We are delighted that Vanesa Castán Broto, Senior Lecturer at the DPU, has been Awarded the Philip Leverhulme Prize for her research contributions to Geography.
The Philip Leverhulme Prizes recognise the achievement of outstanding researchers whose work has already attracted international recognition and whose future career is exceptionally promising. More information is available here.
In her research, Vanesa Castán Broto addresses the conundrum of how to simultaneously achieve universal energy access and a transition to a low carbon society. She advocates participatory, bottom up approaches to environmental governance. Vanesa has already contributed ground-breaking insights on the nature of environmental governance, and the possibilities for people to deliver radical changes towards sustainability through forms of local action in their cities and neighborhoods. She has influenced international debates on climate change action and planning practice, and is currently studying how citizens’ experiences in specific urban energy landscapes may foster an urban energy transition.
On her arrival in Quito, Ecuador, where she has been attended the Habitat III conference, Vanesa explained that she was delighted with the Award: “this is a tremendous recognition, and one which speaks to the enormous support that my family and colleagues give me every day”. She added: “the prize will allow me to continue researching how our cities and urban areas can deliver just and sustainable futures, a key question in the light of international debates”.