Environment
The Lancaster Environment Centre forms one of the largest concentrations of environmental researchers in Europe, with 450 staff and postgraduate researchers.
We address the world's most important environmental issues, with a strong commitment to research excellence, inter-disciplinary and genuine, long-lasting international partnerships.
Download the Environment factsheet
Access Expertise
We work across three inter-disciplinary research areas:
- Environmental change
- Improved resource management
- Eco-innovation
with expertise in:
- Atmosphere, Climate and Pollution
- Ecology and Conservation
- Earth Science
- Environmental and Biogeochemistry
- International Development
- Plant and Crop Science
- Soil, Plant and Land Systems
- Sustainability Science
- Water Science
Benefits of Collaboration
- Access world leading knowledge
- Access our multi-million-pound facilities, including hot desk and office space, and extensive state-of-the-art research laboratories
- Take advantage of our global reach and form international partnerships
Working in Partnership
We are committed to a partnership approach and have developed strategic relationships with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, UK Environment Agency, Environmental Information Data Centre, British Geological Survey, International Food Security Alliance, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, located at the Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC).
We also collaborate with a number of corporate partners including Waitrose, United Utilities and Unilever.
We have strong collaborations with a range of medium-sized research-intensive companies within the UK and across Europe.
Our resident businesses range from research-led university spinouts to international environmental companies.
Our enterprise activities are organised across seven key interdisciplinary themes which build on disciplinary excellence and provide natural points of collaboration:
Forming Partnerships
Organisations can access our expertise through five types of collaborative partnership:
- Collaborative research
- Commercialisation of intellectual property
- Professional training
- Student engagement
- Facilities for research and development
Partnership Examples
Centre for Global Eco-Innovation
The £9.8m Centre for Global Eco-Innovation unites the expertise, resources and global contacts of Lancaster University, the University of Liverpool and Inventya Limited, to develop new eco-innovative products, processes and services in collaboration with ambitious North-west businesses.
Finalist in the PraxisUnico Impact Awards 2013 for collaboration, and the Green Gown Awards for research 2013, the centre is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.
Waitrose Sustainable Agriculture
We are developing a communications portal that highlights the relationships between Waitrose, its suppliers, growers of fresh produce and research providers concerned with sustainable agriculture.
Knowledge Acceleration Responsible Innovation Meta Network
We are creating a strategic network of more than 500 North-west European universities, innovation agencies and businesses to increase competitiveness.
Optimising Ecosystem Services
We are leading a DEFRA HortLINK partnership that brings together over 20 food retailers, seed suppliers and growers to investigate how flowering plants could reduce pesticide use.
