Landscape Regeneration Solutions to the Interlinked Extinction and Climate Crises that support Sustainable Development
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: Plant Sciences
Abstract
Nature-based solutions (NbS*) are responses to societal challenges that involve working with nature to deliver benefits for both people and biodiversity. They include protecting existing ecosystems, restoring degraded ecosystems and managing working lands more sustainably. NbS are of national strategic importance in supporting the UK's net zero climate targets and the Government's ambition to improve the environment within a generation. They have gained international significance too: 131 countries include NbS in their UNFCCC climate change pledges. If well designed and robustly implemented, NbS will deliver multiple benefits for climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhance biodiversity, promote human wellbeing and support economic recovery. The challenge is that the implementation of NbS is often piecemeal, narrow in focus, and undermined by weak research/policy/practice connections. UCam-Regen will redress this problem by applying its breadth of expertise in a practically driven analysis that provides the knowledge and tools needed to address several challenges facing the delivery of NbS:
NbS can contribute significantly to achieving net zero emissions, although the extent of that contribution is limited by the finite amount of land available and critically by the effects of climate change on ecosystems. NbS are not an alternative to decarbonising the economy and must be accompanied by swift, deep emissions cuts; they must be designed with and for local communities; and they must deliver measurable benefits for biodiversity and be designed to be resilient to climate change i.e. a 'whole systems approach' must be applied - as in UCam-Regen - that integrates economies, societies, and nature.
Scaling up, restoration and protection of key ecosystems across UK landscapes requires (a) better protection of natural habitats in the planning system; (b) reforming agriculture and forestry subsidies to better support actions that benefit both climate regulation and biodiversity; (c) connecting habitats across landscapes, building on the emerging Nature Recovery Networks; (d) making it compulsory to build an NbS framework into all new developments, and (e) making space on land for natural systems to adapt to climate change.
There is a need to develop robust metrics to assess the effectiveness of a wide range of NbS for carbon sequestration, water regulation, biodiversity and human wellbeing. Well-designed new financing mechanisms, including tax incentives and public subsidies for ecosystem stewardship that meet the NbS guidelines and support climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and biodiversity, could be instrumental for upscaling NbS and improving social-ecological resilience to climate change, both in the UK and globally.
UCam-Regen addresses these challenges by applying a whole systems approach to deliver knowledge and tools necessary to regenerate UK landscapes using NbS approaches. At the heart of the proposal is a recognition that local communities must be engaged with decisions regarding their landscape's future and co-produce solutions, informed by scientific assessments of the optimal landscape management approaches to maximise the delivery of ecosystem services.
*We take policy recommendation and definitions from a COP26 Universities Network Briefing led by Prof Coomes https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_790171_smxx.pdf
NbS can contribute significantly to achieving net zero emissions, although the extent of that contribution is limited by the finite amount of land available and critically by the effects of climate change on ecosystems. NbS are not an alternative to decarbonising the economy and must be accompanied by swift, deep emissions cuts; they must be designed with and for local communities; and they must deliver measurable benefits for biodiversity and be designed to be resilient to climate change i.e. a 'whole systems approach' must be applied - as in UCam-Regen - that integrates economies, societies, and nature.
Scaling up, restoration and protection of key ecosystems across UK landscapes requires (a) better protection of natural habitats in the planning system; (b) reforming agriculture and forestry subsidies to better support actions that benefit both climate regulation and biodiversity; (c) connecting habitats across landscapes, building on the emerging Nature Recovery Networks; (d) making it compulsory to build an NbS framework into all new developments, and (e) making space on land for natural systems to adapt to climate change.
There is a need to develop robust metrics to assess the effectiveness of a wide range of NbS for carbon sequestration, water regulation, biodiversity and human wellbeing. Well-designed new financing mechanisms, including tax incentives and public subsidies for ecosystem stewardship that meet the NbS guidelines and support climate change mitigation, climate change adaptation and biodiversity, could be instrumental for upscaling NbS and improving social-ecological resilience to climate change, both in the UK and globally.
UCam-Regen addresses these challenges by applying a whole systems approach to deliver knowledge and tools necessary to regenerate UK landscapes using NbS approaches. At the heart of the proposal is a recognition that local communities must be engaged with decisions regarding their landscape's future and co-produce solutions, informed by scientific assessments of the optimal landscape management approaches to maximise the delivery of ecosystem services.
*We take policy recommendation and definitions from a COP26 Universities Network Briefing led by Prof Coomes https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media_790171_smxx.pdf
Organisations
- University of Cambridge (Lead Research Organisation)
- National Trust (Project Partner)
- Fens for the Future (Project Partner)
- World Wide Fund for Nature (Project Partner)
- University of Cambridge Primary School (Project Partner)
- G's Fresh (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Soil Capital (Project Partner)
- Natural Cambridgeshire (Project Partner)
- McKinsey & Company (Germany) (Project Partner)
- Gold Standard (Project Partner)
- Nottingham College (Project Partner)
- FENS BIOSPHERE (Project Partner)
- Food, Farming and Countryide Commission (Project Partner)
- Cambridgeshire & Peterborough CA (Project Partner)
- Natural England (Project Partner)
- Anglian Water Services (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- Water Resources East (Project Partner)
- Cambridge Conservation Forum (Project Partner)
- Forestry Commission England (Project Partner)
- Cambridgeshire ACRE (Project Partner)
- Cervest Limited (Project Partner)
- Wildlife Trusts (Project Partner)
- Middle Level Commissioners (Project Partner)
- Mantle Labs Limited (Project Partner)
- National Farmers Union (Project Partner)
- Environment Agency (Project Partner)
- Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Project Partner)
Publications


Sutherland William J
(2022)
Transforming Conservation: A Practical Guide to Evidence and Decision Making

The Prince Of Wales HRH
(2023)
A Ladybird Book: Climate Change
Studentship Projects
Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
NE/W00495X/1 | 31/01/2022 | 30/01/2027 | |||
2748407 | Studentship | NE/W00495X/1 | 30/09/2022 | 29/09/2026 | |
2730125 | Studentship | NE/W00495X/1 | 30/09/2022 | 30/03/2026 |
Description | House of Commons' cross-party Environmental Audit Committee |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/6880/sustainable-timber-and-deforestation/news/172336/what-imp... |
Description | Member and Vice-Chair of the European Scientific Advisory Board on Climate Change |
Geographic Reach | Europe |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
URL | https://www.eea.europa.eu/about-us/climate-advisory-board/ |
Description | Shaun Fitzgerald at COP27 |
Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | TBC |
Description | British Council Climate Connections Visiting Fellowship |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | RI2022_03 (Uni ref. G118980) |
Organisation | British Council |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2024 |
Description | AgriFood4NetZero Workshop: Food/Net Zero Nexus in the Fens |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Hosted a Cambridge satellite meeting for the "Food/Net Zero Nexus in the Fens Workshop" with the UKRI AgriFood4NetZero Network. Inc. talk by Chris Evans, Co-I from CLR. March 2023. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Cambridge Botanic Garden Newsletter |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We were asked to write an article for the Cambridge Botanical Garden, this led to an interesting discussion around their 'Fens' display and then some fieldwork to learn about the soils in the garden. This was then covered in their newsletter. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://twitter.com/CLR_Cambridge/status/1623627377300348928 |
Description | Cambridge105 Radio Interview |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Laurie Friday (Programme Manager) and Tom Marquand (PhD student) were interviewed on the breakfast show by a local/regional radio station. Laurie and Tom answered questions about the work of the Cambridge research team and the particular socio-economic and environmental science challenges facing the Fenland. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://cambridge105.co.uk/breakfast-01-03-2023-2/ |
Description | Cambridgeshire Fens Climate Panel |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Cambridgeshire Fens Climate Panel with Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR). Commissioned by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Commission on Climate. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Defra Lowland Peat/BEIS Wasted Peat Meeting |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Organised by UKCEH - Chris Evans. Broad stakeholder meeting with wide community of researchers and stakeholders, e.g. DEFRA, BEIS, Wildlife Trusts, Natural England, Environment Agency, FenlandSOIL, ADAS, Farmers, Broads Authority, Local Government as well as a wide variety of academic researchers, including CLR researchers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Guardian Interview about carbon credit schemes |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Professor Coomes was interviewed by the Guardian newspaper about some recent research on some of the challenges being faced by companies trading in and/or certifying carbon offsetting. Verra have now changed their business model. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/10/biggest-carbon-credit-certifier-replace-rainforest-offsets-scheme-verra-aoe |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/18/revealed-forest-carbon-offsets-biggest-provider-... |
Description | New website and Twitter account |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | New website and twitter account launched. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://twitter.com/CLR_Cambridge |
Description | Paludiculture: Exploring the way forward for wetter farming in England |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
Results and Impact | A workshop was organized and convened in Cambridge in January 2022 in partnership with the National Institute for Agricultural Botany (NIAB), FenlandSOIL and Natural England around the future prospects for paludiculture, ie the potential for farming on re-wetted peatlands. There were approximately 100 attendees over 2 days and speakers from some European countries with large expanses of lowland peat that is or could be used for paludiculture. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.paludiculture.org.uk/event-details/exploring-the-way-forward-for-wetter-farming-in-engla... |
Description | Talk at Cambridge Science Festival, 2022 |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Shaun Fitzgerald gave a talk at the Cambridge Science Festival 2022 on a theme around the ethics of energy: with the focus on cutting emissions rapidly and the acceleration to NetZero, what are the ethical implication for what is billed as the next global revolution? |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.energy.cam.ac.uk/events/cambridge-festival-2022-ethics-energy |
Description | Talk by Adam Pellegrini |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Adam Pellegrini (Co-I) "New framework for carbon offsets in global drylands" Energy and Environment Group lecture series. March 2023 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Talk by Tom Marquand |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | The East Anglia Fens: Crop Productivity and Climate Vulnerability", Cambridge Global Food Security, Coffee Break Seminars, November 2022. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://sms.cam.ac.uk/media/4109817 |
Description | Varsity Article by Tom Marquand |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | ? T I Marquand & S Salhan (2023), Cambridge at the Bottom of Tripos for Sustainability: Climate Expert breaks down how student climate activists can help, Varsity |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.varsity.co.uk/science/24940/ |
Description | Wicken Fen Open Day for Farmers |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | Dr Laurie Friday hosted a delegation of Fenland farmers at Wicken Fen to talk to them about conservation and biodiversity in the Fens. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | expert panel to discuss passive cooling in a heating world |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Dr Fitzgerald was a panel member discussing the role of passive colling in the broader context of emissions reduction in tackling climate change. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.csap.cam.ac.uk/news/article-passive-cooling-hotter-world/ |