Agricultural terraces in landscape

At the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources, we recognise that the natural world is the source of all the resources that support human life and well-being. A healthy environment and a sustainable use of these natural resources are pre-requisites for human health and enduring prosperity. We collaborate closely with researchers at the UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and the UCL Institute for Global Prosperity to illuminate the linkages and interdependencies between the economy, the environment, and the use of natural resources. 

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Research areas

Our research on nature and sustainable resource use focuses on the concepts of natural capital and ecosystem services, environmental sustainability of land use, novel indicators of biodiversity and strong environmental sustainability, and sustainable and healthy food systems. 

Sustainable and healthy food systems

Terraced paddy fields

Our team of academic staff, researchers and postgraduate students works at the global scale on issues related to agricultural production and its environmental impacts, from water resources to biodiversity and climate change. We collaborate on research projects with ecologists at the UCL Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research and epidemiologists at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine to get a broader perspective on the bilateral relationships between food production and biodiversity, and on the effects of food systems on human health. For the international, interdisciplinary Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems project, we are contributing novel indicators of biodiversity pressure and water debt, to quantify the trade-offs between the healthy foods we need, and the impact of land-use change for agriculture on the environment at home and via international trade. We are also leading a NERC-supported interdisciplinary collaboration with the Centre for Biodiversity and Environment Research to identify crops vulnerable to pollinator declines in South Africa and potential impacts on global trade partners.

Natural capital & ecosystem services

Bees in a field of flowers

As part of the next phase of the Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence of the Office for National Statistics, the UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources will be undertaking research to help the Office for National Statistics improve its accounting for natural capital and the ecosystem services it produces. This work is due to start in autumn 2023 and continue through to 2025.

Strong environmental sustainability

Cacti next to a rock

Research funded by the French Agency for International Development built on a PhD project that calculated a Strong Environmental Sustainability Index and Strong Environmental Sustainability Progress Index for EU countries and the UK. The Agency for International Development work involved using the same approach in Kenya and Vietnam, and a follow-on project is now underway in South Africa and Colombia. Academic papers include three by Usubiaga and Ekins, and several other papers are on the AFD website. 

Global land use and demand-driven food in a decarbonised energy system

Flower in a field of rapeseed

Research funded by the Supergen Bioenergy Hub is focusing on global land use change. This work has quantified global land use associated with agricultural production and a decarbonized energy system, as well as the implications for biodiversity conservation within a harmonised food and bioenergy sector. Moreover, this research is expanding towards the assessment of global water use, within an integrated system of food and energy demand.  

Research stories

Looking at the biodiversity impact of biscuits
A picture of biscuits with chocolate spread

Looking at the biodiversity impact of biscuits

Using UCL Global Engagement Funds, we worked with collaborators across UCL and other UK and European institutions to quantify the biodiversity pressures associated with common biscuit ingredients (wheat, sugar, palm oil, and cocoa).

Is the production of healthy food environmentally sustainable?
Image showing lots of different types of food on a table

Is the production of healthy food environmentally sustainable?

By using more land to feed growing populations, biodiversity is being lost. Our team of researchers is confronting the balancing act of health and environment – and revealing the hidden global impacts of consumption. Read this article in The Bartlett Review discussing healthy food versus biodiversity.

Recent projects

Human-ecosystem interactions and sustainability in teaching

Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc

Natural and capital and ecosystem services, and strong sustainability, are covered in two of the core modules of Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment MSc: Environmental and Resources Economics; Environmental Measurement, Assessment and Law. The concepts are also covered in a number of the optional modules, including Business and Sustainability. We also support MSc dissertations. An example  dissertation title we have supported is “Exploring the ability of sustainability indicators to measure sustainability”.

Doctoral Research (PhD)

Our doctoral researchers cover a broad range of topics in the broader context of our UCL Institute for Sustainable Resources vision and themes, looking at factors related to both the physical environment and people. 

Doctoral research relating to human-ecosystem interactions and sustainability:

  • Carolina Campos Santos – 'A composite indicator for anthropogenic impacts on biodiversity.' 
  • Jamie Gonzalez Zapata – 'Trading water pollution permits in the U.K.'
  • Arianna Buratto – EPSRC Studentship - 'Behavioural economics of food production and consumption for environmental sustainability.'
  • Mark Jwaideh - EPSRC Studentship - 'Freshwater and marine impacts of fertiliser used in agriculture worldwide.' 

Researchers

Carole Dalin 
Research Fellow
c.dalin@ucl.ac.uk

Abbie Chapman 
Research Fellow
abbie.chapman@ucl.ac.uk

Alison Fairbrass 
Research Associate
alison.farbrass.10@ucl.ac.uk

Paul Ekins 
Professor
p.ekins@ucl.ac.uk