ESRC White Rose DTP Collaborative Studentship: Just Restorative Pathways for Rural Landscapes and Livelihoods Impacted by Rare-earth Mining

Session 2023-24 - Closing Date 17:00 (UK time) 27 February 2023

The online application form can be found at:

https://leeds.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/esrc-white-rose-dtp-collaborative-23

Awards provide fees and maintenance at standard UKRI Rates (£17,668 in Session 2022/23) for eligible applicants. 

The project aims to co-develop environmental restorative justice theory and practice to progress equitable and sustainable restoration of landscapes and livelihoods impacted by rare-earth mining.

Through collaboration with Pensana Plc, empirical focus will be given to landscape and rural livelihoods impacted by rare-earth mining in Angola. Pensana aims to establish the world's first sustainable magnet metal supply chain to meet the burgeoning demand from electric vehicles, offshore wind and other strategic industries vital to achieving the UK's clean energy transition and net zero targets. This project is stimulated by urgent need to progress understanding of the social and environmental impacts of rare-earth mining and to co-develop just restorative pathways for rural landscape and livelihoods impacted by rare-earth mining.

Demand for rare-earth minerals has exploded and the international Energy Agency's Sustainable Development scenario predicts growth requirements will continue with a seven-fold increase in demand by 2040 for clean energy technologies. Many countries in Africa have a plentiful supply of in-demand rare minerals and consider extraction critical to economic development and poverty alleviation. However, the construction of and extraction from rare-earth mineral mines results in significant changes to ecosystems, land and livelihoods. There are real concerns about the negative social and environmental impacts and the potential to increase in social and environmental injustices. Restoration of landscapes and livelihoods therefore requires urgent consideration. Restoring ecosystems to improve human wellbeing and mitigate climate change and biodiversity crises has become a global priority. Gaps in understanding of the social aspects of degradation and recovery processes and the marginalisation of local voices in the predominant top-down restoration planning/governance processes remain a challenge.

The successful applicant will have the opportunity to be based at/near the Longonjo mine in Angola for up to 9 months during the fieldwork phase, supported by Pensana.  An ability to communicate in Portuguese, or a willingness to learn Portuguese is therefore essential.

Further information on the project and application procedure can be found at:

https://phd.leeds.ac.uk/funding/299-esrc-white-rose-dtp-studentship-just-restorative-pathways-for-rural-landscapes-and-livelihoods-impacted-by-rare-earth-mining

Further information about how to apply, please contact the Graduate School:

env-pgr@leeds.ac.uk

For more information on the project, please contact Susannah Sallu:

s.sallu@leeds.ac.uk

Advert information