Our interdisciplinary research explores how pathways to sustainability, green transformations and equitable access to resources such as land, water and food can be achieved and help us meet the environmental as well as human development-related goals of the UN Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
Our work builds on a long tradition of critical social science engagement with environmental issues and resource politics in collaboration with partners globally. It explores how pathways to sustainability are shaped by political-economic and social processes, and understands how they are driven by technology, markets, states and citizens. Our research sheds new light on how we can achieve green transformations that move us from fossil fuel to renewable energy, from throw-away to circular economies. It addresses the politics of sustainability, and understands how transformations occur at local levels as well as global, in both rural and urban settings, and be led by citizens as well as national governments. In doing so, it shines a light on how sustainable resource use, consumption and production is shaped by issues such as gender, livelihoods and politics.
The ESRC STEPS Centre (Social, Technological and Environmental Pathways to Sustainability) is an interdisciplinary global research and policy engagement centre.
The world economy is committed to moving from fossil to clean energies and to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emission in all activities. But this transition won't be possible if we do not change the way we extract critical minerals such as copper, lithium and cobalt. Especially as the...
In the context of knowledge for development, what does it require to deconstruct the dominant narratives and personal privileges embodied in our race, class, gender, etc.? And, in a knowledge landscape littered with potential minefields, how do we go about shifting the mindsets that shape the...
As our recent Pathways to Equitable Food Systems report shows, our food systems are deeply flawed. High levels of food insecurity, including in so-called ‘advanced’ countries, low-quality diets linked to both micronutrient deficiencies and diet-related obesity and non-communicable diseases,...
This article introduces a short series on economic democracy.
The global economy is failing to deliver for people or for the environment. Resource extraction and industrial pollution are leading to climate change and biodiversity degradation while millions of people lack access to the minimum...
In many settings, people with disabilities face multiple and complex layers of environmental, societal and structural barriers. These barriers can lead to them being disproportionately harmed, neglected and excluded during humanitarian and other emergency responses. This is especially evident in...
This is a webinar aimed at social scientists and public health and humanitarian practitioners involved in public health emergencies. The objective is to get insights across different contexts on achieving a context-adapted community engagement for future epidemic and pandemic preparedness. This...
Close collaborations with government’s responding to the Covid-19 pandemic produced a range of monetary and fiscal policy recommendations for longer term recovery and future resilience. As we continue to face multiple crises, what have learnt about the effectiveness of range of...
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the economies of most countries. What differed is the intensity of the impact, which ranged from mild economic contractions to devastating recessions and downturns.
The Covid-19 pandemic and policy responses to contain its spread had severe impacts on people’s livelihoods and food security. It exposed weaknesses and inequities in social protection systems, food production and distribution, job security, and economic policies, with those already...
A focus on food must mean a focus on farming. And a focus on equity in food systems must encompass equity in agricultural systems.
As global food systems transform, generating increasing inequalities in access, we must ask how food is produced and by whom. Now all open access, the trio...
Uncertainties of all sorts – environmental, market-based and political – are on the rise, as the world faces climate and environmental change, as well as market volatility and political turmoil. Learning lessons from pastoralists is therefore important for all of us, as well as ensuring that...
This paper describes qualitative research nested in a larger intervention programme developing and piloting a model of disability inclusive early childhood development and education (ECDE) in two districts in Kenya for future national rollout.
Working with Kenyan in-country teams from...
In an extraordinary time of challenge and change, we use more than 50 years of expertise to transform development approaches that create more equitable and sustainable futures. The work you do with us will help make progressive change towards universal development; to build and connect solidarities for collective action, locally and globally. The University of Sussex has been ranked 1st in the world for Development Studies for the past five years (QS World University Rankings by Subject).