Applied Research: Policy, Strategy & Practice

We have undertaken research projects for organisations such as the Environment Agency, Natural England, and Government including Defra, CLG and DECC. We are connected to academia through the University of Glasgow and the University of Bath, and including the global Universitas 21 network. Our ethos at Enfusion is to promote better & more effective practice in SA, EA, policy and planning through innovative and cross-cutting applied research.

Examples of Projects:

PROJECT: QUALITY OF LIFE ASSESSMENT EVALUATION

Client: Natural England, Environment Agency and English Heritage

Research and literature review; examination and evaluation of the Quality of Life Assessment (QoLA) technique including structured interviews and questionnaires with key users of the QoLA technique. Examination of the policy context & applications of the QoLA technique, together with discussion & recommendations for the future of QoLA.

PROJECT: EAST ASIA SEAS ENVIRONMENTAL CARRYING CAPACITY AND SUSTAINABILITY ASSESSMENT

Partnerships in Environmental Management for the Seas of East Asia (PEMSEA)

Contributed experience of carrying capacity related to spatial and development control planning to specialist workshops as part of Asia-Pacific research into five Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs - the East China Sea, the Yellow Sea, the South China Sea, the Sulu-Celebes Sea and the Indonesian Seas). Identified Sustainability Assessment framework to integrate technical information to help inform policy makers; transboundary working and development of Environmental Capacity and SA methods.

PROJECT: UNIVERSITAS 21 PROJECT DEVELOPING WATER FUTURES FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES

University of Glasgow

Development of sustainability assessment framework and methods for integrating social, economic and environmental technical studies into an approach for international use throughout the developed world.

PROJECT: SUSTAINABILITY THRESHOLD ASSESSMENT

Environment Agency & Local Authorities

Development and testing of a Sustainability Assessment method through National R&D, including wide consultation and pilot-testing at regional, sub-regional and local levels with Agency staff, local authorities, developers and others. Preparation and facilitation of workshops and seminars. Method is a pragmatic approach using existing information and professional judgment, based on Multi-Criteria Analysis set within a framework of sustainability objectives. STA is based on an SEA approach and also functions as a CEA method, recognising the strategic and local variation in environmental, social and development characteristics, identifying relative development constraints and opportunities using thresholds, and then suggests management options.

PROJECT: MARITIME STRATEGY FOR CORNWALL

Cornwall Council

Preparation of a high-level and cross-cutting Maritime Strategy addressing a range of marine and coastal issues for Cornwall. Included workshop with stakeholders from across government, industry and interest groups.