University of Exeter environment expert appointed to advise the Government

Professor Ian Bateman will serve on the Natural Capital Committee to give advice which will protect and enhance England’s natural assets.

Professor Bateman is an environmental economist based within the University of Exeter’s Land, Environment, Economics and Policy Institute (LEEP). He works to ensure sustainable wellbeing through the integration of natural and social science knowledge within decision making and policy.

He said: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to push forward the work of the Natural Capital Committee. It is a globally unique body. Reporting to the Chancellor of the Exchequer as well as the Secretary of State for the Environment, it emphasises the role of the natural environment as the underpinning of all economic growth and social wellbeing.

“We have a lot of work to do because the challenge is substantial and the Government's ambition is not only to halt long term degradation in our natural environment, but to reverse that trend and enhance the country’s natural capital.

“A key issue here will be to provide business, government and communities with the tools to make better decisions. I believe that the research we undertake here at the University of Exeter can play a substantial role in addressing this need.”

Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Elizabeth Truss said: “Through bringing together considerable skills and experience from a wide range of backgrounds, this new NCC will provide expert advice on how to expand our knowledge of natural capital, how best to use open data to drive environmental improvement and apply what we have learned in practice through the 25-year plan for the environment.”

Five other academics have also been appointed as new members of the committee: Professor Colin Mayer, from the Saïd Business School at the University of Oxford, Professor Diane Coyle from the University of Manchester, Professor Georgina Mace from UCL, Professor Kathy Willis, Director of Science at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and Professor Paul Leinster from Cranfield University.

The Natural Capital Committee was established in 2012 to provide expert, independent advice to Government on the state of England’s natural resources.