The Environment, Resources, and Conflict research group unites researchers from different fields of economics who study important issues in environmental and resource economics, conflict studies, and the nexus between the three.
The group builds on insights from experimental and behavioural economics – which the School of Economics is renowned for – and from work in environmental and resource economics – which a growing number of School members are focusing on.
Many of our members run experiments in the lab or in the field, but we also use micro- and macroeconometric data, data from historical documents, and formal theoretical models in our research. Current research projects in the group include investigating the interaction between environmental policy, energy and natural resource use; the role of natural resources in economic growth and development; how the environment and natural resources contribute to conflict; the economics of migration; group identity and within- and between-group dynamics; group and individual behaviour in costly contests; and group bargaining and coordination.
Much of our research is interdisciplinary and of great policy relevance. Members collaborate closely with researchers from other Schools and research centres at UEA; and with academic and non-academic partners from the UK and the rest of Europe, North America, and Africa. We have an excellent record of successful grant applications from institutions such as the ESRC, the European Commission, the British Academy, the Leverhulme Trust, and the Research Council of Norway.
We have a number of enthusiastic research students who are pursuing their PhD on topics related to our group.