Honorary Fellowship of the Society for the Environment

4th December 2017

The Society for the Environment recognises Environmental Science Professor for “contributions of the highest level”.

University of the West of England (UWE) Professor, James Longhurst CEnv, joins an exclusive group of environmental professionals and advocates as an Honorary Fellow of the Society for the Environment (HonFSE). He is already an EAUC Fellow and received the Green Gown Award for Leadership in 2016 for his commitment to ensuring that graduates are equipped to face  the sustainable development challenges of the 21st century by  integrating sustainability into curricula, research and campus operations.

Today, at the Society for the Environment’s winter Council Meeting and reception, Chartered Environmentalist Professor James Longhurst was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of the Society for the Environment by Professor Will Pope HonFSE CEnv, Chair of the Society.

An HonFSE has been awarded to James to recognise the exceptional contributions he has made as a publicly recognised champion for the environment, and a person who has rendered outstanding service to sustainability and to the Society. HonFSEs are advocates of their field and role models for their peers. The work of an HonFSE can come in many forms – education, innovation, science, technology, policy and leadership, to name only a selection.

James – more commonly known as Jim – has been a national leader in sustainability initiatives in the UK, across a wide range of organisations, for many years. As a Chartered Environmentalist and a Chartered Scientist, Jim maintains his primary academic research interest in air quality and carbon management. He has published more than 250 academic papers, book chapters and edited books, as well as regularly contributing to international conferences. 

Jim is Professor of Environmental Science, in the Faculty of Environment and Technology, and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Environment and Sustainability at the University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol.  He is the founder and Executive Director of the Air Quality Management Centre and Executive lead for the World Health Organisation’s Collaborating Centre for Healthy Urban Environments.

In his role as Assistant Vice Chancellor, Jim provides cross-university leadership in all aspects of sustainability research, knowledge exchange and programme development.  He also serves on the boards of many local and national organisations and is Honorary Vice President of Environmental Protection UK and Director and former Chair of the Bristol Green Capital Partnership CIC.

Jim has been a member of the Institution of Environmental Science’s Council since 1998, serving as Chair of Council from 2002 – 2006. He was subsequently elected as Vice President upon his retirement as Chair. In addition, he is a former Society for the Environment board member, a former Chair of the Committee of Heads of Environmental Sciences, an inaugural Fellow of the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC), and the winner of the EAUC 2016 UK and Ireland Green Gown Award, for sustainability leadership in academic realms.

Upon receiving the Fellowship, Jim said; “I am very grateful to the Society for the Environment for awarding me an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of my contribution to environmental science. Whilst this is a personal honour I must acknowledge the many colleagues I have worked with over the course of my career. We advance scientific knowledge through collaborative research and I have had the pleasure of working with many exceptionally talented colleagues. This Honorary Fellowship is theirs as well as mine.”

Prior to the presentation, Will Pope commented; “In order for positive, sustained environmental change to occur, we need experts, role models and professionals such as Jim. His continued achievements with UWE and other organisations to enhance our understanding of the environment and lead on impactful projects make Jim well deserving of an Honorary Fellowship of the Society.”

Chair of the Society’s HonFSE Panel, Professor Carolyn Roberts CEnv, added; “Jim has played a major role in promoting the cause of sustainability in UWE, in other UK universities through his membership of various Higher Education leadership groups, in Bristol as part of the European Green Capital developments, and nationally. His Honorary Fellowship is very well deserved.”

Only 70 others have been recognised by receiving this prestigious honour from the Society. A full list can be found at socenv.org.uk/HonoraryFellows.