanne Sansome said staff shortages in the care sector meant many of her friends were stuck in bed for days without direct Sansome, who campaigns on behalf of those with disabilities, said she stopped counting the days when she reached described how no one really explained to those with disabilities what was happening and how their lives would be impacted by the virus. The inquiry heard how Fridays soon became known as fabulous Fridays when her dad left treats for her and all those living within her sheltered accommodation including the she said the care sector was not treated the same as other areas of health care, which became visible with the lack of personal protective equipment (PPE).At one point, Ms Sansome reached out to contacts at Queen's University Belfast to access PPE when staff in her home did not have enough."It was crazy at that time. I kept thinking of my friends who lived by themselves in their own homes and how they were stuck in bed for days because of the shortages," Ms Sansome told the Inquiry."There were days that you weren't guaranteed a shower or full care. Staff did their best but going forward things like that need to be planned for."Ms Sansome, who flew to London to attend the inquiry in person, described how her laptop became her visual window to the world and how it allowed her to communicate with family and friends. During the summer of 2020, she attended a daily virtual summer camp for disabled people located in America which she said she had always wanted to go to and, albeit virtually, the pandemic let her do said ensuring those with disabilities could communicate was essential and providing people with tools such as laptops should become part of any future preparation for another asked by counsel to the inquiry how disabled people were treated differently Ms Sansome said when care staff tested positive it affected the entire sheltered dwelling with everyone told to isolate, even if they tested that happened at Christmas and Ms Sansome was told by the Public Health Agency that she would have to stay alone in her apartment she rang an MLA who a result, most of her neighbours were allowed to go home to their families to eat Christmas Day 2022 (the end of lockdown rules on 19 July 2022) according to Ms Sansome was not freedom day for all as restrictions were not lifted for those who were clinically vulnerable, which Ms Sansome said was Sansome said she felt the announcement was made as an election was approaching."The cynical side of me felt it was only announced by politicians to look good," she told the inquiry. "They always said they were following the science, but I was never too sure what was science and what was political spin."
Glasgow Times
23-07-2025
- Science
- Glasgow Times
Warmer summers ‘could boost growth rates in European peatlands'
The peatlands, which contain around half of Europe's soil carbon, need a combination of warm temperatures and a water table of around 10cm to thrive, researchers at Queen's University Belfast found. Peatlands form where there is a sustained build-up of partially decomposed plant matter, and they play a very important role in locking away greenhouse gases and absorbing industrial pollution. They contain approximately five times more carbon than its forests. However, European peatlands have been damaged by human activities including pollution, draining and climate change. Professor Graeme Swindles from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen's University has been leading a team examining peat accumulation rates, studying cores from 28 peat bogs across Europe. The study, which has now been published in research journal PLOS One, reveals that the fastest peat accumulation – nearly 0.5cm per year – occurred around the Baltic Sea, at sites in Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Finland which experience warm and humid summers. The slowest peat accumulation was measured in northern Sweden, which experiences cold winters and a short growing season. Across all sites, peat was found to have accumulated fastest in regions with warm summer temperatures, which improves plant growth, and a water table around 10cm below the surface. Professor Swindles said the study suggests that warmer summer temperatures could boost growth rates in European peatlands – but only if the water table stays high enough. 'We also found that maintaining a water table around 10cm below the surface is key to allowing peat to grow quickly and store carbon over the long term,' he said. 'These findings strengthen current evidence and have important implications for how we restore and rewet peatlands as part of global efforts to tackle climate change.' Professor Swindles has also suggested that previous peatland restoration programs should be evaluated to determine if their relative successes or deficiencies corroborate these findings.
South Wales Guardian
23-07-2025
- Science
- South Wales Guardian
Warmer summers ‘could boost growth rates in European peatlands'
The peatlands, which contain around half of Europe's soil carbon, need a combination of warm temperatures and a water table of around 10cm to thrive, researchers at Queen's University Belfast found. Peatlands form where there is a sustained build-up of partially decomposed plant matter, and they play a very important role in locking away greenhouse gases and absorbing industrial pollution. They contain approximately five times more carbon than its forests. However, European peatlands have been damaged by human activities including pollution, draining and climate change. Professor Graeme Swindles from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen's University has been leading a team examining peat accumulation rates, studying cores from 28 peat bogs across Europe. The study, which has now been published in research journal PLOS One, reveals that the fastest peat accumulation – nearly 0.5cm per year – occurred around the Baltic Sea, at sites in Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Finland which experience warm and humid summers. The slowest peat accumulation was measured in northern Sweden, which experiences cold winters and a short growing season. Across all sites, peat was found to have accumulated fastest in regions with warm summer temperatures, which improves plant growth, and a water table around 10cm below the surface. Professor Swindles said the study suggests that warmer summer temperatures could boost growth rates in European peatlands – but only if the water table stays high enough. 'We also found that maintaining a water table around 10cm below the surface is key to allowing peat to grow quickly and store carbon over the long term,' he said. 'These findings strengthen current evidence and have important implications for how we restore and rewet peatlands as part of global efforts to tackle climate change.' Professor Swindles has also suggested that previous peatland restoration programs should be evaluated to determine if their relative successes or deficiencies corroborate these findings.
Rhyl Journal
23-07-2025
- Science
- Rhyl Journal
Warmer summers ‘could boost growth rates in European peatlands'
The peatlands, which contain around half of Europe's soil carbon, need a combination of warm temperatures and a water table of around 10cm to thrive, researchers at Queen's University Belfast found. Peatlands form where there is a sustained build-up of partially decomposed plant matter, and they play a very important role in locking away greenhouse gases and absorbing industrial pollution. They contain approximately five times more carbon than its forests. However, European peatlands have been damaged by human activities including pollution, draining and climate change. Professor Graeme Swindles from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen's University has been leading a team examining peat accumulation rates, studying cores from 28 peat bogs across Europe. The study, which has now been published in research journal PLOS One, reveals that the fastest peat accumulation – nearly 0.5cm per year – occurred around the Baltic Sea, at sites in Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Finland which experience warm and humid summers. The slowest peat accumulation was measured in northern Sweden, which experiences cold winters and a short growing season. Across all sites, peat was found to have accumulated fastest in regions with warm summer temperatures, which improves plant growth, and a water table around 10cm below the surface. Professor Swindles said the study suggests that warmer summer temperatures could boost growth rates in European peatlands – but only if the water table stays high enough. 'We also found that maintaining a water table around 10cm below the surface is key to allowing peat to grow quickly and store carbon over the long term,' he said. 'These findings strengthen current evidence and have important implications for how we restore and rewet peatlands as part of global efforts to tackle climate change.' Professor Swindles has also suggested that previous peatland restoration programs should be evaluated to determine if their relative successes or deficiencies corroborate these findings.
Western Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Science
- Western Telegraph
Warmer summers ‘could boost growth rates in European peatlands'
The peatlands, which contain around half of Europe's soil carbon, need a combination of warm temperatures and a water table of around 10cm to thrive, researchers at Queen's University Belfast found. Peatlands form where there is a sustained build-up of partially decomposed plant matter, and they play a very important role in locking away greenhouse gases and absorbing industrial pollution. They contain approximately five times more carbon than its forests. However, European peatlands have been damaged by human activities including pollution, draining and climate change. Professor Graeme Swindles from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen's University has been leading a team examining peat accumulation rates, studying cores from 28 peat bogs across Europe. The study, which has now been published in research journal PLOS One, reveals that the fastest peat accumulation – nearly 0.5cm per year – occurred around the Baltic Sea, at sites in Denmark, Poland, Sweden, and Finland which experience warm and humid summers. The slowest peat accumulation was measured in northern Sweden, which experiences cold winters and a short growing season. Across all sites, peat was found to have accumulated fastest in regions with warm summer temperatures, which improves plant growth, and a water table around 10cm below the surface. Professor Swindles said the study suggests that warmer summer temperatures could boost growth rates in European peatlands – but only if the water table stays high enough. 'We also found that maintaining a water table around 10cm below the surface is key to allowing peat to grow quickly and store carbon over the long term,' he said. 'These findings strengthen current evidence and have important implications for how we restore and rewet peatlands as part of global efforts to tackle climate change.' Professor Swindles has also suggested that previous peatland restoration programs should be evaluated to determine if their relative successes or deficiencies corroborate these findings.
