Paul Behrens
Associate professor
- Name
- Dr. P.A. Behrens
- Telephone
- +31 71 527 2727
- p.a.behrens@cml.leidenuniv.nl
- ORCID iD
- 0000-0002-2935-4799
Paul Behrens is an author and Associate Professor at Leiden University. His popular science book, The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Futures from the Frontiers of Climate Science(Indigo Press, 2020) describes humanity’s current trajectory and possible futures in paired chapters of pessimism and hope, on topics including the economy, energy, land and food. He outlines just how much is to be done to achieve a hopeful future, but how this scenario would involve actively building a healthier, happier and more fulfilling world. He is an author and editor of Food and Sustainability an interdisciplinary textbook with colleagues for Oxford University Press. His research and writing focusses on the areas causing most of the problems: energy, food and economic systems. His research and writing has appeared in scientific journals and media outlets such as the BBC, Thomson Reuters, Politico, Nature Sustainability, Nature Energy, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,Nature Food and Nature Communications. Paul won Leiden University’s Discoverer of the year in 2018, the Stan’s award for best outreach 2021, and International Champion in the Frontiers Planet Prize in 2023
More information about Paul Behrens
PhD candidates
News
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How EU farm subsidies favour high-emission animal products -
No hunger, and not too much global warming? Current UN plan misses opportunities -
Global problems, local actions: Leiden professors help teachers, students and citizens to engage with environmental issues -
Transition from fossil to clean energy will reduce global mining activities -
How polluting buildings and machinery make rich countries ever richer -
Sustainability prize for research into the effects of a plant-based diet -
‘Fundamentals’ inspire students to get started on real-life sustainability challenges -
Electric car batteries can help drive the clean electricity transition -
Changing our diet would help absorb global food shocks, such as during the Russia-Ukraine conflict -
Urgent shifts in building practices are needed to tackle the global sand crisis -
National Meat Free Week: the main reasons to switch to a plant-based diet -
How plant-based diets not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also increase carbon capture -
Paul Behrens’ book on climate change launched in the US -
Building materials drive carbon emissions, and they’re set to grow -
Study confirms: burning coal in Bulgaria causes water stress -
'Climate issues and sustainability should be part of every study programme' -
Thijs Bosker and Paul Behrens receive funding to develop Local Actions - set -
Climate change: between hope and pessimism
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Tsinghua and Leiden researchers find that China is crucial for realising a circular economy -
Dietary guidelines in these six countries are a win-win-win for nutrition, environment, and animals -
Discoverer of the Year Paul Behrens: ‘We’re running out of time’ -
Cucurachi, Behrens and Matthee are teacher, discoverer, and PhD candidate of 2018 -
Dr. Paul Behrens nominated for ''Science Discoverer of the Year'' Award -
Media on sustainable energy space uptake -
Transition to renewable energy requires more space - but it will be much cleaner
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Media on environmental impact of food research by Paul Behrens -
How a nationally recommended diet can improve the environment -
Paul Behrens in international media with warning climate change -
Climate change poses threat to European electricity production -
Interview Mare: Microplastics are everywhere, we don't know yet if that does no harm -
Dr. Kiefte-de Jong and Dr. Bosker, Assistant Professors at LUC, both awarded LUF Awards
Science Commentary
Former PhD candidates
Biography
Paul Behrens is an author and academic in environmental change at Leiden University. His popular science book The Best of Times, The Worst of Times: Futures from the Frontiers of Climate Science (Indigo Press, 2020) describes humanity’s possible futures in paired chapters of pessimism and hope is now available. He wrote Food and Sustainability a transdisciplinary textbook with colleagues with Oxford University Press. His research on food, energy and climate change has appeared in leading scientific journals and in 2018 he was awarded Leiden University’s Discoverer of the Year. His research and writing has appeared in scientific journals and media outlets such as the BBC, Thomson Reuters, Politico, Nature Sustainability, Nature Energy, the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Nature Food and Nature Communications. Paul won Leiden University’s Discoverer of the year in 2018, the Stan’s award for best outreach 2021, and International Champion in the Frontiers Planet Prize in 2023.
Paul is a physicist by training, his Ph.D. is from the University of Auckland (New Zealand), where he developed techniques for improving wind energy generation in mountainous terrain. Paul has worked in industry, NGOs, and academia. He has worked at the Royal Society of New Zealand, providing expert scientific advice to the New Zealand Government on environmental sustainability and other topics.
Academic Expertise:
- Energy systems, Food systems and climate change
- Environmental economics
- Environmentally-extended Input-output modelling
- Renewable energy technologies
- Energy policy
- Science communication
- Physics
Courses:
- Energy Science
- Alternative Energy Strategies
- Physics
- Statistics
- Sustainability
- Mathematics
- Research design
Associate professor
- Science
- Centrum voor Milieuwetenschappen Leiden
- CML/Industriele Ecologie