University of Hull - School of Environmental Sciences

Environmental Sciences research at Hull.

The School of Environmental Sciences is part of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. We are recognised as a leading centre for research into environmental issues of global importance and interest. Our researchers specialise in areas such as climate change, globalisation, renewable energy and low-carbon futures. And we have an international reputation in Earth surface processes, evolutionary biology and functional ecology.

Geography and environmental studies research at Hull is ranked third in the UK (and first in England) for research impact. Some 70% of our research output was designated 'world-leading' or 'internationally excellent.

One of the University’s distinctive features is its strong research culture of collaboration and interdisciplinary working.

The school and its researchers collaborate with the University's institutes and scientists from around the world. Within the University, we work alongside the Hull International Fisheries Institute (HIFI) and the Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies (IECS) to deliver research of the highest quality.

Hull International Fisheries Institute

The staff and associates of Hull International Fisheries Institute (HIFI) have extensive experience in fisheries, conservation and aquatic-resource management. The institute has long-standing relationships with key organisations that promote research and development. These include the European Commission, the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and the World Bank. HIFI specialises in applied research, with emphasis on the scope for sustainable development, management and commercial developments.

Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies

The Institute of Estuarine and Coastal Studies (IECS) is a multidisciplinary environmental research consultancy with more than 30 years’ experience. IECS works across a range of specialisms including ecological surveys and management, numerical modelling and GIS, and environmental assessment. Its clients include the European Commission, Government departments, industrial companies, engineering consultancies and statutory/regulatory bodies in the UK and overseas.

Energy and Environment Institute

The Energy and Environment Institute operates at the interface between sustainable energy, environmental and societal resilience. Through world-leading science, innovation and sustainable solutions, it will help to shape a more resilient future for our environment and for societies across the world. The institute will explore the interaction within the food-energy-water security nexus. And it will seek to understand the interface between climate and the Earth system.

Established in 2016, the institute gathers leading scientists across this multidisciplinary space to conduct impactful research. Its work addresses global challenges surrounding climate change and its potentially devastating consequences. The institute will focus on better predicting how the world’s climate will affect communities to ensure that people can carve out a sustainable future. It will seek adaptation and mitigation measures to the challenges that environmental change creates.

The research will, for example, look at how the changing climate can alter ecosystem services and explore the implications for societies and communities dependent on these services for food, energy and everyday life.

The University of Hull is a training hub for the Capturing our Coast (Cocoast) Project.

Cocoast represents a unique collaboration between a wide range of organisations concerned with understanding and conserving marine biodiversity.