In April 2019 Newcastle University declared a climate emergency and made a commitment to support change through research and teaching. The appointment of the poet Linda France as Climate Writer in Residence in 2020 was another welcome example of the University’s commitment to this issue.  Clearly, dealing with this emergency involves dealing with questions that humanities/social science scholars are equipped to address (e.g., social justice, anthropocentrism, climate policy). 

The Environmental Humanities Initiative is a further response to the climate crisis and the need for more than scientific solutions to address the precarity of our planet’s habitability — we must think human histories and earth histories together. It consists of a cross-faculty network of researchers who work on themes around environments, landscapes, law, politics, ecology, biodiversity, and climates. This network will enable members to share research, plan teaching, develop external funding bids, and engage with relevant stakeholders and institutions in the North East.

Newcastle University is taking practical steps to address the issue of climate change, but it is crucial also that we reflect on the historic role of our region in contributing to this global conflagration. There is a fascinating context of environmental change and debate in north-east England, centred on historic fossil fuel extraction - especially mining. Among other avenues of research, the Environmental Humanities Initiative critically examines Tyneside’s place in the emergence of the Anthropocene.  

We welcome engagements from scholars, stakeholders and citizens interested in the environmental stories of our region and how Newcastle University can bring these to light together with scholars researching the causes, problems, consequences and solutions to the major environmental challenges of the past, present and future.