Policy

Policy change is vital for sustainable future.

As such, it is a core area of our work. Many of our researchers, the Grantham Scholars, research policy and sustainability. And every year we send a group of them to COP.

Plus we have been part of a range of inquiries and consultations, which our Centre Manager Deborah Beck takes a lead on.

COP24 - some of the Grantham Scholars posing in front of the massive COP logo: what's it like at COP?
Grantham Scholars at COP24, where international climate change policy is decided.

Inquiries and consultations

Our Centre Manager Deborah Beck works with public, private and third sector organisations to connect our people up with policy opportunities.

Using her specialist knowledge of our academics and PhD student research areas she connects people to relevant government inquiries and consultations. Plus she provides expert advice to academics and PhD students on how to write for a policy audience.

You can find out more about inquiries and consultations in the news section below.

Grantham Scholars

All the Grantham Scholars get training in policy as part of their training programme.

And with help from Deborah Beck, they are supported to take secondments with policy makers. For example, Nicole Kennard did a fellowship with POST.

Interviews about policy with our researchers

A number of Grantham Scholars research sustainability and policy. In order to find out more, our Comms Officer Claire Moran has interviewed some of them, and you can find links below.

George Asiamah, who has written a chapter on pro-poor development for Springer
Grantham Scholar George Asiamah researches policy and food safety.

Brexit, food & science: Interview with George Asiamah

EU food regulation expert George Asimah explains what Brexit means for UK food safety.

Why scientists should think like policy makers: Interview with Gloria Mensah

Policy researcher Gloria Mensah explains how scientists can work better with policy makers.

Sustainability and social protection: Interview with Dr Cecilie Dyngeland
We funded Cecilie Dyngeland to produce one of the largest studies on the sustainability implications of social protection.

There are more interviews with Grantham Scholars in the news section below.

COP and the Grantham Centre

Every year the Grantham Centre sends a group of Grantham Scholars to COP as official observers for TUoS. As such our Scholars have had a front row seat on international sustainability policy. From the Paris Agreement to youth activism, our people have been there to witness it.

Deborah Beck is the lead contact at TUOS for COP. Together with Centre Administrator Jana Green she supports TUoS official observers who attend.

You can find out more about COP and the Grantham Centre on our COP page. There you can find news, interviews and policy papers we’ve submitted to COP, such as our soil-loss briefing note.