About Us

Our purpose is to enable economies, communities and ecosystems to thrive together through collaborative cross-sector cross-disciplinary eco-innovation.

The exterior of the LEC building

Every innovation needs to be an eco-innovation

The scale, complexity and urgency of the sustainability challenge calls for deep radical change to practices, processes, products and services across the board.

Innovation in partnerships

Bold partnerships that bring together ideas, knowledge and capabilities in new ways are needed to create sustainable change.

Thinking globally, acting locally

Mobilising the power of places and their people to co-develop effective local solutions and transferable mechanisms.

A movement of eco-innovators

Change is driven by eco-innovators: people who are positively and collaboratively acting to deliver sustainable solutions.

Doing well, doing good, feeling good

Better environment means better business and healthier people. Skilled eco-driven jobs create fulfilling work and positive societies.

What is Eco-Innovation?

  • The development of new practices, processes, products or services that support environmentally positive development
  • Solution-orientated, collaborative, and practical
  • Central to achieving net-zero climate targets, addressing environmental crises and delivering the Sustainable Development Goals

Our Foundations

In 2020, the Centre for Global Eco-innovation was formally established as a University Research Centre and now plays a strategic role in mobilising Lancaster University researchers, partnerships and communities in the pursuit of transformative eco-innovation. We are based in the Faculty of Science and Technology, but bring together people across faculties at Lancaster University.

Our Projects

The Centre helps develop a talented pipeline of eco-innovators, having supported 90 PhD and 50 MRes studentships, as well as hundreds of student dissertation projects and internships focused on business-led eco-innovation projects. These studentships and projects also draw on interdisciplinary academic expertise from across Lancaster University.

Driving powerful connections for a sustainable future

See how our collaborative research between the Centre for Global Eco-Innovation at Lancaster University and Silverwoods is helping to provide sustainable solutions, such as re-purposing industrial waste into beneficial agricultural soil amendments.

Our Values

Our values of Respect, Positivity, Bravery and Openness allow us to co-develop solutions for economies, communities and ecosystems to thrive together.

Respect

We respect and celebrate diverse expertise. CGE brings together diverse teams, expertise, organisations and communities. We value diversity in know-how, experience, and perspectives and cannot succeed without it.

Positivity

We find solutions not problems. CGE takes a positive can-do approach in research, engagement and everyday actions to find the solutions that help us achieve our purpose.

Bravery

We collaboratively challenge business as usual. CGE works alongside like-minded partners to raise the ambition on sustainability in research, business, communities and policy.

Openness

We are accessible, inclusive and approachable CGE seeks to create an environment and mechanisms that enable collaboration and encourages the sharing of opportunities and challenges.

Contact Us

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Find Us

Centre for Global Eco-Innovation, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Lancaster University, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4YQ

Directions to Lancaster Environment Centre

Entering the University from off the A6 via the main entrance, go up the hill. At the roundabout take the third exit (on the right). Go past The Ruskin and Library Avenue is on the first turn on the left. Lancaster Environment Centre can be found on the right.

Alternatively walking from Alexandra Square, follow the South Spine and LEC is the first building on the Right opposite Furness College.

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