SCELG continues its work on Brexit and the environment in Scotland

PhD researcher Miranda Geelhoed makes contributions to ongoing academic and policy debates

June 2019: SCELG PhD researcher Miranda Geelhoed has led SCELG’s submission to consultation processes for the development of policy and legislation and has broadened the impact of her research through academic dialogue and a recent policy report on Scottish leadership post-Brexit.

Consultation responses

Between August 2018 and May 2019, SCELG submitted three extensive responses to consultation processes that relate to many of SCELG’s areas of expertise, including biodiversity, human rights and land, food & agriculture:

• Response to the public consultation on ‘Developing an Environment Strategy for Scotland', SCELG Policy Brief 7/2018, recommending: clear connection between global aspirations and local realities, recognition of the link between humans and the environment; and the need for integrated approaches.
• Response to the public consultation on 'Good Food Nation Proposals for Legislation', SCELG Policy Brief 10/2019, urging for bold substantive objectives to guide and integrate actions, making explicit links between a potential Scottish human rights instrument and principles of agroecology.
• Response to the public consultation on 'Environmental Principles and Governance in Scotland', SCELG Policy Brief 11/2019, building upon the work done by the Roundtable on the Environment and emphasising the need for bold environmental aspirations, as well as accompanying duties to have a real impacts.

SCELG’s consultation responses built upon the recommendations of the First Minister’s Advisory Group on Human Rights Leadership, which SCELG’s Prof Elisa Morgera, BENELEX and One Ocean Hub PI, was a member of.

Taking research to the next (practical) level

Additionally, Miranda has shared her PhD research on the synergies between international, EU and national environmental laws, particularly in the field of agriculture, food, land and biodiversity, with other academics and stakeholders in the context of UK policy and academic debates.

Together with Annalisa Savaresi, University of Stirling, Miranda wrote a chapter on ‘EU Action and Scottish Ambition on the Environment’ for a recent report by The Scottish Centre on European Relations (SCER), which highlighted potential Brexit implications for the protection of agroecosystems. The chapter is the latest addition to a series of SCELG publications on Brexit that can be found here.

Miranda also presented her work on agroecology and the ecosystem approach at two conferences on food and agricultural policy post-Brexit in Belfast (November 2018) and Leicester (May 2019).

Miranda said:

When I started my PhD a month before the Brexit vote, I could not have predicted the relevance of my research on EU and international law for discussions on a Scotland post-Brexit. The collaborative work of SCELG on Brexit has given me many fantastic opportunities to discuss my work with academics, authorities and stakeholders in Scotland and across the UK. I hope that my research will contribute to promoting Scottish leadership on the environment, human rights, food and agriculture.”

A PhD at SCELG

Miranda’s PhD experience at SCELG is not unique. PhD candidates join a vibrant community of researchers working on the many research areas which SCELG is involved in. Collaborative opportunities include contributions to ongoing policy discussions like those on Brexit and the Island (Scotland) Bill, as well as consultancies for public and private organisations.

To find out more about our PhD programme, visit: https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/strathclydecentreenvironmentallawgovernance/teaching/phd/

To find out more about our work on Brexit, visit: https://www.strath.ac.uk/research/strathclydecentreenvironmentallawgovernance/ourwork/research/labsincubators/globalenvironmentallawlab/ourworkonbrexit/