Co-creating sustainable futures with food farmers
Water@leeds researchers are collaborating on JUSTLANZ – a pioneering project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to involve communities in the UK's transition to net zero.
JUSTLANZ will develop transformative pathways for a just transition to net zero for the UK food-farming sector.
Dr David Williams, Professor Julia Martin-Ortega, Dr Paula Novo and Professor George Holmes from the School of Earth and Environment are working together on the project, which has received a share of £14.5 million in funding towards net zero projects from UKRI.
Led by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the research will involve food farmers, their communities, policymakers, academics and conservation organisations.
It will integrate their varied views, values and knowledge with climate data and land use models to co-design sustainable scenarios that consider everyone.
Just pathways to net zero
JUSTLANZ aims to revolutionise agricultural practices, land use and soil health for a more sustainable future.
It will explore how to achieve a ‘just’ net zero by making sure the voices of affected communities are heard. It’ll evaluate how we can balance the priorities of producing food, restoring biodiversity, lowering emissions and meeting community needs.
As well as the RSPB, the research team includes the James Hutton Institute, Cranfield University, University of Cambridge, SRUC Innovation Ltd, Living Levels Partnership, and Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group – South West.
JUSTLANZ is part of the wider Land Use for Net Zero, Nature and People (LUNZ) project, which is in its second phase.
We have no choice but to try – and to do so in a way that is fair for all
Professor Julia Martin-Ortega, Associate Director of water@leeds, said: “Achieving a transition to net zero and meeting biodiversity targets, whilst ensuring food security, is probably one of the biggest challenges we face as a society.
“We have no choice but to try – and to do so in a way that is fair for all. I feel privileged to have been trusted with this funding to deliver research in support of such important goals.
“We have designed a highly participatory process, in which we hope to engage intensively with the farming community, value chain actors, government agencies and nature organisations to craft together just pathways for a sustainable future.”
