The Centre for Development Studies (CDS) and the Department of Social and Policy Sciences are very pleased to enter into this partnership. It gives Bath the opportunity to establish the Research Centre Bath as part of a Global Alliance of Earth System Governance Research Centres, which will increase Bath’s international standing and reputation in the field of climate change and sustainability.
The Earth System Governance Project is a global, interdisciplinary research network that aims to advance knowledge at the interface between global environmental change and governance. The network connects and mobilizes scholars from the social sciences and humanities researching from local to global scales. The ESG network of scholars is the largest of its kind and includes some of the most high-profile scholars in this area. Through the ESG, scholars work closely with various United Nations agencies, international organisations, national and local governments and businesses in search of policy-driven solutions to global environmental challenges.
Through this new partnership, Bath has expanded opportunities for collaboration with other researchers, expansion of interdepartmental studies into sustainable development, international collaboration and the opportunity to host high-profile events such as international conferences. The partnership also holds exciting possibilities for various knowledge exchange activities, such as guest lectures, scholar and student visits, and joint courses, that will strengthen research and education on sustainability and climate change.
The University is excited to further strengthen its ties with ESG and has the ambition that Bath, and in particular CDS, establishes itself as a hub for research on the Sustainable Development Goals. This strongly aligns with the University of Bath’s research priorities on climate action, particularly the Climate Action Framework.
Michael Bloomfield, Director of the Centre for Development Studies, who led the MoU proposal, said:
This partnership is an exciting opportunity for Bath and Earth System Governance, and we are excited to see what the future holds.
Yixian Sun, who will help coordinate the partnership, adds:
The establishment of an Earth System Governance centre at Bath is a critical step as we continue to build the global reputation of our University in the area of sustainability governance.