Global refugee sponsorship scheme could improve perceptions of refugees in the UK – research

University of Birmingham

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The UK should develop a ‘global’ sponsorship programme to give all sponsored refugees the same rights and entitlements, including pathways to permanent settlement - benefiting communities, local authorities, volunteers and refugees, according to new research.

Published today (29 Sep), Shaping the future of community sponsorship in the UK and beyond: expanding pathways for refugee resettlement, sets out findings from a University of Birmingham research project examining lessons learned from existing refugee sponsorship schemes in the UK.

The researchers call for a global sponsorship programme that also includes expedited application processes, which can be used in response to an emergency.

Immigration and specifically asylum seeking is a key challenge facing the UK government, with increasing discontent from both sides of the political spectrum on how Prime Minister Kier Starmer and the Labour Party are supporting and accommodating asylum seekers.

One area the government has identified as a route to providing safe and legal routes for refugees to come to the UK is refugee sponsorship. In the government's flagship immigration white paper, published in May this year, sponsorship schemes were identified as a key priority for immigration policy in the UK.

The UK currently has three main refugee sponsorship schemes, the Community Sponsorship (CS) scheme, which was launched in 2016; Homes for Ukraine (H4U), introduced in 2022; and the Communities for Afghans (C4A) scheme in 2024. The different programmes range in scale, with only 1,000 refugees sponsored through CS in ten years, C4A remaining small, and then H4U seeing over 100,000 people sponsored.

Jenny Phillimore, Professor of Migration and Superdiversity, who led the project, said: “We found that despite the variation in scale of these schemes, sponsorship in the UK is widely regarded as a successful model that benefits not the refugees, but hosts, volunteers and wider communities. The diversity of approaches across CS, H4U, and C4A offers valuable lessons, but also reveals disparities.”

Researchers found that all schemes demonstrated a strong capacity to deliver personalised, wraparound support that improved refugees’ access to housing, healthcare, education, and employment. Sponsorship also fostered social cohesion, mutual learning, and cost-effective integration in both already engaged and previously disengaged areas. Interviews with the general public revealed that many knew nothing about sponsorship, but wanted to know more and generally thought sponsorship sounded like a good idea. However, the sponsorship is not without challenges.

Professor Phillimore said: “Our research found that the application processes for sponsorship schemes are complex and time-consuming. Housing shortages, insufficient volunteer expertise in navigating welfare, education, and employment, misaligned expectations, financial inequities, and inconsistent local authority capacity also presented challenges across schemes.

“We also identified that language learning and healthcare access were barriers to integration. The fragmented, nationality-specific approach to refugee resettlement schemes generated confusion and perceptions of inequity.”

The researchers also advocate for:

• Strong Government leadership with a national strategy, clear guidance, and sustained funding for local authorities and lead sponsors.
• Streamlined applications, targeted recruitment to diversify sponsors, and lighter re-application processes for experienced groups.
• Expanded language provision, employment pathways, and mental health support.
• Mechanisms for continuous monitoring, evaluation, and sharing of best practice.

Professor Phillimore concluded: “The sustainability of sponsorship depends on enhanced support for volunteers, equal rights and entitlements for all refugees, clear role definitions for local authorities, and strong central coordination. Public engagement also remains an untapped resource for scaling participation.

“If the government is serious about better utilising the sponsorship model to help overcome some of the current challenges with refugee policies, it should seriously consider a standardised and broadened scheme. The UK has shown through existing schemes that sponsorship works well for everyone involved, even in the face of various obstacles. There is no reason that it cannot be even better with the right plan and support in place.”

ENDS

 

Plastic particle mismanagement identified as key driver of environmental contamination

University of Sharjah

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image: 

Sources and exposure pathways to micro nano plastic particles in terrestrial ecosystem agriculture.

 

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Credit: Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

The accumulation and poor management of plastic fibers and particles remains a pressing global issue, with serious consequences for both human health and environmental sustainability.

This conclusion is drawn from an analysis of peer-reviewed articles, review papers, and key reports published by international organizations between 2018 and 2025.

The study, published in the journal Environmental Research, looks at 228 key papers, all written in English and addressing environmental impacts, soil-microbe interactions, human health effects, and waste valorization technologies.

The analysis begins by identifying five key themes, which are categorized as ecological effects, contaminant interactions, management innovations, socio-economic implications, and policy interventions.

The research seeks to chart a course toward a plastic-free future by offering what the authors describe as “a holistic review” of microplastic accumulation and management, with a focus on land and environmental sustainability.

The authors highlight the significance of micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs), plastic particles or fibers ranging in size from nanometers to less than 5 millimeters, which are increasingly recognized as pervasive environmental pollutants.

“The accumulation and mismanagement of MNPs is concluded as a significant global problem in this review and it poses substantial negative impacts on human health and environmental sustainability,” the authors write.

“Effective strategies to mitigate MNP pollution demand circular economy approach that can reduce plastic production and consumption, promoting reuse and mechanical recycling over valorization and chemical recycling and adopting robust, sustainable waste management.”

The review paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the challenges and opportunities associated with managing micro- and nano-plastics within ecosystems.

It emphasizes the ecological impact of MNP contamination on soil–plant systems and its broader implications for individual health. The review explores how MNPs interact with living organisms, detailing their accumulation mechanisms in soil environments, their interactions with potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and the resulting risks of soil toxicity.

Additionally, it examines the effects of MNPs on crop health and the potential human health risks linked to the consumption of plants contaminated with these particles.

The authors, affiliated with Lahore College for Women University, Central Queensland University, University of Sharjah, University of Karachi, and the Environment and Protected Areas Authority in the UAE, present a sobering assessment of the threats micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) pose to both human health and the environment.

They mention that more than 300 million tons of plastic are produced annually, of which approximately 50% is intended for single-use applications. They add that due to its extreme resistance to decomposition, often persisting for over a thousand years, plastic waste is widely mismanaged across the globe.

Plastic particles accumulate across landfills, water bodies, agricultural systems, such as mulching films and biofilms, and even in the atmosphere. This widespread presence underscores the growing severity of plastic pollution as a global environmental challenge.

This buildup, they say, is evident in landfills, water bodies, agricultural settings (such as mulching films and biofilms), and even in the air. As a result, plastic pollution has emerged as a major and increasingly urgent global environmental challenge, they maintain.

The study highlights that the presence of the bioaccumulation of micro- and nano-plastics in freshwater and marine ecosystems, along with their ingestion by various life forms, can contribute to declining health outcomes.

It underscores the need for developing appropriate infrastructure, promoting waste valorization, and implementing cost-effective strategies for plastic waste management. It also proposes practical solutions to reduce plastic pollution in the environment.

“In food chains, MPs pose risks to human health, with significant ingestion from contaminated sources potentially leading to oxidative stress and physiological disturbances in both humans and marine wildlife,” they note. “Repurposing plastic waste in construction enhances material properties and reduces environmental impact. Additionally, activated carbon from plastic waste shows strong pollutant adsorption capabilities, aiding environmental remediation.”

To stave off the risks, the study calls for the adoption of effective measures to mitigate the adverse impact of plastic particles and fibers on human health and the environment.

According to the authors, effectively addressing MNP pollution requires adopting a circular economy framework that prioritizes reducing plastic production and consumption. This approach emphasizes reuse and mechanical recycling over chemical recycling and valorization, while also advocating for resilient and sustainable waste management systems.

“Microplastics (MPs) interact with heavy metals, affecting plant biomass and chlorophyll levels—likely due to reduced metal bioavailability and shifts in microbial populations,” the authors note. Within food chains, they say, MPs pose significant risks to human health, as ingestion from contaminated sources may lead to oxidative stress and physiological disturbances in both humans and marine organisms.

They further highlight that repurposing plastic waste in construction not only enhances material performance but also reduces environmental impact. Moreover, activated carbon derived from plastic waste demonstrates strong pollutant adsorption capabilities, offering promising potential for environmental remediation.

Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

Credit

Types of microplastics, sources, and sinks in the soil ecosystem and their bioremediation potential. Credit: Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

Biogeochemical cycle of Micro and Nanoplastics and their mode of transportation to humans.

Credit

Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

Microplastic uptake and morpho-physiological implications in plant.

Credit

Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

Interactions of micro (nano) plastics with PTEs and contribute to soil toxicity.

Credit

Environmental Research. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572

DOI

10.1016/j.envres.2025.122572 

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Navigating towards a plastic-free future: A holistic review of microplastic accumulation and management for land and environmental sustainability

Article Publication Date

15-Nov-2025

URBAN SCAVANGERS

Coyote populations surge, rebound quickly

New study reveals challenges associated with management of the predator

University of Georgia

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Trying to curb coyote populations may be a lost cause, according to a new University of Georgia study.

After careful counting of the animal across the Southeast, researchers found that Eastern coyote populations stabilize faster than they can be reduced.

“In general, predator populations are contentious to manage, but coyotes are a lot harder to manage than a lot of other predators due to their really unique, amazing ability to reproduce. They can bounce back very rapidly,” said Heather Gaya, corresponding author of the study and a postdoctoral research associate in the Warnell School of Forestry.

The analysis suggests a need for alternatives when it comes to habitat management and biodiversity.

Coyotes may be more prevalent in wooded areas than previously thought

Using cameras, categorizing different howls and other biological elements, researchers quantified coyotes per square mile in the Savannah River Site and beyond in South Carolina.

They found between 45 and 50 coyotes every 38 square miles. That’s more than one coyote per every square mile.

This finding was particularly surprising, the researchers said, because of where SRS is located. Coyotes typically favor open habitats, not forested areas.

“Coyotes have the ability to occupy and adapt to many different habitats, and SRS is apparently one that can sustain a lot of coyotes with enough prey and resources for a long time,” said Gino D’Angelo, co-author of the study and an associate professor in the Warnell School.

Part of what drives the coyotes’ success is low competition from other species and lots of available prey.

“For over 75 years, we didn’t have a lot of apex predators, so coyotes started to fill that void,” D’Angelo said. “We had naive prey populations not ready for a predator at such a high abundance. That can have real dire effects on populations that aren’t used to predatory pressure.”

Population control is costly, unsustainable

The study also included an 18-year analysis of coyote populations and how they changed over time.

Researchers found that despite repeated removal efforts over the years, coyote totals rebounded — and sometimes even spiked — shortly after.

Coyotes from neighboring states also made their way into areas with reduced coyote numbers.

These control methods cost $30,000 to $50,000. So the researchers recommended investing in other solutions. That could look like adjusting hunting regulations or enhancing habitats to support other species under continued coyote presence.

“The cost and man-hours that it takes to actively remove those coyotes is something that’s just not sustainable or not practical on a large scale,” Gaya said. “I think that when we’re managing coyotes, we have to consider if it’s worth it to put in all of that time and money for what seems to be short-term gain. And if we’re not able to sustain that in the long term, maybe we should be thinking about other options.”

This research was also co-authored by UGA alumnus Jordan Youngmann, an associate research scientist for the Odum School of Ecology, and Stacey Lance and John Kilgo.

 

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Journal

Ecosphere

DOI

10.1002/ecs2.70339 

Article Title

An integrated population model of a high-density coyote population in South Carolina, USA