Conor Kretsch
Conor joined the Centre for Environmental Management (CEM) at Nottingham University as a Research Fellow in August 2014. Graduating from University College Dublin (BSc, hons Environmental Biology) in 1997, Conor has developed a broad range of experience over many years working as an advisor to governments, industry and civil society, covering land use planning, environmental resource management, pollution prevention and control, waste management, public health and nature conservation.
Conor is also the founder and director of the COHAB Initiative (co-operation on health and biodiversity), a global programme of work established in 2007 to address the gaps in science, policy and practical action on the connections between biodiversity and human health. His work at the CEM focuses on how concepts of ecosystem services and natural capital are of relevance to issues in public health and social justice, including the development of conceptual frameworks for cross-sector and transdisciplinary collaboration and policy development
Expertise Summary
Conor's core interest lies in exploring and communicating the relationships between biodiversity, ecosystems and population health and security. This includes issues of land use and natural resource management, water quality, food and nutrition, infectious disease, mental and physical health, medical research, climate change, resilience and disaster risk issues. He has particular expertise in development of policy and practical responses to health and biodiversity linkages, in global, regional and local contexts.
Teaching Summary
Conor is currently an adjunct lecturer in Ecosystems and Health at the National University of Ireland, Dublin.
- Biodiversity, ecosystems and health (infectious disease, ecological toxicity, food resources & nutrition, wildlife as sentinels of human health risks, wildlife models for medical research, drug discovery from nature, disaster risk reduction and relief & recovery)
- Biodiversity and culture.
- Biodiversity and livelihood security.
- Biodiversity and health in policy & practice.
- Business and biodiversity.
Research Summary
Conor's research interests focus on ecosystems as settings for human and animal health. In addition to exploring how health is influenced by biodiversity and ecosystem services, he is interested in… read more
Current Research
Conor's research interests focus on ecosystems as settings for human and animal health. In addition to exploring how health is influenced by biodiversity and ecosystem services, he is interested in how linkages between public health and biodiversity are influenced by culture, and how environmental, social and cultural change affects the flow of - and access to - ecosystem services relating to health.
Another area of interest is the role which the health sector can play in the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity - both as a sector dependent upon ecosystem services, and as a sector which potentially has significant impacts on the environment. Since 2000, Conor has been involved in research into the ecological effects of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the environment. This has also led to work on corporate ecosystem service reviews - assisting business and government departments to understand their dependence and impact upon the natural environment.
Most recently, Conor has worked on development of ecosystem approaches to health including models for integrating health and biodiversity in science, policy and practice. As a member of the EU OpenNESS project, Conor is working on development of conceptual models that help clarify the relationship between biodiversity, ecosystems and public health. He is also exploring the links between ecosystems and social justice in Europe, including issues of community engagement and empowerment, equity in health care, gender equity and issues of human rights linked to natural resources.
Contact:
Sir Clive Grainger Building,
University Park,
Nottingham,
NG7 2RD
UK
Tel: +44 (0)115 951 4076
Email: Conor.Kretsch@nottingham.ac.uk