How has the COVID-19 pandemic influenced how people engage with and value environmental systems (including nature, wildlife, and farming and food supply)? What opportunities does this present to lock-in positive behaviour change and secure environmental objectives in the longer term?

Background

The research areas identified in this document rely on a wide range of research tools and approaches, spanning disciplines across the sciences and social sciences. This section is not an exhaustive list of the tools and approaches of interest to Defra. It identifies some areas of particular relevance and change, which will be important in addressing the challenges faced by Defra and represented throughout this document.

Societies demand resource from the environment and shape that environment. The social science of human-nature interactions is of fundamental importance to Defra.

Next steps

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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

  • Nature Engagement and Wellbeing Pre-, During and Post Covid-19: Supporting the UK (Green) Recovery

    On 23 March, the UK went into lockdown in response to the Covid-19 threat. As a result, people's engagement with natural environments may have changed significantly which is likely to have had significant impact on their...

    Funded by: COVID

    Lead research organisation: University of Surrey

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project aims to understand changes in nature engagement and wellbeing during and after lockdown, which directly addresses the question about how the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced people's engagement with and value of environmental systems.

  • Evidence for nature based solutions (NBSGap)

    In order to make informed strategy for the good of UK citizens and to implement it through well-founded and informed policy, the policy-makers need evidence. They need to know what is known in an area and what has yet to...

    Funded by: NERC

    Lead research organisation: NERC CEH (Up to 30.11.2019)

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project focuses on nature-based solutions and their benefits and disbenefits across policy domains, which partially addresses the question about opportunities to secure environmental objectives in the longer term.

  • Reframing Global Environmental Change: fostering interdisciplinary approaches to socioecological transformation through insights from Wales.

    As societies grapple with issues such as climate change and species loss, and following a widespread loss of faith in the notion of "sustainable development", reframing debates about what constitutes a sustaina...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Swansea University

    Why might this be relevant?

    The project explores interdisciplinary approaches to socioecological transformation and the role of emotion, imagination, and creativity, which is not directly relevant to the question about the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on people's engagement with and value of environmental systems.

  • Advancing Capacity for Climate and Environment Social Science (ACCESS)

    It is critically important to provide social science insights to support the transition to a sustainable and biodiverse environment and a net zero society. We are in a biodiversity crisis, with profound implications for ...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

  • Journeys through environmental change: narratives by and for communities

    Journeys through environmental change: narratives by and for communities Many people feel put off by the way environmental issues are talked about, and find it difficult to identify with or respond to them. When policy ...

    Funded by: AHRC

    Lead research organisation: The Open University

  • MobilES - Using mobile-phone technology to capture ecosystem service information

    Despite being vital for human well-being, ecosystem services (ES) - nature's contributions to people - are increasingly threatened by human activities (e.g. overexploitation and degradation). The importance of ES is glob...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: Bangor University

  • EcoGPX

    EcoGPX is an Innovate UK funded smart app from Intercultural Roots (IR) that aims to promote intuitive understanding of climate change, by providing users with an OpenAI interfaced, interactive and embodied knowledge of ...

    Funded by: Innovate UK

    Lead research organisation: INTERCULTURAL ROOTS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

  • The links between socioeconomic and environmental inequalities and nature connectedness

    There is growing consensus that exposure to the natural environment is beneficial for human well-being. This is particularly important in urban environments, where environmental risks such as air pollution have been asso...

    Funded by: ESRC

    Lead research organisation: University of York

  • Coevolutionary approach to unlock the transformative potential of nature-based solutions for more inclusive and resilient communities

    Nature-based solutions (NBS) are governance techniques and models that directly and cost-effectively benefit both nature and humans. Despite the progress in NBS design and implementation, the socio-political challenge is...

    Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee

    Lead research organisation: THE JAMES HUTTON INSTITUTE

  • Multispecies storytelling: more-than-human narratives about landscape

    This network will examine what multispecies storytelling can contribute to participatory decision-making and landscape valuation in community settings. Multispecies approaches have emerged as significant interdisciplinar...

    Funded by: SPF

    Lead research organisation: Edge Hill University

Similar ARIs from other organisations

Schools: Continue to drive up academic standards so that children and young people in every part of the country are 11 prepared with the knowledge, skills and qualifications they need. What is the impact of children’s access to nature from an educational and wellbeing perspective? Department for Education, 2024
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Climate and biodiversity How will public attitudes be affected? Are individuals, cities or communities motivated by the drop in emission levels resulting from reduced travel? Are they more or less fearful of ambitious decision making to protect the climate? What opportunities does this present the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, 2020
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