Sustainability in research

Visseren-Hamakers is specialized in environmental governance. Her research is especially focused on transformative global environmental governance, and aims to contribute to both academic and the societal debates on how societies and economies can become sustainable.

Aafke Schipper studies responses of biodiversity and ecosystems to human changes in the environment. She develops models to determine how human activities influence plants and animals from local to global scales.

Marc Davidson researches the ethics of sustainability and climate change. He focuses on how we should behave towards future generations and the environment. He also examines how the costs of environmental policy can be equitably distributed at both the national and international level.

Mark Huijbregts assesses the global environmental impact of chemicals, products, services and technologies to provide recommendations to decrease the environmental
footprint of our human behaviour.

Hans de Kroon wants to understand how changes occur in the biodiversity of plant, bird and insect species. The global insect decline is an important issue for him. In collaboration with a variety of partners, he also develops programmes that aim to restore our biodiversity.

Sarian Kosten has a broad interest in the impact of climate change on freshwater ecosystems. How does global warming and drought affect water quality and how can negative effects be minimised? How does climate change affect aquatic greenhouse gas emissions?

Boris van Meurs conducts philosophical research into the impact of humans on the earth. Examining this on a geological timescale puts the effects of our actions in another perspective. He wants to know how philosophy can help understand humanity as an important geological force.

The energy transition requires a responsible and active role of citizens according to the various national, regional and local climate agreements. But how do citizens consider their own role, and what do they consider as a just energy transition?

His research focuses on water governance and climate change adaptation in international comparative perspective. Research themes are flood risk management, the management of water scarcity and drought, water quality management and climate proof cities.

Focused on the political ecology of resource extraction and alternatives to development in Latin America, particularly Ecuador. Her research has documented the territorial transformations, conflicts and resistance movements spurred by the expansion of large-scale mining in the Amazon region, as well as the gendered criminalization of land defenders in Ecuador.