Sustaining natural resources in a changing environment: evidence, policy and impact

This article explores the global impacts of a changing environment on the sustainability of resources. In a global context characterised by continued population growth and accelerated urbanisation in emerging economies and the least developed regions of the world, pressures on environmental resources are intensifying. Extreme effects on ecosystems in both urban and rural communities are of enduring concern, as evidenced in water and food insecurity, and poor air quality. The author compares varying approaches to the collection and use of evidence, and the ways in which researchers may influence policy decisions and their implementation. Drawing on large and small-scale studies conducted in different regions of the world from a range of disciplinary perspectives, the article seeks to unravel the triangular relationship between research evidence, policy and impact, while paying attention to the tools used to assess impact on, and of, policy. In conclusion, the author considers how co-ordinated efforts by academics, public, private and third-sector practitioners across disciplines and national borders might produce stronger evidence and knowledge with which to inform decision-makers, empower citizens and achieve sustainable development, thereby supporting the needs of present and future generations.