Skip to content Accessibility statement
Research
HomeResearchThemesEnvironmental sustainability and resilience

Environmental sustainability and resilience

Our research addresses the unprecedented global challenges of ensuring food security, the increasing demand for energy and water, and preventing environmental degradation - all in the face of climate change. By collaborating widely and working across disciplines, researchers at York are helping to shape a more sustainable future for us all.

Focus area

Dry corn field

Food security and sustainability

The global population is expanding rapidly and our food system is becoming increasingly vulnerable. Our research investigates how global change, agricultural policies and food waste affect the sustainability of our food supply and develops methods and technologies to tackle these issues.

Featured research

Case study

Improving sustainable oil palm

Researchers are working to improve the sustainability policies for protecting rainforest in oil palm landscapes. This research is helping to conserve biodiversity and reduce carbon emissions across large parts of the tropics.

Case study

Improving the effectiveness of conservation areas in Africa

Researchers are working to improve the ways biodiversity is protected in Africa. This will tackle the global biodiversity crisis, protecting natural areas for people and nature.

Case study

Developing resilient strategies for conservation under climate change

Researchers at York have identified the impact of climate change on biodiversity, how species might be at risk of extinction, and they have developed approaches to enable species to adjust to a warmer world.

Case study

Supporting the sustainable management of tropical ecosystems

We have produced innovative tools and data-based insights to improve the management of ecosystems, benefiting these areas and the people and wildlife who inhabit them.

More featured research

Our research themes