In July 2024, we launched a new training course tailored to DEFRA analyst teams, to enable professionals to navigate the complexities of the natural sciences essential for understanding and evaluating environmental outcomes. It focussed on developing knowledge and skills to enable analysts to describe the environmental outcomes of nature-based policy interventions, how to determine whether an intervention is measurable, and how these can be measured.
The three day course involved both in class lectures and workshops to develop a solid understanding of natural phenomena and processes crucial for agri-environmental analysis and impact evaluations.
We also explored monitoring techniques including field work and modelling and how they are used for different environmental assets. The attendees had a chance to try field techniques in natural areas on campus to experience first hand the fun and challenges of fieldwork!
We were glad to hear from the participants that our course will have a direct impact on their daily work
"As an economist we use quite crude methods to value biodiversity. Feel like I'm in a much better position to explain the benefits of biodiversity qualitatively and give a narrative around the limitations of our approach"
"Will better inform the caveats and limitations around what can be taken from our analysis, and that of others, when communicating to policy."
If you or your organisation is interested in tailored staff courses please reach out at foodsecurity@rhul.ac.uk
