Circular Economy at the University of Exeter

CIRCULAR ECONOMY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF EXETER Harnessing the University of Exeter’s research, education and impact to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

CIRCULAR AT THE UNI EXE

The Exeter Centre for 20 academics, £7m ex projects, and 1,000 Glob

EXETER CENTRE FOR CIRCULAR ECONOMY The Exeter Centre for Circular Economy (ECCE) is the UK’s leading CE research group.

It covers multiple products, sectors, and application areas, including building and construction systems, plastics, manufacturing, digital technologies, agriculture, business innovation, and health and medicine. Researchers from the Centre also lead multi-million regional projects, supporting SMEs. These include TEVI (Environmental Growth in Cornwall) and WEFO (Circular innovation in Wales).

CIRCULAR EC THE UNIVERSIT A SYSTEM O

Water and Land Systems

Our mission is ‘To be a leading academic institution in the circular economy by playing a significant and continuous role in defining and developing the theory and practical implementation.’

CIRCU ECON

We also deliver education and training, including a Global Masterclass, ‘Implementing the Circular Economy,’ now in its 11th cohort and delivered to over 1,000 participants from 140 global companies.

We have recently produced new online courses for Canadian business groups and bespoke training for SMEs. A new online course specific to SMEs will be launched in 2022. Circular Economy also features prominently in our MBA and undergraduate teaching with dedicated modules, business-led challenges, and project work. A new Sustainable Future Department will lead new undergraduate course developments in Business and Environment.

Environmental Intelligence and Data Analytic Systems

ECONOMY IVERSITY OF ETER

r Circular Economy has xternal funding, 14 live bal Practitioners trained

CONOMY AT TY OF EXETER: OF SYSTEMS

Business and Leadership Systems

UKRI CIRCULAR ECONOMY HUB The UKRI National Circular Economy Research Hub (CE-Hub) is the coordinating hub for the £30m National Interdisciplinary Circular Economy Research (NICER) Programme, launched in January 2021. The CE-Hub is led

by Professor Fiona Charnley and Professor Peter Hopkinson from the University of Exeter Business School. The CE-Hub is designed to: 1. Accelerate understanding and solutions to enable circularity of specific resources; 2. Provide national and international leadership, and drive knowledge exchange across the programme between policy, consumer, third sector, and business stakeholders.

ULAR NOMY

MET4TECH NATIONAL CENTRE

Climate and Earth Systems

The University of Exeter is also home to one of the five National Centres, Met4Tech, led by Professor Frances Wall based at the Camborne School of Mines. This Centre focuses on CE systems for critical metals, which underpin all renewable energy technologies such as wind turbines, electric vehicles, and advanced electronic and medical devices. For more details, click HERE.

BUSINESS AND LEADERSHIP SYSTEMS Triple accredited Business School, 250 staff, 4,000 students, 10 research centres, FT ranked

The University of Exeter Business School aims to be the world’s leading Business School for Sustainability, Environment and Circular Economy.

The Business School has 10 leading research centres all of which have an important role to play in our Circular Economy research activities. The following summarises four of these centres and how we are collaborating:

INITIATIVE IN THE DIGITAL ECONOMY AT EXETER Initiative in the Digital Economy at Exeter (INDEX) is an interdisciplinary group of academics and practitioners working at the intersection of data science, computer science, operations management and service innovation, engineering, and social science. The centre aligns with our key theme of digital transformation.

INDEX has recently gained almost £12m including cryptocurrencies, next-generation AI, and blockchain across several sectors, The Internet of Food (£1m) and Digitally Enhanced Advanced Service networks (£1m).

EXETER CENTRE FOR LEADERSHIP The Exeter Centre for Leadership (ExCL) is the longest standing (nearly 22 years) leadership centre in Europe and is recognised widely as one of the world’s top leadership research groups. It focuses on: relational leadership; leadership, health, and wellbeing; and governance, inclusivity, and diversity. ECCE is working with ExCL on topics including effective leadership for CE implementation, and the definition and development of CE metrics and indicators in creating and evidencing change.

LAND, ENVIRONMENT, ECONOMICS AND POLICY INSTITUTE The Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP) aims to develop knowledge and understanding about how land and the environment are managed and used.

LEEP brings together experts from the diversity of economic and natural sciences to provide an integrated understanding of how these complex systems interact globally. The recent BBSRC grant of £4.5m is critical in addressing global climate challenges. LEEP is currently working with ECCE to integrate Natural Capital Accounting into CE business and value chain modelling.

EXETER SUSTAINABLE FINANCE CENTRE The Exeter Sustainable Finance Centre (ESFC) comprises of 12 academics with a focus on how environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors affect investments, risk, corporate financing, banking and the social value of a business. It brings together students, faculty, alumni and partners for innovation and the sharing of ideas on finance and sustainability. The centre offers undergraduate and postgraduate modules on sustainable finance and investments, corporate governance, and other finance topics.

CLIMATE AND EARTH SYSTEMS The University of Exeter is home to five of the world’s top 100 climate scientists*

Earth system science and circular economy share many theoretical perspectives and practical concerns. Here are some examples of the high impact work on climate change taking place at Exeter.

CLIMATE CHANGE RISK ASSESSMENT Professor Richard Betts, Head of Climate Change Risk at the Met Office and a member of The Global Systems Institute, led the CCRA3 technical report to outline the severity of the climate emergency. The report accumulates the latest evidence highlighting the highest urgency score to around 40 key risks to the UK. POSITIVE TIPPING POINTS “Just as Tipping Points are part the greatest threat we face – the logic may also provide the solution. At the University of Exeter, we have identified a variety of Positive Tipping Points that can propel rapid decarbonisation.

This concept could unlock the stalemate – the sense that there’s nothing we can do about climate change.” Professor Tim Lenton, Director of the Global Systems Institute.

In 2015, wildfires in Indonesia’s peatlands burned for months, producing smoke that would cause tens of thousands of premature deaths, and emitting the equivalent of several times the UK’s annual carbon emissions in just a few months.

University of Exeter researchers are helping to unravel the economic, social, political and scientific challenges of the problem – and they believe it is “fixable”.

“Working with local communities, researchers, government and non-governmental organisations, we are searching for Positive Tipping Points that combine economic development with restoring these ecosystems,” said Professor Frank van Veen.

COMPLEX SYSTEMS AND ECONOMICS OF CLIMATE RISK Economics of Energy Innovation and System Transition (EEIST) a £4m government programme led by Dr Jean Francois Mercure. EEIST uses complexity-based modelling in decision-making aiming to support decisions in low carbon transition. The project’s framework and report on the new economics of Innovation and Transition was presented at COP26.

CLIMATE CHANGE COMMUNICATION Dr Saffron O’Neil co-authored a ‘Topical Collection’ on how to communicate climate change from international research, policy and stakeholder perspectives. Three of the collection’s papers – on public understanding of terminology, engaging young people and democratising knowledge – were showcased at COP26 in conversation with IPCC vice chair Dr Thelma Krug. *The Reuters Hot List 2021.

WATER AND LAND SYSTEMS New £21m Centre for Resilience in Environment Water and Waste (CREWW)

The University of Exeter has substantial, solutions-focused research expertise in water and land science, to support circular economy systems design challenges. Our world leading Exeter Marine science centre hosts 300 academics.

OCEAN SYSTEMS

RENEWABLE ENERGY

Ocean systems encompasses the University of Exeter’s strength in carbon studies, paleo-oceanography, ocean and atmospheric modelling, coastal processes and effects resulting from climate change in strategic alliance with the UK Met Office. We have an established reputation for working collaboratively with industry, policymakers and conservation agencies to deliver innovative solutions to real world problems.

Cornwall has access to one of the world’s best locations for floating on shore windfarms, and the local engineering expertise to build them. Led by Professor Lars Johanning, Marine-i is a pioneering project focused on working closely with businesses in wind, wave and tidal power generation designed to help marine technology businesses in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly grow through research, development, and innovation.

LAND-WATER SYSTEMS

OCEAN PLASTICS

The Centre for Resilience in the Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW) is a new £21m research Investment led by Professor Richard Brazier and drawing on expertise in Geography, Biosciences, Engineering, Economics, and Psychology.

Exeter is home to a renowned research group on Ocean Plastics studying the health and eco-toxicological effects of plastics, monitoring their sources, pathways and sinks of micro plastics and their impacts on coastal economy and communities. Professor Tamara Galloway is a recognised world authority on the eco toxicology of microplastics and works with the Exeter Centre for Circular Economy on building the evidence base to safeguard human health and eliminate substances of concern from plastics.

This approach uses nature, technology, financial and behaviour-based solutions that deliver multiple benefits to the environment, society, and the economy. CREWW research is co-designed with water and land managers from industry, government, and the third sector leading to effective, real-world interventions and a more resilient future for people and the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE AND DATA SYSTEMS Over 1,000 researchers in data science, computing and environment

Data forms a key component in the design of future economy systems. At the University of Exeter, we receive £64m Natural Environment research funding (#2 in UK) and are home to one of two UKRI AI Centres of Doctoral Training in AI and Environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL INTELLIGENCE Environmental Intelligence is a new field of knowledge that integrates environmental and sustainability research with data science, artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge digital technologies. It creates solutions to the most critical challenges facing society today. Worldclass researchers from the University of Exeter and the Met Office have formed a revolutionary collaboration to explore Environmental Intelligence through the Joint Centre for Excellence in Environmental Intelligence (JCEEI).

Led by the University of Exeter’s Professor Gavin Shaddick and Dr Kirstine Dale from the Met Office, the JCEEI is pioneering the use of Environmental Intelligence. Through this, they provide new insights into the complex relationships between humans and the environment and create solutions for a resilient future.

The JCEEI tackles climate change, extreme weather events, and poor air quality and health across three programmes: Research, Development and Application; Infrastructure and Data Engineering Research; and Capital Building and Skills Development.

THE CLIMAR FRAMEWORK The JCEEI understands that there is a growing public and political awareness of our vulnerability to environmental challenges.

As a result, they created the Climate Impacts, Mitigation, Adaption and Resilience (CLIMAR) framework.

This tool allows policymakers, businesses, and individuals to visualise and understand the climate risks relevant to them. These climate risks are determined by how vulnerable we and our surroundings are when exposed to climate-related hazards.

CLIMAR uses Data Science and AI to integrate multiple data sources, quantifying the dangers of climate change on populations, infrastructure and the economy. This tool creates decision-ready information for policymakers, industry, and the public to achieve net zero and adapt to protect communities and natural habitats.

CLICK ON THE LINKS BELOW TO GET IN TOUCH: ECCE: Centre for Circular Economy

CE-Hub

circular-economy@exeter.ac.uk

ce_hub@exeter.ac.uk

@ExeterCircular

@CEHubUK

Exeter Centre for Circular Economy

UKRI Circular Economy Hub