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The University of Bath has launched the Bath Centre for Earth System Governance (BCESG), a research centre focused on how societies govern global environmental change and sustainability transitions. Announced during the 2026 Earth System Governance conference in Bath, the centre is directed by Professor Yixian Sun and is intended to expand Bath’s contribution to international sustainability-governance research.
What is the Bath Centre for Earth System Governance?
BCESG is an interdisciplinary University of Bath research centre studying how governance can respond to environmental change and support sustainability transitions. Its stated aim is to build knowledge, offer timely advice to stakeholders, and develop governance approaches that are effective and fair while supporting social-ecological resilience. The centre brings together perspectives from politics, economics, public policy and management. University of Bath: centre overview
The centre’s remit includes climate change, biodiversity loss, deforestation, pollution, sustainable development and environmental justice. It is a research and collaboration initiative; the launch announcement does not report policy outcomes already achieved by BCESG.
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What will the centre research?
BCESG says it will examine governance at several connected levels, rather than treating international agreements or national policy as the only routes for responding to environmental challenges.
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- Global governance: institutions and arrangements that operate across national borders.
- National governance: government policies and regulations.
- Local and individual-led action: initiatives rooted in communities or led by individuals.
- Private governance: approaches involving private-sector actors and institutions.
The centre says it will study how these levels interact and develop recommendations for stakeholders. Its justice-oriented remit makes questions of who holds decision-making authority, whether affected communities are included, and how research connects with practice relevant when assessing different governance approaches. These are useful ways to examine the subject, not a ranking or framework published by the centre.
Who leads BCESG?
Professor Yixian Sun is the centre’s director. Bath’s launch announcement also identifies him as chair of the 2026 conference and a newly appointed co-chair of the Earth System Governance Project’s Scientific Steering Committee. Sun said the centre aims to work with partners in all world regions to advance understanding of sustainability challenges and develop governance solutions. University of Bath launch announcement
Bath describes the Earth System Governance Project as an international research community and a close collaborator. The centre overview lists institutions including National University of Singapore, Utrecht University, Uppsala University, University of Sydney, Fudan University, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Fundação Getulio Vargas, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Duke University and University of British Columbia. The centre says it welcomes collaboration with public and private actors working on sustainability transitions.
Why was the centre announced at the 2026 conference?
Bath announced BCESG during the closing plenary of the 2026 Conference on Earth System Governance, held in Bath under the theme “Building just and sustainable futures for planetary integrity.” The University of Bath reported 456 delegates from 51 countries and 96 sessions. Those figures describe the conference, not BCESG’s membership or research output.
Conference sessions addressed renewable-energy transitions, climate justice, biodiversity governance and emerging sustainability risks. The gathering also began work on the Earth System Governance Project’s next ten-year Science Plan. Bath’s announcement did not detail the plan’s priorities. The university’s Interim Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Research), Professor Emma Carmel, described the new centre as a marker of Bath’s commitment to interdisciplinary research and sharing expertise internationally.
How can researchers and students engage with the centre?
Bath invites its researchers to join BCESG as core or associate members and institutions with aligned work to collaborate. The centre also lists PhD supervision across social science disciplines and points prospective students to the University of Bath’s MSc in Climate, Sustainability and Social Transformation. Its overview advises prospective doctoral applicants to contact potential supervisors by September in the year before intended entry. Course availability and application details can change, so applicants should check the university’s current course and admissions information.
Bath has separately announced a partnership with Fudan University to strengthen research and education links on climate and sustainability governance. The announcement describes joint research and academic exchange, as well as potential future education initiatives such as student mobility and possible dual-degree programmes; it does not establish that those programmes are already confirmed. University of Bath–Fudan partnership announcement
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The launch marks a new university research centre and a further institutional commitment to international sustainability-governance work. It should not be confused with the longer-running Earth System Governance Project or the wider network’s history. The centre’s research remit, partnerships and intended engagement are described publicly, but the launch itself is not evidence that it has already produced policy changes or measurable environmental results.
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