Professional summary
Research Interests
My research interests are in the spatial modelling of land use change, grassland and forest management, processes affecting greenhouse gas emissions from land management and interdisciplinary approaches to investigating human-environmental impacts. I am the lead scientist for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) funded project that produces annual estimates of sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the land use, land use change and forestry (LULUCF) sector of the national greenhouse gas inventory. This inventory is required under national and international commitments (the UK Climate Change Act and the Kyoto Protocol of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change). My current work focuses on extending reporting on forest, peatland and agricultural land management through the development of computer models. For recent publications on this work please see http://naei.beis.gov.uk/reports/reports?section_id=3 I am a scientific adviser to the UK government on sources and sinks of greenhouse gases in the LULUCF sector of the national greenhouse gas inventory and a provider or policy analysis/advice. I have also been the UK representative on such matters at national, European and international (IPCC) meetings, and I have been a member of the IPCC Emissions Factor Database Editorial Board. Recent and ongoing collaborations include Forest Research, Rothamsted Research (North Wyke), University of Aberdeen, AEA Technology, James Hutton Institute and the National Soil Resources Institute.
Brief CV
2022-present Ecosystems Modeller (Band 4), UKCEH Edinburgh (part-time 75%)
• Lead scientist for the delivery of UK greenhouse gas (GHG) accounting in the LULUCF sector
• Contribute effectively to science area strategy and planning (ACE and other science areas)
• Strategic development of LULUCF and Net Zero research opportunities, particularly in scenario modelling
• Scientific advisor to UK and devolved governments on GHG emissions and accounting
2017-2023 Co-Group Leader of Emissions Sources, Sinks and Solutions group, Atmospheric Chemistry and Effects Science Area
• Joint leadership of the ESSS group and line management of specific staff
• Understanding and representing effectively the science skills of group members internally and externally
• Support the development of group member skills and career development
2012-2022 Ecosystems Modeller (Band 5), UKCEH Edinburgh (part-time, 3 days a week)
2009-2012 Ecosystems Modeller (Band 6), CEH Edinburgh (part-time, 3 days a week)
2005-2009 Ecosystems Modeller (Band 6), CEH Edinburgh
2004-2005 Ecological Modeller (Band 6), CEH Monks Wood
2003-2004 Research Assistant/Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Department of Environmental Science, University of Stirling
1998-1999 GIS Coordinator, Environmental Audit Unit, Scottish Natural Heritage, Edinburgh
Qualifications
PhD in Environmental Science, University of Stirling 2003, ‘A modelling approach to farm management and vegetation degradation in pre-modern Iceland’
MSc in Geographical Information Systems University of Edinburgh 1997
BSc (Hons.) in Geography University of Bristol 1996
UNFCCC GHG Inventory Reviewer (LULUCF and KP-LULUCF) 2020
PhD in Environmental Science, University of Stirling 2003, ‘A modelling approach to farm management and vegetation degradation in pre-modern Iceland’
MSc in Geographical Information Systems University of Edinburgh 1997
BSc (Hons.) in Geography University of Bristol 1996
UNFCCC GHG Inventory Reviewer (LULUCF and KP-LULUCF) 2020
Work experience
- 2023 Co-Investigator “GHG Inventory Improvement Programme”, BEIS, ~£300,000
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF expert), “Nitrogen Futures”, Defra, £221,962
- 2022-2026 Work-Package Lead “2A Assessing Net Zero- Global Trade-offs”, UKCEH National Capability-International, £400,000
- 2022 Lead Investigator “Northern Ireland Climate Action Plan- LULUCF impacts”, DAERA, £2,000
- 2022 Lead investigator “Essex Net Zero Land Use scenarios”, Essex County Council, £7,862
- 2022 Lead investigator “6th Carbon Budget LULUCF Update for Scotland and Northern Ireland”, Committee on Climate Change, £15,141
- 2022-23 Co-investigator “Land Use Platform”, WP-2 lead, WP-2 contributor, BEIS & Defra, £131,470
- 2022 Co-investigator “The future of vegetable production in a triple challenge context”, World Wildlife Fund (funded by Tesco), £33,300
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF lead) with Ricardo Consultancy, Provision of emissions projections of current policies for Scottish Government, £17,060
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF expert) with Aether Consultancy, “Developing Nitrogen Futures”, JNCC, £33,253
- 2021-22 Co-investigator (LULUCF lead) with Aether Consultancy, “Isle of Man Land Use and Agricultural Carbon Exchange Calculation”, Isle Of Man Government, £15,515
- 2021-22 Co-investigator (Work Package lead) “Land Carbon Sequestration Tool Development”, UK Water Industry Research, £94,200
- 2020-22 Principal Investigator with Ricardo, AFBI and Forest Research, “Land Use Change Tracking”, UK Government-BEIS, £298,323
- 2021-25 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS, sub-contract to Ricardo £885,600 + ad-hoc funding
- 2021-22 Co-investigator with UKCEH and Element Energy Consultancy, “Greenhouse Gas Removal Review”, UK Government-BEIS, £35,000
- 2020 Principal Investigator, 6th Carbon Budget scenario analysis, Committee on Climate Change, £12,088
- 2019 member of UK Delegation to IPCC 49th meeting, Kyoto, Japan
- 2019-2020 Co-Investigator (LULUCF lead) “2019 Refinement GHGI improvement programme”, UK Government-BEIS, £13,392
- 2019-22 Co-investigator with SRUC, “Delivering Clean Growth through Sustainable Intensification”, Defra, £50,000
- 2017-18 Principal Investigator with Rothamsted Research, “Quantifying the impact of future land use change scenarios to 2050 and beyond”, Committee on Climate Change
- 2017-18 CEH lead scientist with Ricardo Consultancy, “Kyrgyz Republic GHGI Strengthening”, World Bank (capacity building for GHG inventories in Central Asia)
- 2016-2021 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS, sub-contract to Ricardo, £750,000 + £125,000 ad-hoc
- 2014-2017 Co-investigator (work package lead), “Wetland GHG inventory”, UK Government-BEIS, £199,800
- 2014-17 Co-investigator, “MELODIES”, Department of Energy and Climate Change
- 2010-2012 – Principal Investigator "Scoping study to determine feasibility of populating the land use component of the LULUCF GHG inventory", Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- 2009-2016 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS
- 2008-2012 - Project manager-"National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory mapping", Department of Energy and Climate Change
- 2009-2010- CEH Project leader "Pilot determining suitability of Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), Scottish Government"
- 2006-2009- Project manager "Inventory and projections of UK emissions by sources and removals by sinks due to land use, land use change and forestry" Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
- 2023 Co-Investigator “GHG Inventory Improvement Programme”, BEIS, ~£300,000
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF expert), “Nitrogen Futures”, Defra, £221,962
- 2022-2026 Work-Package Lead “2A Assessing Net Zero- Global Trade-offs”, UKCEH National Capability-International, £400,000
- 2022 Lead Investigator “Northern Ireland Climate Action Plan- LULUCF impacts”, DAERA, £2,000
- 2022 Lead investigator “Essex Net Zero Land Use scenarios”, Essex County Council, £7,862
- 2022 Lead investigator “6th Carbon Budget LULUCF Update for Scotland and Northern Ireland”, Committee on Climate Change, £15,141
- 2022-23 Co-investigator “Land Use Platform”, WP-2 lead, WP-2 contributor, BEIS & Defra, £131,470
- 2022 Co-investigator “The future of vegetable production in a triple challenge context”, World Wildlife Fund (funded by Tesco), £33,300
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF lead) with Ricardo Consultancy, Provision of emissions projections of current policies for Scottish Government, £17,060
- 2022 Co-investigator (LULUCF expert) with Aether Consultancy, “Developing Nitrogen Futures”, JNCC, £33,253
- 2021-22 Co-investigator (LULUCF lead) with Aether Consultancy, “Isle of Man Land Use and Agricultural Carbon Exchange Calculation”, Isle Of Man Government, £15,515
- 2021-22 Co-investigator (Work Package lead) “Land Carbon Sequestration Tool Development”, UK Water Industry Research, £94,200
- 2020-22 Principal Investigator with Ricardo, AFBI and Forest Research, “Land Use Change Tracking”, UK Government-BEIS, £298,323
- 2021-25 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS, sub-contract to Ricardo £885,600 + ad-hoc funding
- 2021-22 Co-investigator with UKCEH and Element Energy Consultancy, “Greenhouse Gas Removal Review”, UK Government-BEIS, £35,000
- 2020 Principal Investigator, 6th Carbon Budget scenario analysis, Committee on Climate Change, £12,088
- 2019 member of UK Delegation to IPCC 49th meeting, Kyoto, Japan
- 2019-2020 Co-Investigator (LULUCF lead) “2019 Refinement GHGI improvement programme”, UK Government-BEIS, £13,392
- 2019-22 Co-investigator with SRUC, “Delivering Clean Growth through Sustainable Intensification”, Defra, £50,000
- 2017-18 Principal Investigator with Rothamsted Research, “Quantifying the impact of future land use change scenarios to 2050 and beyond”, Committee on Climate Change
- 2017-18 CEH lead scientist with Ricardo Consultancy, “Kyrgyz Republic GHGI Strengthening”, World Bank (capacity building for GHG inventories in Central Asia)
- 2016-2021 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS, sub-contract to Ricardo, £750,000 + £125,000 ad-hoc
- 2014-2017 Co-investigator (work package lead), “Wetland GHG inventory”, UK Government-BEIS, £199,800
- 2014-17 Co-investigator, “MELODIES”, Department of Energy and Climate Change
- 2010-2012 – Principal Investigator "Scoping study to determine feasibility of populating the land use component of the LULUCF GHG inventory", Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
- 2009-2016 Lead scientist, "National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory- LULUCF", Department of Energy and Climate Change/BEIS
- 2008-2012 - Project manager-"National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory mapping", Department of Energy and Climate Change
- 2009-2010- CEH Project leader "Pilot determining suitability of Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), Scottish Government"
- 2006-2009- Project manager "Inventory and projections of UK emissions by sources and removals by sinks due to land use, land use change and forestry" Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Panels, committees and memberships
2020-present DAERA Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Science Workstream, providing LULUCF expertise
2019-present NFU Scientific Advisory panel on Net Zero
2019-present EPA (Ireland) Peatland Research project Steering Committee (SMARTBOG)
2018-present LTSS SOC-Dynamics steering committee (UKCEH National Capability project)
2006-2008 IPCC Emissions Factor Database Editorial Board
2020-present DAERA Northern Ireland Greenhouse Gas Science Workstream, providing LULUCF expertise
2019-present NFU Scientific Advisory panel on Net Zero
2019-present EPA (Ireland) Peatland Research project Steering Committee (SMARTBOG)
2018-present LTSS SOC-Dynamics steering committee (UKCEH National Capability project)
2006-2008 IPCC Emissions Factor Database Editorial Board