Sophus zu Ermgassen
Sophus is an ecological economist working on topics broadly related to biodiversity finance, UK environmental policy, biodiversity compensation (e.g. biodiversity offsetting, Biodiversity Net Gain), infrastructure sustainability, nature-positive organisations, and postgrowth economics. A key focus of his current work is on learning lessons from shortcomings in past nature markets to understand how to design nature markets in a way that satisfies both ecological and financial objectives. Examples of his recent research projects include evaluating the outcomes of biodiversity compensation systems in the UK and abroad, exploring the sustainability dimensions of the UK housing affordability crisis and charting policy pathways to achieving “a home for all within planetary boundaries”, and evaluating the species threatened globally by society’s growing demand for sand and construction minerals.
His work has featured in media outlets including the Guardian, BBC Countryfile and the Times, and he is a regular contributor to media stories about Biodiversity Net Gain, biodiversity finance and biodiversity offsetting. His Postdoc is funded by EU Horizon 2020 project “SUPERB”, focusing on understanding and evaluating the mechanisms for financing the restoration of forests across Europe. He is also assisting the biodiversity and scenario modelling work packages for the Agile Sprint project: Operationalising Treasury Green Book Guidance on biodiversity.
Sophus advises Natural England as a member of their Biodiversity Net Gain Monitoring and Evaluation expert advisory group, and the UK Treasury as a member of their Biodiversity Economics Working Group. He was an expert contributor to the UK Environmental Audit Committee’s 2021 report on Biodiversity and Ecosystems, and the Parliamentary Office for Science and Technology POSTBrief on ‘Biodiversity Net Gain’. He also advises multilateral development institutions and companies on biodiversity offset policy and safeguards, and nature-positive strategies. He is the co-host of the European Society for Ecological Economics podcast “Economics for Rebels”, and in 2022 was named on the ENDS Report “Power List” of the 100 most influential environmental professionals in the UK.
