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Geography and environmental science

A team of scientists with equipment carrying out field research on a glacier

Our research addresses climate change, social and health inequalities, sustainable development, conservation of biodiversity, poverty and recession.

Research highlights

A tractor scattering crushed rock as it drives across a field.

Removing carbon from the atmosphere

Environment, sustainability and clean growth
A Southampton geochemist is carrying out research to speed up the removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. It is receiving an explosion of international interest in the global bid to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) in the atmosphere and reach net zero.

Expanding the use of satellite data to provide real-world benefits

Environment, sustainability and clean growth
Health and wellbeing
Future societies and communities
The University is leading research into remote sensing to improve food security, population mapping and disaster response.
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Putting children at the heart of climate policy

Environment, sustainability and clean growth
Health and wellbeing
Future societies and communities
The University of Southampton has led research into the first comprehensive worldwide analysis of climate risk to children.
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Research institutes, centres and groups

Centre for Transnational Studies

We bring together researchers, educators, cultural producers and the refugee voluntary sector to increase understanding of cross-border processes.

GeoData

We manage, analyse and process environmental data. Our consultancy services and interdisciplinary research projects range from managing river catchments and coastal zones to the wider fields of environment, social and economic development.

National Centre for Research Methods

The National Centre for Research Methods (NCRM) provides training in research methods, produces online learning resources, conducts research and supports methodological innovation.

Southampton Geospatial

The Southampton Geospatial team has the tools and expertise to collect, combine and interpret datasets about locations.

Sustainability and Resilience Institute (SRI)

We bring together researchers from across the University to answer one of the most pressing questions of our time: 'How will we choose to manage our planet for ourselves and future generations?'

Work Futures Research Centre (WFRC)

We are an interdisciplinary research and enterprise hub tackling some of the most pressing challenges facing the world of paid and unpaid work.

Centre for the Archaeology of Human Origins (CAHO)

Palaeolithic archaeology is about reconstructing how ancient species of hominins lived. Some of these species were our ancestors and others were not. We study a variety of different kinds of evidence, trying to place together how these ancient species organised their lives as individuals and as societies. This is one of the most exciting and challenging aspects of all archaeology.

Economy, Society and Governance

Our research addresses the changing relationships between contemporary economies, societies and politics, and focuses on the ways in which human geographies are central to these changes.

Environmental Change and Sustainability

We carry out geospatial analysis and experimentation to understand environmental change and potential solutions.

Landscape Dynamics and Ecology

Researching the changing environments and landscapes using the appliction of novel methodological approaches.

Population Health Sciences

We research prevention of disease, reduction of health inequalities and optimisation of health and wellbeing for whole populations across the lifecourse, in the UK and internationally.

Population, Health and Wellbeing (PHeW)

We combine expertise in population, health and wellbeing with the application of technical excellence in geographic information systems (GIS), spatial analysis and qualitative methods.

World Pop

We develop and implement open, robust and peer-reviewed geospatial methods for mapping population distributions, demographics and dynamics, with a principle focus on low and middle income countries.

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