Resource economics and environmental policy
The growing demand for food and energy is putting increasing pressure on the planet's natural resources and ecosystems. Our resource economics and environmental policy research identifies the economic, social and legal factors that influence the preservation and sustainability of aquatic ecosystems and natural resources. We also help define ocean resource management policies and analyse energy policy and trade in Middle Eastern countries.
Research
Our research influences economic, trade and energy policies across the world. We're involved in several collaborative research projects with stakeholders including non-governmental organisations (NGOs); policy makers and governments in the UK, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Pacific and South America; international bodies such as the European Union, United Nations (UN), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and the World Bank; and a wide range of stakeholders including fishermen, environmentalists, and scientists.
Partnerships and collaborations
We're building a partnership with the Advisory Committee on the Protection of the Sea (ACOPS), which has resulted in 5 early career researchers of the Centre for Blue Governance engaging in the international policy forum e.g. the International Maritime Organisation.
We are also building partnerships with the Ocean University of China in Qingdao, the African Union (AU), the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD).
Project highlights
- We're working on an EU funded project, “Innovative Fishing Gear for Ocean” (INdIGO), which aims to reduce the amount of plastic in the Channel area through the development of biodegradable fishing gear.
- We're the lead partner in the EU funded project “Marine Coastal Ecosystems Biodiversity and Services in a Changing World” (MaCoBioS), to ensure efficient and integrated management and conservation strategies for European marine coastal ecosystems to face climate change.
- We're involved in research with the King Abdullah Petroleum Studies and Research Center (KAPSARC) to econometrically model energy demand and relative energy efficiency in Saudi Arabia to guide Government energy policy.
- In the EU-funded project “Paradigm for New Dynamic Oceanic Resource Assessments” (PANDORA) – our aim is to enhance the sustainability of fishing in European waters by improving the assessment and management of fish stocks.
Publication highlights
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Modelling industrial energy demand in Saudi Arabia. Energy Economics
Alarenan, S., Gasim, A. A., & Hunt, L. C. (2020). Energy Economics, volume 85.
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Scenarios of profitability of western Mediterranean demersal fisheries in an effort control regime
Akbari, N., Maynou, F., Bjorndal, T., Failler, P., Drakeford, B., & Forse, A. P. (2021). Journal of Environmental Management, volume 300.
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The value of carbon sequestration by saltmarsh in Chichester Harbour, United Kingdom.
Lockwood, B., & Drakeford, B. (Accepted/In press). Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy.
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Coastal protection assessment: a tradeoff between ecological, social and economic issues
Tregarot, E., Catry, T., Pottier, A., El-Hacen, E-H. M., Cheikh, M. A. S., Cornet, C. C., Marechal, J-P., & Failler, P. (2021). Ecosphere, volume 12, issue 2.
Discover our areas of expertise
Research groups
We're researching how to find environmentally friendly and economic production solutions for the recovery of unconventional oil resources using enhanced oil recovery (EOR) methods.
Our members

Media ready expert
Professor Pierre Failler
- Job Title Professor of Economics
- Email Address pierre.failler@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor
Dr Michail Filippidis
- Job Title Lecturer
- Email Address michail.filippidis@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
Media ready expert
Dr Ben Drakeford
- Job Title Senior Lecturer of Economics and Finance
- Email Address Ben.Drakeford@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor

Professor Lester Hunt
- Job Title Professor of Economics
- Email Address Lester.Hunt@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor

Dr Paraskevas Kipouros
- Job Title Senior Teaching Fellow
- Email Address Paraskevas.Kipouros@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law

Dr Scott Mahadeo
- Job Title Senior Lecturer
- Email Address scott.mahadeo@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law

Media ready expert
Professor Andy Thorpe
- Job Title Professor of Development Economics | Interim Associate PVC (Research, Innovation and External Relations)
- Email Address Andy.Thorpe@port.ac.uk
- Department Portsmouth Business School
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor

Mr Ewan Tregarot
- Job Title Research Fellow in Economics and Finance
- Email Address ewan.tregarot@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
Dr Elhadj Deme
- Job Title Research Associate in Economics and Finance
- Email Address Bara.Deme@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law

Professor Shabbar Jaffry
- Job Title Professor of Economics and Finance
- Email Address Shabbar.Jaffry@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
- PhD Supervisor PhD Supervisor

Dr Negar Akbari
- Job Title Lecturer
- Email Address negar.akbari@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
Miss Antaya Lauren Alexandra March
- Job Title Senior Research Associate
- Email Address Antaya.March@port.ac.uk
- Department School of the Environment Geography and Geosciences
- Faculty Faculty of Science and Health
Dr Cindy Caroline Cornet
- Job Title Research Fellow
- Email Address Cindy.Cornet@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law

Dr Louisa Wood
- Job Title Research Fellow with the Centre for Blue Governance
- Email Address louisa.wood@port.ac.uk
- Department Economics and Finance
- Faculty Faculty of Business and Law
Interested in a PhD in Economics?
Browse our postgraduate research degrees – including PhDs and MPhils – at our Economics postgraduate research degrees page.