How can we balance different interests at local and national levels, to provide the resources we need, reduce degradation of natural capital and improve the state of the environment?

Background

In the densely populated UK, competition for land between urban, rural, food, energy, recreation, environmental outcomes, industry and other uses is a fundamental issue. Our interaction with the natural environmental is often through our use of land.

We need to assess, in a changing society and climate, how best to sustainably use available land area as well as the full suite of natural environment considerations in that use.

Next steps

Get in touch with [email protected]

Source

This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:

DEFRA Research and innovation interests GOVUK

Related UKRI funded projects


  • PLUS Change (Planning Land Use Strategies: Meeting biodiversity, climate and social objectives in a Changing world)

    PLUS Change brings together 23 institutions from across Europe including 5 Universities, 5 research institutes, 3 stakeholder network organisations, 1 performing arts collective, and 9 practice partners representing regi...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: SURREY COUNTY COUNCIL

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project directly addresses the question by creating land use strategies that meet climate, biodiversity, and human well-being objectives.

  • Programme Coordination Team, Landscape Decisions - Towards a new framework for using land assets

    The Strategic Priority Fund (SPF) programme 'Landscape Decisions: towards a new framework for using land assets' is delivering a new framework for land management decisions. It draws on social science, economics, natural...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: University of Leicester

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to deliver a new framework for land management decisions, which includes reducing degradation of natural capital and improving the state of the environment.

  • Joined-up land use strategies tackling climate change and biodiversity loss (MOSAIC)

    Urgent and concerted action can stop and reverse unsustainable land use and the over-exploitation of land resources. This will however require rapid, simultaneous and coordinated action by a diversity of land use decisio...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to gain a comprehensive understanding of land use decisions and future patterns, partially addressing the question.

  • UK Status, Change and Projections of the Environment (UK-SCaPE)

    The UK faces significant challenges in the 21st century due to mounting pressure on air and soil quality, water and food security, and the conservation of biodiversity. To provide effective solutions to these problems a ...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: NERC CEH (Up to 30.11.2019)

  • NEC05943 Natural Capital Knowledge Exchange to Support Healthy Local Economies (Open Call)

    Two current ambitions of the Government are: to create a fairer and more balanced economy in which all parts of the country benefit from growth that is environmentally sustainable and inter-generationally fair, as set ou...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: Centre for Ecology & Hydrology

  • ADVANCES (ADVancing Analysis of Natural Capital in LandscapE DecisionS)

    Natural Capital is a fundamental component of an economy's stock of resources upon which human health, well-being and wealth depend. Economic growth and development are conditioned by the economy's overall capital stock ...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: University of East Anglia

  • The Nature Investment Land Assessment Tool

    The UK's natural environment was valued at a stock of £1.5 trillion in 2021, but its habitats decreased by 24% from 1990 to 2024, reflecting a pressing need for investment into nature and natural restoration. Howe...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: CITY SCIENCE CORPORATION LIMITED

  • Planning for Nature Recovery: the role of spatial planning in preventing habitat and biodiversity loss

    What is the problem? Habitat and biodiversity loss are a global nature emergency, and urbanisation is a key driver. With the UK now one of the most nature-depleted countries in Europe, governments have recently introdu...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of Sheffield

  • Working together to add value: Enhancing landscapes for biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services

    Managing landscapes for biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services is a current priority for researchers, policy makers, practitioners and other stakeholders. Several initiatives exist that encourage cooperative manage...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF READING

    Why might this be relevant?

    Addresses the question fully by focusing on cooperative management for biodiversity and ecosystem services.

  • Land Use for Net Zero Hub

    We live in the critical decade for climate change. The world increasingly experiences the damages and losses from extreme weather events caused by human-made climate change. Crop losses, devastating floods, catastrophic ...

    Funded by: BBSRC

    Lead research organisation: James Hutton Institute