Climate Change, Climate Change Mitigation, Carbon Emissions, Biomass and Bioenergy, Afforestation

The current focus of my research is technologies and practices that aim to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. More broadly I am interested in societal responses to climate change; mitigation, adaptation, carbon removal or ‘negative emissions’ and ideas of climate engineering (also known as geoengineering). My perspective on these issues tends towards a global scale, over a range of timescales and how these are constrained by the Earth system (including climate-carbon cycle feedbacks). 

I am currently Principal Investigator of a NERC funded four-year consortium project on the Feasibility of Afforestation and Biomass energy with carbon capture and storage for Greenhouse Gas Removal (FAB-GGR). The consortium is with Universirty of Exeter, University of Manchester, University of Aberdeen and the Met Office.

I am a co-leader of the CMIP6 endorsed Carbon Dioxide Removal Model Intercomparison Project (CDRMIP) with colleagues from Germany, Australia and the UK.

Previous projects include BEIS project on 1.5C; EPSRC project Integrated Assessment of Geoengineering Proposals (IAGP); Defra/DECC project on Avoiding dangerous climate change (AVOID2) and; EU-FP7 project European Transdisciplinary Assessment of Climate Engineering (EuTRACE).

I thrive on the interdisciplinary nature of the School of Environmental Sciences at UEA and the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Current Postgraduate Researchers 

Jessica Chapman Understanding soil recarbonisation efficacy using interdisciplinary methods to guide UK agricultural policy development (Leverhulme 2022-2026). Primary Supervisor: Prof Brian Reid. Supervisory panel members: Dr Nem Vaughan, Dr Stefania Sitzia.

Harry B. Smith Promising words, evaluating actions: assessing Greenhouse Gas Removal in national net zero plans. (Leverhulme 2021-2025). Primary Supervisor: Dr Nem Vaughan. Supervisory panel member: Dr Johanna Forster.

Previous Postgraduate Researchers

Dr Tom S. Ball Modelling the drivers of land availability for Afforestation and BECCS. (NERC 2018-2022) Primary Supervisor: Dr Nem Vaughan. Supervisory panel members: Prof Andrew Lovett, Dr Tom Powell (Exeter) and Prof Tim Lenton (Exeter).

Dr Emma W. Littleton Evaluating afforestation for Carbon Dioxide Removal using a dynamic global vegetation model. (NERC 2012-2016). Primary Supervisor: Dr Nem Vaughan. Supervisory panel members: Prof Manoj Joshi and Prof Corinne Le Quere.

Dr Rob Bellamy Public participation in the social appraisal of climate geoengineering proposals. (Charitable donation 2010-2014). Primary supervisor Dr Jason Chilvers. Supervisory panel members: Dr Nem Vaughan and Prof Tim Lenton (Exeter).

I lead a Masters module, ENV-7031A Geoengineering the Climate: Science and Policy, which is available to students on our MSc Environmental Sciences, MSc Climate Change and MSc Environmental Assessment & Management programmes as well as our four year Integrated Masters degrees. 

I teach on ENV-4001A Global Environmental Challenges, ENV-4010Y Geographical Perspectives, ENV-5003A Climate Change Science & Policy and ENV-5022B Energy Transitions.

I am Course Director for BSc Geography. 

I supervise undergraduate and masters projects on a range of topics relating to climate change and energy.