Climate and Environmental Change

Our group collects, analyses and models environmental data to understand past, present, and future climate change. Our research spans spatial and temporal scales to shape science and policy and reach society.  

Major challenges we research: 

• Quantifying past environmental change to constrain future climate 

• Using environmental data to analyse and predict the sustainability of human societies 
• Understanding ecosystem feedbacks and resilience to climate change 
• Using volcanic ash to explore the timing and rates of climate change in the past and explore volcanic histories and hazards. 
• Understanding microbial and biogeochemical processes in response to environmental change 

Our methods include state-of-the-art instrumentation (ICP-OES, iCAPQ, genomics) and modelling methods to research past, current, and future climate and environmental change. 

Our stakeholders are intrinsic in the development, implementation and exploitation of our research [projects]. Our stakeholders span international consortia (e.g. International Ocean Discovery Program) and local municipalities (e.g. farming communities).  

Our impacts include our contributions are included in the IPCC and feed into think tanks and government departments.  

Our associated staff are: 

Lisa Belyea – peatlands, ecohydrology, carbon cycle, greenhouse gases, ecosystem resilience  

Anna Bourne – tephrochronology, paleoenvironments, geochronology, past climate change, volcanic frequency  

Heather Ford – paleoceanography, past climate change, biogeochemical cycles 

Simon Lewis – Quaternary science, geo-archeology, paleolithic record in Britian  

Andrew Russell – climate change, climate policy, climate adaptation, flooding and coastal erosion 

Charles Teta – Environmental pollution, ecotoxicology, biogeochemistry, waste management, environmental health

Geraldene Wharton – ecohydrology (river restoration and Working with Nature to deliver Natural Flood Management) under climate and environmental change