University of Glasgow led research that promises to bring about fresh thinking on land use change to help achieve the UK’s net zero target has received funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Rapid Engagement with Stressed Peatland Environments and Communities in Transformation (RESPECT) is an innovative project that will produce data, methods, landholder tools and proposals for governance reforms to change agricultural practices on peatland, and reduce emissions from land use.

RESPECT was awarded £4.5 million by the UKRI Land Use for Net Zero Research programme over three years. It is a collaboration between the University of Glasgow, and the Universities of Newcastle, Hull and Stirling, that brings together expertise in law, archaeology, ecology and environmental geography.

Professor Sara Carter, Vice-Principal of the University of Glasgow, said: “The University of Glasgow is recognised as a world leader in undertaking research that addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goals. This important project will help repair degraded peatland, improving carbon storage and wildlife habitats.”

Professor Jill Robbie, of the School of Law, is the Project Investigator. She said: “Peatlands are one of the world’s most important habitats and the largest terrestrial carbon store. However, 80% of UK peatlands are in a damaged and deteriorating state, meaning they are often a carbon source rather than sink. This is alarming in the context of the climate emergency. Restoring peatland is therefore an urgent UK action, necessary to meet the net zero commitment. This project will produce new thinking and research to facilitate landholders to deliver land use change for net zero and manage emerging land use conflicts.

“The UKRI funding comes at a crucial moment in the UK’s transition to net zero, and I am excited to coordinate the research in order to deliver useful and accessible tools to reduce emissions from land use.”

Co-investigator Professor Jens-Arne Subke said: "At the University of Stirling, we have taken significant steps towards developing our capabilities to monitor peatland restoration in recent years. This new project allows us to apply our understanding of peatland function and how they respond to restoration to help develop tools for decision-making and prioritisation of restoration efforts.

“A vital component within the RESPECT work programme is the explicit inclusion of how potential conflicts between environmental and social consequences need to be considered as part of the decision process for peatland restoration.”

Co-investigator Professor Graham Ferrier said: "At the University of Hull, we have been working with stakeholders in the agricultural sector in Yorkshire to develop new methods for sustainable farming. This new project provides an outstanding opportunity to develop new farm management approaches and tools to aid farmers in achieving net zero goals.”

RESPECT will collate data through novel interdisciplinary collection, modelling and engagement methods. These data will establish the capacity of land and land users to contribute to the net zero target, as well as generate other social and environmental co-benefits, balanced against conflicting land use demands, within the context of climate change.

The baseline data will inform the production of a Peatland Triage Tool, providing decision-support for landowners, land managers, farmers and crofters seeking to undertake peatland restoration.

Governance reforms will be proposed to scaffold the social innovations necessary for transformative change. Two case study regions - the Forth and Humber Catchments in Scotland and England - will be investigated in-depth, where tensions exist between food production, historic environment preservation, carbon sequestration and ecological restoration.

RESPECT will work closely with separately funded UKRI initiative, the Land Use for Net Zero Hub: Lunzhub.com. Established in November 2023, the LUNZ Hub is working to provide all four UK administrations with the rapid evidence they need to develop policies that will drive the UK land transformation required to achieve Net Zero by 2050, alongside other environmental targets.

This is one of five UK research projects to have received a share of £14.5 million under phase two of the Transforming Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People programme.

Also working on the project at the University of Glasgow are Dr Adrian Bass, Professor Deborah Dixon, Dr Katherine Simpson and Professor Larissa Naylor (School of Geographical and Life Sciences); Professor Nick Hanley (School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine); Professor Nicki Whitehouse (School of Humanities); and Dr Jiren Xu (School of Social & Environmental Sustainability). 

This announcement was originally posted on the University news website. 

First published: 13 November 2024

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