The Centre for Sustainability Transitions (CST) is currently accepting applications for the position of Researcher/Senior Researcher/Associate Professor: Biodiversity and the Economy

The CST seeks a candidate who can play a leading role in the CST’s research on biodiversity-economy connections and lead a new AFD-funded project, working with project PI, Dr Hayley Clements and other researchers at the CST. The position can be at Researcher, Senior Researcher or Associate Professor level.

The successful candidate will take a leadership role in the new project aimed at assessing the socio-economic consequences of ecological trajectories in South Africa. The two-year project is in partnership with the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and multiple stakeholder groups. It builds on AFD’s work on nature related risks to the economy (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2YHH2f6Cnk). There is a need to translate the importance of biodiversity and trajectories of biodiversity change into socio-economic measures that speak to national development planning.

A major aspect of this work is a participatory process to consider possible developmental and ecological trajectories and scenarios for the country. This process will involve both environmental and financial authorities in South Africa (e.g., the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment; the South African Biodiversity Institute; National Treasury; Development Bank South Africa; the South African Reserve Bank). The aim of the project is to translate these trajectories into socio-economic measures that are relevant to decision-makers.

More information on the job specification can be found here. Closing date for applications is 11 October 2024.

For additional information, contact Nina Callaghan at ninac@sun.ac.za.