My research centres on the connections between environmental change, risk and human wellbeing, mainly in lower-income settings. I place particular focus on vulnerability and adaptation, especially on how  households, communities and institutions respond to risks and impacts from climatic and other environmental hazards, and the factors that influence, promote and constrain their responses. Much of this work lies at the confluence between research in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, with linkages to themes of livelihoods/wellbeing, environmental health, water security and social justice. My concern for issues of justice, equality and sustainability has led to an increasing emphasis in recent research on the long-term processes of recovery from extreme events.

Recent and ongoing research projects include: 'Voices of Recovery: : recognising intersecting risks, capacities and pandemic recovery needs in marginalised communities of Latin America’. Funded by AHRC, IDRC, FAPESP (via the Trans-Atlantic Platform for Social Sciences and Humanities); ‘Down2Earth: Translation of climate information into multilevel decision support for social adaptation, policy development, and resilience to water scarcity in the Horn of Africa Drylands’, funded by the EU under Horizon2020; ‘Recovery with Dignity’, a GCRF project funded byBritish Academy, with research in three states of India; ‘Moving with Risk: forced displacement and vulnerability to hazards in Colombia’, a GCRF project funded via ESRC/AHRC;‘Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR)’, funded by IDRC/DFID (CARIAA), with work primarily in East Africa; ‘Strategic Research into National and Local Capacity Building for Disaster Risk Management’ with Oxford Policy Management, funded by IFRC; and ‘Strengthening Resilience in Volcanic Areas – STREVA’, funded by NERC-ESRC, with research in South America and the Caribbean.

One strand to this research is work on health risks from environmental hazards. Projects on this theme have included an ESRC Research Fellowship ‘Climatic hazards, health risks and response in developing countries’ and ‘Seasonal environmental hazards: a multi-disciplinary approach to the analysis of health risks in lower-income countries’, funded by NERC under the Environment and Human Health programme, 'Improving business continuity for health folllwing extreme events' funded by NIHR, and Drowning prevention in a changing climate', funded by RNLI.

I contribute to research groups in Climate Change and Development, Global Environmental Justice, Ageing and Development, and Health Policy and Practice. I am an Affiliated Researcher of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. 

Applied research is a complementary component of my work, and I have  led several projects relating to disaster risk, including: ‘Measuring the Impact of Aid Agency Programmes in Rapid Onset Natural Disasters’, in collaboration with Oxfam/ECB, funded by DFID; ‘Strengthening Institutional Capacity for Disaster Risk Management in Vietnam including Climate Change Related Disasters’, funded by UNDP; a study to support implementation of the European Union’s Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction in Developing Countries and the study ‘Linking Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management for Sustainable Poverty Reduction’ funded by the European Commission.

I have been working in social science research on environment, development and health since 1994, based at Leicester University, South Bank University and the University of East Anglia. I joined DEV in 2002,  and have worked primarily on research related to climatic hazards and disaster risks, including projects funded by the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, ESRC, AHRC, NERC, EPSRC, British Academy, Royal Society, European Commission, IFRC, UNDP and DFID. In recent projects I have worked mainly in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, St Vincent, Mexico, Ethiopia, Kenya, Vietnam and India  but I have research experience also in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Ecuador, Guatemala, Belize and the UK.

My undergraduate degree was in geography at Cambridge University, and, following a postgraduate diploma in journalism from The City University, I worked for several years as a freelance journalist, author and editor.  

A full CV may be downloaded here.

My research centres on the connections between environmental change, risk and human wellbeing, mainly in lower-income settings. I place particular focus on vulnerability and adaptation, especially on how  households, communities and institutions respond to risks and impacts from climatic and other environmental hazards, and the factors that influence, promote and constrain their responses. Much of this work lies at the confluence between research in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation, with linkages to themes of livelihoods/wellbeing, environmental health, water security and social justice. My concern for issues of justice, equality and sustainability has led to an increasing emphasis in recent research on the long-term processes of recovery from extreme events.

Publications include:

Mabon, L., Layard, A., De Vito, L., Few, R., Hatzisavvidou, S., Selomane, O., Marshall, A., Marciniak, G. and Moersberger, H. (2024) ‘What does a just transition mean for urban biodiversity? Insights from three cities globally’ Geoforum 154, 104069 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2024.104069.

Few, R., Ranjit, N., Nalla^, V., Jain^, G., Tebboth, M.G.L., Singh, C., Chhotray^, V. and Marsh, H. (2023) ‘We are not in the same boat’: representations of disaster and recovery in India’ International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 92, 103709.

Few, R., Armijos Burneo, T., Barclay, J., Oven, K, Phillips, J. and Rosser, N. (2022). ‘Working with communities on disaster risk research: reflections from cross-disciplinary practice’ (Editorial) International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction 70, 102815

Singh, C., Iyer, S., New, M.G., Few, R., Kuchimanchi, B., Segnon, A.C., Morchain, D. (2021) ‘Interrogating ‘effectiveness’ in climate change adaptation: 11 guiding principles for adaptation research and practice’ Climate and Development doi: 10.1080/17565529.2021.1964937

Few, R., Ramirez, V., Armijos, M.T., Zambrano Hernandez, L.A. and Marsh, H. (2021) ‘Moving with risk: forced displacement and vulnerability to hazards in Colombia’ World Development 144, 105482 DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2021.105482.

Few, R., Marsh, H., Jain, G., Singh, C. and Tebboth, M.G.L. (2021) ‘Representing recovery: how the construction and contestation of needs and priorities can shape long-term outcomes for disaster-affected people’ Progress in Development Studies 21 (1), 7-25. DOI: 10.1177/1464993420980939

Marsh, H., Armijos, M.T. and Few, R. (2020) ‘ “Telling it in our own way”: Doing music-enhanced interviews with people displaced by violence in Colombia’, New Area Studies 1 (1), 132–164. 

Martin, A., Armijos, T., Coolsaet, B., Dawson, N., Edwards, G., Few, R., Gross-Camp, N., Rodriguez, I., Schroeder, H., Tebboth, T., White, C. (2020). ‘Environmental Justice and Transformations to Sustainability’. Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development 62 (6), 19-30 DOI: 10.1080/00139157.2020.1820294

Few, R., Spear, D., Singh, C., Tebboth, M., Davies, J. and Thompson-Hall, M. (2020) ‘Culture as a mediator of climate change adaptation: neither static nor unidirectional’ WIREs Climate Change 12 (1), e687 DOI:10.1002/wcc.687

Jones, N., Bouzid, M., Few, R., Hunter, P. and Lake, I. (2020) ‘Water, sanitation and hygiene risk factors for the transmission of cholera in a changing climate: using a systematic review to develop a causal process diagram’. Journal of Water and Health 18 (2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.2166/wh.2020.088

Pasquier, U., Few, R., Goulden, M., Hooton, S., He, Y. and Hiscock, K. (2020) ‘"We can't do it on our own!" - Integrating stakeholder and scientific knowledge of future flood risk to inform climate change adaptation planning in a coastal region’. Environmental Science and Policy 103, 50-57. 10.1016/j.envsci.2019.10.016 

Tebboth, M. G. L., Few, R., Assen, M., Degefu, M. A. (2020) ‘Valuing local perspectives on invasive species management: moving beyond the ecosystem service-disservice dichotomy’, Ecosystem Services 42 (online https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2020.101068)

Barclay, J., Few, R., Armijos, T., Phillips, J., Pyle, D., Hicks, A., Sarah K. Brown,  and Robertson, R. (2019) ‘Livelihoods, wellbeing and the risk to life during volcanic eruptions’. Frontiers in Earth Science, 7, Art. 205.  DOI: 10.3389/feart.2019.00205

Barclay J., Wilkinson E., White C., Shelton C, Forster J., Few R., Lorenzoni I., Woolhouse G., Jowitt C., Stone H. and Honychurch, L. (2019). Historical trajectories of disaster risk in Dominica. International Journal of Disaster Risk Science, 10 (2), 149-165. DOI: 10.1007/s13753-019-0215-z.

Few R. and Tebboth, M. (2018) Recognising the dynamics that surround drought impacts. Think Note. Journal of Arid Environments, 157, 113-115.DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2018.06.001

Few, R., Morchain, D., Spear, D. Mensah, A. and Bendapudi, R. (2017) Transformation, adaptation and development: relating concepts to practice. Palgrave Communications, 3, Art. 17092.DOI:10.1057/palcomms.2017.92

Few, R., Armijos, M.T., Barclay, J. (2017) Living with Volcan Tungurahua: the dynamics of vulnerability during prolonged volcanic activity. Geoforum, 80, 72-81. DOI 10.1016/j.geoforum.2017.01.006

Few, R., Martin, A. and Gross-Camp, N. (2016) ‘Trade-offs in linking adaptation and mitigation in the forests of the Congo Basin’. Regional Environmental Change, 17(3), 851-863. DOI: 10.1007/s10113-016-1080-6

Few, R., Scott, Z., Wooster, K., Flores Avila, M. and Tarazona, M. (2016) ‘Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Management II: Lessons for effective support’. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 20, 154-162.  DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.02.005

Scott, Z. and Few, R. (2016) ‘Strengthening Capacities for Disaster Risk Management I: Insights from Existing Research and Practice’ International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 20, 145-153. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijdrr.2016.04.010

Scott, Z., Wooster, K., Few, R., Thomson, A. and Tarazona, M., (2016) ‘Monitoring and Evaluating Disaster Risk Management Capacity’, Disaster Prevention and Management, 25 (3), 412-422. DOI: 10.1108/ DPM-08-2015-0196.

Edmunds, K., Elrahman, S., Bell, D., Brainard, J., Dervisevic, S., Fedha, T., Few, R., Howard, G., Lake, I., et al. (2016) ‘Dealing with Ebola-infected waste: a Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points for reducing the risks to public health’. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 94, pp424–432. DOI: 10.2471/BLT.15.163931

Scott, Z., Few, R., Wooster, K. and Tarazona, M. (2015) ‘What works and what doesn’t: capacity development for better disaster risk management’. Chapter 2 in World Disasters Report 2015, International Federation of red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, Geneva, pp38-63.

Gross-Camp, N.D., Few, R., Martin, A. (2015), ‘Perceptions of and adaptation to environmental change in forest-adjacent communities in three African nations’. International Forestry Review, 17(2). DOI: 10.1505/146554815815500615

Hicks, A. and Few, R. (2015) ‘Trajectories of social vulnerability during the Soufriere Hills volcanic crisis’, Journal of Applied Volcanology, 4 (10) DOI:10.1186/s13617-015-0029-7

Tucker,J., Daoud, M., Oates, N., Few, R., Conway, D., Mtisi, S. and Matheson, S. (2014) ‘Social vulnerability in three high poverty climate change hotspots: what does the climate change literature tell us?’, Regional Environmental Change. Online DOI 10.1007/s10113-014-0741-6

Few, R., D. McAvoy, M. Tarazona and V.M. Walden (2013) Contribution to Change: An Approach to Evaluating the Role of Intervention in Disaster Recovery, Rugby, UK: Practical Action Publishing and Oxford: Oxfam GB. http://policy-practice.oxfam.org.uk/publications/contribution-to-change-an-approach-to-evaluating-the-role-of-intervention-in-di-305537

Few, R. (2013) ‘Health, environment and the ecosystem services framework: a justice critique’. In Sikor, T. (ed) The justices and injustices of ecosystem services, Earthscan, London, 140-160.

Sikor, T., Fisher, J., Few, R., Martin, A. and Zeitoun, M. (2013) ‘The justices and injustices of ecosystem services’. In Sikor, T. (ed) The justices and injustices of ecosystem services, Earthscan, London, 187-200.

Edmunds, K.L., Hunter, P.R., Few, R. and Bell, D.J. (2013) ‘Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Points Assessment as a Tool to Respond to Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks’. PLoS ONE 8(8): e72279 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0072279

Clark, N., Chhotray, V. and Few, R. (2013) ‘Global justice and disasters’, The Geographical Journal 179 (2), 105-113. DOI: 10.1111/geoj.12005

Few, R., Lake, I., Hunter, P.R., and Pham Gia Tran (2013) ‘Seasonality, disease and behaviour: using multiple methods to explore environmental health risks in the Mekong Delta’, Social Science and Medicine, 80: 1-9. DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2012.12.027

Few, R. (2012) ‘Health behaviour theory, adaptive capacity and the dynamics of disease risk’, Climate and Development, 4 (4): 301-310. DOI: 10.1080/17565529.2012.728128.

Bang, H. and Few, R. (2012) ‘Social risks and challenges in post-disaster resettlement: the case of Lake Nyos, Cameroon’, Journal of Risk Research, 15 (9): 1141-1157. DOI:10.1080/13669877.2012.705315.

Chhotray, V. and Few, R. (2012) ‘Post-disaster recovery and ongoing vulnerability: Ten years after the super-cyclone of 1999 in Orissa, India’, Global Environmental Change, 22 (3): 695-702. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.05.001

Graizbord, B., Mercado, A. and Few, R. (eds). (2011). Cambio Climatico, Amenazas Naturales y Salud en México [Climate Change, Natural Hazards and Health in Mexico], El Colegio de México, México D.F. (ISBN 978-607-462-278-2)

Edmunds, K., Roberton, S., Few, R., Mahood, S., Bui L. Phuong, Hunter, P. and Bell, D. (2011) ‘Investigating Vietnam’s ornamental bird trade: implications for transmission of zoonoses’, EcoHealth (DOI: 10.1007/s10393-011-0691-0)

Few, R. and Pham Gia Tran (2010) ‘Climatic hazards, health risk and response in Vietnam: case studies on social dimensions of vulnerability’, Global Environmental Change 20, 529-538.

Few, R., Lake, I., Hunter, P.R., Pham Gia Tran and Vu Trong Thien(2009) ‘Seasonal hazards and health risks in lower-income countries:field testing a multi-disciplinary approach’, Environmental Health 8 (Suppl 1): S16.  (doi:10.1186/1476-069X-8-S1-S16)

Wolf, J., Lorenzoni, I., Few, R., Abrahamson, V. and Raine, R. (2009) ‘Conceptual and practical barriers to adaptation: vulnerability and response to heat waves in the UK’, in Adger, W.N., Lorenzoni, I., O’Brien, K. (eds) Adapting to Climate Change: Thresholds, Values, Governance, Cambridge University Press, 181-196.

Tompkins, E. L., Few, R., and Brown, K. (2008) ‘Scenario-based stakeholder engagement: incorporating stakeholders’ preferences into coastal planning for climate change’, Journal of Environmental Management 88, 1580-1592.  (doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.07.025)

Few, R., Brown, K., and Tompkins, E. (2007) ‘Public participation and climate change adaptation: avoiding the illusion of inclusion’, Climate Policy, 7, 46-59. Link to Journal Article

Few, R. (2007) ‘Riesgos para la salud (y cambio climático)’, Todos por un Mexico Sustentable, 1, 24-25.

Few, R. (2007) ‘Health and climatic hazards: framing social research on vulnerability, response and adaptation’, Global Environmental Change, 17, 281-295. Link to Journal Article

Few, R., Brown, K., and Tompkins, E. (2007) ‘Climate change and coastal management decisions: insights from Christchurch Bay, UK’, Coastal Management, 35 (2-3), 255-270. Link to Journal Article

Few, R. and Matthies, F. (eds) (2006) ‘Flood hazards and health: responding to present and future risks’ Earthscan, London.                    

Includes the following 4 chapters:

Few, R. ‘Flood hazards, vulnerability and risk reduction’, pp8-27.

Few, R. and Matthies, F. ‘Responses to the health risks from flooding’, pp54-88.

Pham Gia Tran and Few, R. ‘Local responses to floods in the Mekong Delta, Viet Nam’, pp.128-144

Few, R., Matthies, F., Ahern, M., Kovats, S. ‘Flood hazards and health: implications for action and research’, pp168-183.  

Few, R., Osbahr, H., Bouwer, L.M., Viner, D. and Sperling, F. (2006) ‘Linking climate change adaptation and disaster risk management for sustainable poverty reduction. Synthesis report’, MWH report to the European Commission in support of the Vulnerability and Adaptation Resource Group work program.  

Osbahr, H., Few, R. (2006) ‘Linking climate change adaptation and disaster risk management for sustainable poverty reduction. Mexico country study’, MWH report to the European Commission in support of the Vulnerability and Adaptation Resource Group work program.  

Few, R. and Pham Gia Tran (2006) ‘Prevention and cure: health sector responses to flooding’ Science and Culture 72, 1-2 (special issue on Flood Disaster Risk Reduction in Asia), pp52-61.  

Few, R. , Brown, K. and Tompkins, E.L. (2006) ‘Public participation and climate change adaptation,’ Tyndall Centre Working Paper 95.  

Few, R. (2006) Nature, people and planning on the coast of Belize. In Pugh, J. and Momsen, J.H. (eds) ‘Environmental planning in the Caribbean’, Ashgate, Aldershot, pp155-175.  

Ahern, M., Kovats, S., Wilkinson, P., Few, R., Matthies, F. (2005) ‘Global health impacts of floods: epidemiologic evidence’ Epidemiologic Reviews, 27, 36-46. Link to Journal Article  

Few, R. (2005) ‘Prepare for flood health risks’ Energy & Environmental Management (DEFRA magazine), April 2005, 16-18.  

White, P., Pelling, M., Sen, K., Seddon, D., Russell, S. and Few, R. (2004) ‘Disaster risk reduction: a development concern. A scoping study on links between disaster risk reduction, poverty and development’, Department for International Development (DFID).  

Few, R., Ahern, M., Matthies, F., Kovats, S. (2004) ‘Floods, health and climate change: a strategic review’, Tyndall Centre Working Paper 63.  

Few, R., Brown, K., and Tompkins, E. (2004) ‘Scaling adaptation: climate change response and coastal management in the UK’, Tyndall Centre Working Paper 60.  

Few, R. (2003) Participation or containment? Insights from the planning of protected areas in Belize. In Pugh, J. and Potter, R. B. (eds) ‘Participatory planning in the Caribbean: lessons from practice’ Ashgate, Aldershot. 23-44.  

Matthies, F., Few, R., and Kovats, S. (2003) ‘Social science and adaptation to climate change’, IHDP Update (Newsletter of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change) Issue 03/2003, 15.  

Few, R., Harpham, T., and Atkinson, S. (2003) ‘Urban primary health care in Africa: a comparative analysis of city-wide public sector projects in Lusakaand Dar es Salaam’, Health & Place 9, 45-53. Link to Journal Article  

Haxeltine, A., Few, R., Turnpenny, J., and Dessai, S. ‘Climate change: the UK’s role in a global challenge’, British Council Briefing Sheet 20 (2003).  

Few, R. (2003) ‘Flooding, vulnerability and coping mechanisms: local responses to a global threat’, Progress in Development Studies 3 (1), 43-58. Link to Journal Article

Harpham, T. and Few, R. (2002) ‘The Dar-es-Salaam Urban Health Project, Tanzania: a multi-dimensional evaluation’ Journal of Public Health Medicine 24, 112-119. Link to Journal Article

Few, R. (2002) ‘Researching actor power: analysing mechanisms of interaction in negotiations over space’, Area 34 (1), 29-38. Link to Journal Article  

Few, R. (2002) ‘A preliminary assessment of community participation in protected area planning in the coastal zone’, Journal of Belizean Affairs 4 (2), 102-117.  

Few, R. (2001) ‘Containment and counter-containment: planner/community relations in conservation planning’, The Geographical Journal 167 (2), 111-124. Link to Journal Article  

Few, R. (2000) ‘Conservation, participation and power: protected area planning in the coastal zone of Belize’, Journal of Planning Education and Research 19, 401-408. Link to Journal Article  

Few, R. (ed) (1993) ‘Caring for the Earth: a strategy for survival’, Mitchell Beazley, London (in association with IUCN, UNEP, WWF)