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About us

In the School of Environmental Sciences, we study our Planet from the atmosphere, the surface to the deep Earth, and exploring the different ways in which societies, communities and ecosystems respond to differing aspects of environmental, economic and social change.

We investigate the Earth's core and mantle, dynamic lithosphere and crust, and tectonic processes expressed at its surface in the form of volcanoes and earthquakes. We study past and present oceans to understand how they influence the climate system and the cycling of elements. We are interested in the shaping of land past and present, from the building of mountains to their erosion by water, wind, and ice.

We investigate the Earth’s ecosystems, how our species impacts them, and how human populations can be planned for and managed in the huge variety of environments in which we live. We study the different ways people interact, adapt, or respond to environmental, economic, social, and cultural change. We are concerned with natural and human-induced risks to our population and to the planet's ecosystem and the means to mitigate them.

Key facts

We are top 100 in the QS World University subject rankings for Geography, with Earth Ocean and Ecological Sciences and Planning ranked in the 100-150 range.

All our programmes are accredited by professional organisations spanning Geography, Planning, Earth Science and the Oceans/Marine Sciences.

Undergraduate degrees, Postgraduate taught (Masters) degrees, and Research degree opportunities across multiple UKRI DTP/CDT/FDAs (e.g. ESRC NWSSDTP, and NERC ACCE+)

1500+ Undergraduate students, 100+ Taught Postgraduate students, 100+ Research Postgraduates

111 academic and ~ 50 research staff

31 Professors (8 female with that number growing)

In REF2021, we returned to both UoA14 Geography and Environmental Studies and UoA7 Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences.

  • In UoA 14, Geography and Planning were Ranked 14th for research power and with a research environment ranked 8th in the UK where 66% of our environment was classified world-leading (4*) rising to 100% as internationally excellent of above (>3*).
  • In UoA7, Earth, Oceans and Ecological sciences had 93% of our publications, 100% of our environment and 100% of our impact classified as world leading (4*) or internationally excellent (3*).

Public and private sector focus with numerous partnerships and collaborations within the Liverpool City Region, across the wider Merseyside area and further afield globally.

International outlook and opportunities, including links with Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU) in China for our strong relationships with the Departments of Health and Environmental Science (XJTLU) and of Urban Planning and Design (XJTLU)

Over 12500 graduates worldwide.

Our vision is to be a globally connected School of Environmental Sciences exploring our Planet from the atmosphere, the surface to the deep Earth, and the ways societies, communities and ecosystems respond to environmental, economic and social change.