New EA project to develop a Communities and FCERM R&D Framework

CEP HAS BEEN COMMISSIONED TO DEVELOP A COMMUNITIES AND FCERM R&D FRAMEWORK

CEP, in partnership with Flood Hazard Research Centre (FHRC) Middlesex University and HR Wallingford (HRW), have been commissioned by the Environment Agency (EA) to develop a Communities and FCERM R&D Framework. The primary aim of the project is to identify the main research gaps in the area of FCERM through a detailed review of the current science.

The review process is being supplemented with interviews and further workshops with key stakeholders. The outputs from this project will help to set-out a roadmap for delivering and funding EA projects to fill these gaps. The project began in October and will come to a close at the end of 2020.

For more information please contact CEP’s Clare Twigger-Ross, the Project Manager, or Rolands Sadauskis, the Project Coordinator.

CEP's Ric Eales appointed Visiting Professor

CEP’s Ric Eales appointed visiting professor at the university of strathclyde, department of civil and environmental engineering

Photo credit: Montrose Street, Glasgow © MSeses / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)

We are pleased to announce that Ric Eales, CEP’s Managing Director, has been appointed a Visiting Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Strathclyde.

CEP has a long relationship with the University of Strathclyde and has collaborated on research and teaching over many years.  We have explored together issues as diverse as rural land use management, climate change impacts on transport infrastructure, social impacts of off-shore renewables, and stakeholder engagement in controversial proposed energy developments.

Ric’s appointment, which is a great honour, will reinforce this relationship into the future.  Ric is looking forward to working with both the staff and students in this innovative and multidisciplinary department.

For more information contacts Ric Eales r.eales@cep.co.uk / ric.eales@strath.ac.uk

CEP investigating EU Environmental Implementation Portal

CEP AND PARTNERS EXPLORE THE FEASIBILITY OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF AN EU ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLEMENTATION PORTAL (EIP)   

CEP, in conjunction with project partners Bilbomática and Wood Consulting, are undertaking a Feasibility study on the Development and maintenance of an EU Environmental Implementation Portal, under a framework contract led of Milieu Ltd for the Directorate-General (DG) Environment of the European Commission.  

The aim of the project is to examine how a multi-purpose Environmental Implementation Portal (EIP) can be designed as a ‘one stop shop’, to facilitate quick access to the services of information/data that meet the needs of a wide range of users.  The key focus of the portal will be to provide information related to the areas and pieces of environmental legislation under the responsibility of DG Environment (for example air quality, biodiversity, and water legislation), but it could also include information such as environmental data, indicators, and reports. A wide range of users are expected, including policy-makers, NGOs, and academics.

CEP are leading the first two tasks of the project, which seek to identify and analyse different users, their needs and interests, and existing good practice of similar information portals. This will be supported through a mixed-methods approach including user mapping, analysis, desk-based research, and primary data collection through surveys and interviews with stakeholder groups. 

For more information on the project, please contact Ric Eales (Managing Director) or Paula Orr (Technical Director).      

CEP to assess the socio-economic impacts of Low Carbon Development Strategies (LCDS)

CEP commissioned by WWF to provide a socio-economic assessment of LCDS as part of the MaxiMiseR project

The aim of the project is to scope the wider social impacts on citizens of Low Carbon Development Strategies (LCDS), focusing on policies and measures related to energy efficiency in buildings. The project will map the wider social impacts of these policies and measures, and draw out the implications for strengthening LCDS. Alongside this, CEP will also examine the extent of stakeholder and citizen engagement within the strategy development process, and consider the impact of the MaxiMiseR project in promoting the development of strong LCDS. To do this, CEP will draw upon a review of existing LCDS strategies and interviews with expert stakeholders.

The MaxiMiseR project aims to help Member States to develop meaningful LCDS and identify opportunities for funding. The project began in January 2016 and runs until December 2018.

For more information on the project, please contact the project director Dr Clare Twigger-Ross or the project co-ordinator Dr Sian Morse-Jones.

CEP presented at European ecosystem services research dissemination event

CEP's Dr Peter Phillips presented results of Pentland Hills collaborative land use planning research at EU FP7 OPERAs project Scottish dissemination event

CEP's Dr Peter Phillips was invited to present at the Scottish final dissemination event for the EU FP7 funded OPERAs project which has developed ecosystem science for policy and practice. The event was held at the University of Edinburgh on 14th November. Peter presented the results of a CEP-led collaborative land use planning project undertaken with stakeholders in the Pentland Hills Regional Park during 2016 and 2017. This project was undertaken in collaboration with an OPERAs case study in the Pentland Hills that addressed the socio-cultural value of ecosystem services in upland regions.

Clare Twigger-Ross at Flood Management Conference

CEP's Dr Clare Twigger-Ross presented at the 7th International Conference on Flood Management in Leeds

Dr Clare Twigger-Ross presented a paper at the 7th International Conference on Flood Management, Leeds on 6th September: Catalysts for transformative resilience to flooding? The role of community volunteers.

The paper was part of a special session on Local Scale Approaches to community flood resilience chaired by Dr. Jessica Lamond (University of the West of England) and co-authored with Paula Orr, Katya Brooks and Rolands Sadauskis, and drew on data collected for the Defra Flood Resilience Community Pathfinder (FRCP) evaluation (report can be found here).  The slides from the session can be found here.

CEP to provide further support for participatory planning in the Pentlands

Photo credit: 'A sunny day in the Pentland hills' by John Mason on Flickr (CC BY 2.0)

CEP awarded contract extension to support participatory land use planning in the Pentland Hills Regional Park

In 2016, CEP's Dr Peter Phillips and Paula Orr undertook a successful project for Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) supporting ecosystems approach based participatory land use planning in the Pentland Hills Regional Park. The report from this project will be published shortly. SNH have now awarded CEP a contract extension to develop this work further by translating the strategic Park-wide results and recommendations into more detailed management plans for two of the ecosystem service 'hotspot' areas identified in the 2016 work. As part of this extension work, CEP will design a further participative planning workshop. This will be delivered with key land managers and other stakeholders in February 2017.    

CEP at Scottish Government stakeholder meeting

CEP at Scottish Government Ecosystems and Land Use Stakeholders Engagement Group meeting

CEP's Dr Peter Phillips was invited to attend a meeting to discuss the Ecosystems and Land Use related components of the Scottish Government's new Strategic Research Programme (SRP) 2016-2021. The event, that took place on 14 November, was hosted by the Main Research Providers (James Hutton Institute and SRUC) and provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and influence the forthcoming research programme.