Research Fellow – Distributional and Equity Impacts of Climate Change Mitigation



Job Reference: PP022



We seek a full time Research Fellow to work at the interface between research and policy on the distributional and equity impacts of climate change mitigation, with a particular focus on (i) public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, environmental rights, responsibilities and the concept of environmental justice in the context of climate change mitigation; and (ii) the societal impacts of climate change mitigation proposals, policies and plans.

This post forms part of the newly established Centre of Expertise (CoE) on Climate Change funded by the Scottish Government and will be based at the Crichton Carbon Centre in south-west Scotland.



The Centre of Expertise on Climate Change



The Scottish Government has recently launched a new multi-disciplinary research programme to establish a Centre of Expertise (CoE) on Climate Change involving a number of Scottish research centres and universities.



The CoE will improve the development and delivery of effective climate change and low carbon research data, information and knowledge to the Scottish Government, as well as to other partners such as local government.

The work of the Centre is ambitious, and is designed to stimulate innovative thinking in support of policy development and implementation through three work streams; Mitigation, Adaptation and Risk, Uncertainty and Significance.



The Crichton Carbon Centre



The Crichton Carbon Centre is a not for profit post graduate teaching and research organisation (Scottish Charity No SCO38915) established in 2007 with a mission to assist Scotland and the wider UK in making the transition to a low carbon economy.  The Centre has identified four themes in which it excels and practices.  These include mitigation and adaption, empiricism and pragmatism (engagement with individuals/organisations, development of best practice), environmental enterprise focused on regional assets (land use, water, sustainable energy, the

built environment, and rural communities) and evidence based advocacy and policy development.  These themes provide a framework for the Centre’s activities and guide its strategic direction.



The Crichton Carbon Centre is a knowledge exchange organisation in structure and purpose, operating at the interface between applied research into and practical delivery of sustainability and climate change solutions.  In so doing, the Centre works with individuals, communities, and a wide range of organisations, including businesses, social enterprises, schools, colleges & universities, and other public sector services, to deliver a range of programmes, funded projects and professional services. 



As a partner in the Mitigation work stream of the CoE on Climate Change, the Crichton Carbon Centre will be working in collaboration with The Scottish Agricultural College and The James Hutton Institute to conduct research and provide policy advice on the distributional impacts and equity considerations of climate change mitigation policy.  In particular, the Centre’s focus is on environmental justice, including consideration of the policy making process and the outcomes of implemented policies, and taking account of both intra and intergenerational equity and justice.   There are two complementary aspects to the work programme: (i) to build an understanding of public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, environmental rights and responsibilities, in order to determine what constitutes environmental justice in the context of climate change mitigation and (ii) to evaluate and interpret the societal impacts of climate change mitigation proposals, policies and plans.



The Role



The Research Fellow will have primary responsibility for delivering the Crichton Carbon Centre’s contribution to the Mitigation work stream, working under the guidance of the Principal Investigators. Close collaboration with other CoE Partners will be essential. 



The activities to be undertaken will focus on exploring the potential conflicts and synergies between climate change mitigation proposals, policies and plans and environmental justice in Scotland, and formulating proposals to (at a minimum) balance the effects on climate change winners and losers and (ideally) improve that balance over time.  Specifically, the Research Fellow will: 



* Evaluate existing Integrated Assessment and Impact Centred Models for their treatment of equity and social patterning to identify best practice that can be applied in the Scottish context  

* Investigate perceptions of and attitudes to environmental justice in Scotland using surveys in combination with novel engagement techniques (scenario planning and game playing for example)

* Based on outcomes from the above, develop a comprehensive set of environmental justice indicators [EJI] and accompanying guidance (including case studies). 

* Test and refine the indicators and guidance through an analysis of existing proposals, policies and plans to identify areas of equity deficit, parity and surplus.

* Synthesise the indicators and guidance with impact centred modelling activities within the CoE contributing to a methodology and toolkit for reflexive policy making  

* Provide policy advice to Scottish Government and other stakeholders on equity conflicts and synergies in proposals, policies, and plans 



The successful candidate will likely have a PhD in Economics, Sociology/ Social Psychology, Ethics, or other relevant discipline, ideally where that research has involved a consideration of climate change issues. 

Alternatively, candidates with a Masters degree in a relevant discipline will be considered where post graduate experience includes climate change policy development or appraisal.



The post is funded by the Scottish Government, and will be offered initially for a period of 3 years (with the possibility of a further 2 year extension).  Salary will be in the range of £29,000-£33,000 per annum with placement according to qualifications and experience. 



Candidates should be willing to relocate to south-west Scotland and have the right to work in the UK.

For further information regarding the Crichton Carbon Centre please see our website (www.carboncentre.org). 

Informal enquiries about this post may be made to Dr Rachel Dunk at r.dunk@carboncentre.org or Dr Mike Bonaventura (bon@carboncentre.org), copying both contacts.Person Specification



Please visit our website for full details of this post and applications.