Ryan is a PhD student focusing on communication, engagement and environmental governance in Greater Manchester. A partnership agreement has been made with the Greater Manchester Low Carbon Hub to develop an action research project to effectively engage the public in developing climate change and environmental policies. This will build on the new Greater Manchester Mayor’s Green Summit planned for March 2018. Ryan’s research will contribute to the SMLIP’s work on Participatory Cities which seeks to improve communication between government decision-makers with citizens and civil society groups within the Greater Manchester city-region.