Publications
All Policy Exchange publications are free to download in .pdf format. You can also purchase hard copies of the majority of our reports – check each individual report page for details.
Recent Publications
Politicising Plants
Ursula Buchan, Professor Christopher Forsyth and Zewditu GebreyohanesThe Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew are the custodians of arguably the world’s greatest plant collection, enjoyed by generations of visitors. The institution’s purpose – broadly, research in plant science, giving advice on the science of plants, maintenance of its collection and public access to it – is defined by the 1983 National Heritage Act. For carrying out these tasks Kew receives over £30 million in public funds annually.
Reforming Australia’s electricity market
Ed BirkettFollowing a regional blackout in 2016, the Australian Governments established review of their electricity market. In October this year, Ministers approved a package of reforms to Australia’s National Electricity Market. This report explores the Australian reforms and looks for lessons for the UK.
Turning down the volume
Sophia FalknerExcessive noise poses a real and serious risk to human health. Long term exposure to traffic noise is one of the most damaging environmental threats to public health in western Europe, second only to air pollution. Polling of Londoners by Deltapoll for Policy Exchange shows that only eight per cent of the city’s inhabitants report never being bothered by noise, slightly higher than the six per cent of Londoners who describe themselves as being very hard of hearing.
Nature and the City
William NicolleFollowing periods of lockdown in 2020 and 2021, many people discovered a renewed appreciation for local green spaces, particularly in urban areas.
However, over the last 20 years, the amount of urban green space in England fell by 8%, with a corresponding decline in some species, particularly bird.
This report explores measures to increase access to nature in urban areas, for example by planting trees and by requiring new homes to include specialist bricks that can provide habitats for birds and bees.
Beyond the Energy Crisis
Ed Birkett2021 has been a chastening year for Great Britain’s retail energy sector. Since August, 26 energy suppliers have failed. This could cost over £3bn, which would raise household energy bills by £120 per household. This report sets out a two-stage strategy for moving beyond the current energy crisis.
Human Rights Law Reform
Richard Ekins and John LarkinThis paper is the text of the submission made on behalf of Policy Exchange’s Judicial Power Project to the Independent Human Rights Act Review, chaired by Sir Peter Gross.
Re-engineering Regulation Project
Stephen BoothLord Sedwill, the former Cabinet Secretary, is to Chair a major new Policy Exchange project, Re-engineering Regulation, which seeks to offer a roadmap for regulatory reform fit for the post-Brexit, post-Covid era.
Open, Meritocratic and Transparent
Benjamin BarnardFeaturing a Foreword by Lord Macpherson of Earls Court, Open, Meritocratic and Transparent calls for an urgent overhaul of Civil Service appointments in light of recent revelations about the appointment of Lex Greensill.
Britain and the Geopolitics of Space Technology
John B SheldonIn Britain and the Geopolitics of Space Technology, Dr John Sheldon argues that spacepower has become critical in shaping the 21st century strategic competition and that space is a strategic sector of national security interest.
The Northern Ireland Protocol
Roderick CrawfordThe Northern Ireland Protocol: The Origins of the Current Crisis, by Roderick Crawford, is the only existing authoritative chronology of the Brexit negotiations and specifically what went wrong in 2017. It argues that commitments, particularly on the Irish border, in the 2017 Joint Report were “a diplomatic triumph for Ireland and the Commission” but that “failing to secure adequate reciprocal concessions was a staggering failure for the UK.” The paper is the story of how the UK got stuck with a protocol that was determined by a one-sided and flawed interpretation of the Belfast Agreement.
