Newcastle University

Recent events:

Public Lecture: 'What's Blocking Sustainability? Why is the World Sleepwalking into Global Ecological Crisis?'

Professor Bill Rees, University of British Columbia

Wednesday 7 March, 5.30pm, Space 4/5 Culture Lab

Bill Rees, Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and former director of the School of Community and Regional Planning (SCARP) at UBC is a leading figure in the fields of ecological footprinting (in which he developed the ecological footprint analysis quantitative tool), ecological economics and human ecology.

In this lecture, open to all, he looked at barriers to achieving global sustainability. We claim to be a science- and knowledge-based culture; humans are uniquely endowed with capacities for high intelligence, forward planning, moral judgment and compassion for others. Yet, these qualities are rarely prominent in international forums ostensibly designed to ensure the sustainability of the human enterprise. Modern society seems dedicated instead to national and global development models that: a) inhibit cooperative planning for global security; b) systematically undermine the life-support functions of the ecosphere; c) increase socioeconomic inequity and; d) deplete even renewable forms of ‘natural capital’ essential for the maintenance of global civilization. How can we account for such gross cultural and ecological dysfunction? What prevents H. sapiens from exercising the qualities that make us uniquely human in defending the long-term collective interests of our species? This presentation provides a partial answer to these questions while posing another: “Are ‘modern’ humans unsustainable by nature?”

Professor Rees' slides are available to download here.

Current projects:

Architecture and roadmap to manage multiple pressures on lagoons (ARCH)

The ARCH research project aims to develop participative methodologies in collaboration with policy makers, practitioners and other stakeholders to provide road maps for management of the multiple pressures affecting lagoons (estuarine coastal areas) in Europe. These are located at the interface between land and sea and the transition between fresh and salt water. They represent highly dynamic and productive ecosystems with complex structures. The complexity of managing lagoons and estuary systems is growing because of the multiple pressures stemming from urban, industrial, agricultural, and recreational activities. The European Commission has taken the lead to promote Integrated Coastal Zone Management. However, there are growing concerns that climate change, increasing urbanisation, industrialisation and tourism will further exacerbate the existing pressures. These may result in the gradual loss of biodiversity and increasing pressures on water resources.  Tackling these pressures while minimising the environmental, economic and social vulnerabilities associated with their impacts is the main concern of ARCH research project. ARCH will examine the ongoing social and ecological interactions in 10 lagoon case studies covering all major seas surrounding Europe (Baltic Sea, Norwegian Sea, North Sea, Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea). Work on the case study sites will be undertaken using an evidence-informed, participatory process.

The ARCH consortium consists of 11 partners from 9 European countries: Norway (lead partner), the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Portugal, Romania, Poland, UK and Greece. Members of the consortium are leading in national and European research on coastal management, marine ecology, environmental chemistry, climate change, economics, governance, spatial planning and urbanism. The Newcastle University team is led by Professor Simin Davoudi and includes Dr Elisabeth Brooks and Dr Paola Gazzola.

Retrofitting Sustainability for Energy Reduction in Urban and Rural Systems: An Agenda for Interdisciplinary Research

Sustainable retrofitting is a developing combination of engineering techniques that operate at different spatial scales (single dwellings, streets, neighbourhoods, cities and regions). It is built on explicit assumptions about the technical effectiveness and cost efficiency of this form of intervention, but with largely implicit assumptions about models and processes of socio-economic and institutional change, and their consequences for resource-efficient behaviour, equity and fairness, healthy living and well-being. To take forward the concept into effective application calls for strategic collaboration between the physical, engineering and social sciences. Supported by funding from the EPSRC, we are organising a series of workshops which aim to formulate an interdisciplinary research agenda on retrofitting sustainability. The concept will be interrogated from engineering, planning, public health, transport and social science perspectives, to establish a sound basis and clear focus for collaborative research on the critical issues – technological, social and economic – confronting sustainable retrofitting as a strategy for energy reduction in urban and rural systems.

Coordinated by:

• Professor Simin Davoudi, School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape
• Mr Guy Garrod, School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development
• Professor Tanja Pless-Mulloli, Institute of Health and Society
• Professor Mark Robinson, School of Mechanical and Systems Engineering
• Professor Dermot Roddy, School of Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials

For more information on the Retrofitting Sustainability Project, please contact Sarah Sweeney.