How do climate change-induced biodiversity targets influence the dynamics and effectiveness of international cooperation in biodiversity governance?

Overview

This is an opportunity for a person from an underrepresented group to undertake a fully funded masters degree followed by a fully funded interdisciplinary PhD under the ‘Sustainable Transitions – Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme’ at the University of Essex.

Only UK domiciled applicants who do not already have a Master’s degree and who meet the following criteria may apply:

• Be from a low-income household background as evidenced by, for example, being in receipt of a full maintenance loan or Special Support loan during their undergraduate studies.

and/or

Be one of the following categories of ethnicity:

• Black African
• Black Caribbean
• Black Other
• Mixed – White and Black Caribbean
• Mixed – White and Black African
• Other mixed background (including Black African, Black Caribbean and Black Other)

The successful applicant would study an appropriate masters degree, such as:

• MSc Environmental Futures with Climate Change 

In 2022 world leaders agreed targets to reverse biodiversity loss by 2050. Yet climate change continues to reshape ecological systems unevenly—advantaging some regions and species while driving others toward decline through rising temperatures, more severe floods and droughts, and ocean acidification. This project examines how these climate-driven impacts are likely to influence the feasibility of global biodiversity targets and the prospects for effective international cooperation. By analysing governance structures, power dynamics, and collective-action challenges, it situates biodiversity outcomes squarely within the political processes that shape global environmental decision-making. 

The candidate will be supported to develop the project. The project requires some knowledge on social sciences research methods but training will be provided.  The research is expected to produce an assessment of the impact of climate change impacts on biodiversity targetson international biodiversity cooperation.

Interdisciplinary focus

This project will benefit from an interdisciplinary approach that integrates concepts and methods from political science (e.g. empirical political analysis and environmental science (e.g. statistical modelling of climate and biodiversity) ). By synthesising approaches and insights from these fields, we can develop a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities for biodiversity conservation and international cooperation (e.g., bilateral or multilateral agreements) in a changing climate. 

Training and support

You will receive support through the Sustainable Transitions training program, which offers interdisciplinary research methods, secondary discipline training, and ongoing development. Doctoral scholars also have access to £2,500 through Proficio for training courses and £10,000 for research and additional training. You may audit relevant courses and will be supported by both the Sustainable Transitions management and your supervisory team.

Additionally, all scholars join the University of Essex’s Centre for Environment and Society, providing events and networking opportunities. 

Person specification

This opportunity would suit a candidate with a degree/ background in political or environmental science, with a strong interest in biodiversity conservation and international environmental cooperation. 

It is not necessary for the candidate to have prior training in political science or social science methodologies as this will be provided on the programme.  

Research proposal

The project area is broadly defined, leaving scope for the applicant to develop their own specific research proposal as part of the application.  The successful candidate will further develop their proposal in close consultation with the supervisory team.  

Supervision

The primary discipline supervisor takes the lead responsibility for supervising the project. For further detail relating to supervision see the Guidance for Applicants (.docx) document.

Additional background information

This project will examine how climate change affects progress toward global biodiversity targets, and then explore how those effects, in turn, shape countries’ willingness and ability to work together internationally. In other words, it studies whether and how climate-driven challenges—such as shifting species distributions, increasing habitat loss, or uneven regional impacts—make international cooperation on biodiversity protection easier or harder, and why.

Before embarking upon the PhD research, the successful candidate will develop interdisciplinary capacity through a one-year MSc. Their MSc-level study will develop the candidate’s knowledge and skills in quantitative skills and data analysis, environmental policy, climate change and pollution, and research design, giving them insights and tools with which to further develop their PhD project proposal.

Potential research questions

1. How do projected climate-change impacts on species and ecosystems alter countries’ incentives to cooperate on global biodiversity agreements?
2. How unequal climate-driven biodiversity losses across regions affect bargaining power and coalition-building in international negotiations?
3. How does climate change affect international cooperation on biodiversity conservation, including resource access, equity concerns, and the effectiveness of existing agreements?
4. What are the potential opportunities for international cooperation on climate change to contribute towards the achievement of biodiversity targets? 

Methodology

This project will employ a mixed methods approach, combining quantitative and qualitative research methods. Potential methods include: 

• Emprirical analysis of biodiversity and international biodiversity cooperation or international environmental agreements data. 
• Cross-national panel models to estimate whether and how country-level biodiversity outcomes (or trends) predict changes in cooperative behaviour (e.g., treaty ratification, funding contributions, voting patterns).
• Difference-in-differences / event-study designs exploiting exogenous climate shocks (e.g., extreme heat, droughts, cyclones) or sudden biodiversity events to identify causal effects on cooperation or policy change.
• Process tracing: reconstruct sequences where climate/biodiversity events plausibly influenced negotiation positions, financing decisions, or institutional reforms. Use archival materials and interview evidence to identify causal mechanisms. 

Expected outcomes

This research is expected to produce the following outcomes:

• A comprehensive analysis of how climate change shapes political, institutional, and governance responses related to a specific dimension of biodiversity (e.g., regulatory approaches to freshwater species protection, policy drivers of forest species extinction risk).
• Evidence-based recommendations for strengthening international cooperation, multilateral negotiations, and regime coordination on biodiversity policy in the context of climate change.
• Recommendations for developing more effective, politically feasible, and institutionally resilient biodiversity governance strategies. 

How to Apply

Full details available at Sustainable Transitions Leverhulme Doctoral Training Programme.

Supervisory team references

1. Bakaki, Z., Böhmelt, T. and Ward, H., 2020. The triangular relationship between public concern for environmental issues, policy output, and media attention. Environmental Politics, 29(7), pp.1157-1177. 
2. Wilkes, M.A., Mungee, M., Naura, M., Bell, V.A. and Brown, L.E., 2024. Predicting nature recovery for river restoration planning and ecological assessment: A case study from England, 1991–2042. River Research and Applications. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/rra.4282
3. Wilkes, M.A., Bennett, J., Burbi, S., Charlesworth, S., Dehnen-Schmutz, K., Rayns, F., Schmutz, U., Smith, B., Tilzey, M., Trenchard, L. and Van De Wiel, M., 2020. Making way for trees? Changes in land-use, habitats and protected areas in Great Britain under “Global tree restoration potential”. Sustainability, 12(14), p.5845.
4. Bakaki, Z. and Bernauer, T., 2017. Do global climate summits influence public awareness and policy preferences concerning climate change?. Environmental Politics, 26(1), pp.1-26.
5. Wilkes, M.A., Carrivick, J.L., Castella, E., Ilg, C., Cauvy-Fraunié, S., Fell, S.C., Füreder, L., Huss, M., James, W., Lencioni, V. and Robinson, C., 2023. Glacier retreat reorganizes river habitats leaving refugia for Alpine invertebrate biodiversity poorly protected. Nature Ecology & Evolution, 7(6), pp.841-851.