Dr Paul Upham

Senior Research Fellow SEE/SPEME

Email address: P.Upham@leeds.ac.uk
Room: c/o Tim Foxon

Biography

I work on the engagement of civil society actors in energy technology RD&D, drawing on concepts from psychology, science and technology studies, innovation studies and other literatures. I use qualitative and quantitative methods, empirically documenting perceptions, with the further aim of contributing to thinking on what might be termed technology democratisation. This is the long-standing governance concern of how best to achieve societal influence and oversight of commercial technological innovation.

After a PhD in sustainability theory and indication completed in September 1999, I initially worked on airport and aviation environmental policy at the Centre for Air Transport and the Environment and then on bioenergy and biofuel governance and sustainability assessment at Tyndall Manchester and Manchester Institute of Innovation Research, where I was a Senior Research Fellow. I remain affiliated to the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and am Visiting Professor in Governance of Energy Systems and Climate Change at the Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE). Currently I am working with SYKE on the project FIP-Trans, exploring the connections between innovation policy and transport policy in Finland and the UK.

I have been a sustainability course coordinator at UG level and have supervised students at all levels. Since 2000 I have published about 40 peer-reviewed papers in policy domains ranging across aviation, bioenergy, biofuels, hydrogen, CCS and carbon labeling; I have been Co-I and PI on several RCUK and EC grants; and I am a consultant and referee to a range of agencies and publications internationally, as well as an IPCC expert reviewer.

Qualifications

BSc (Hons) Psychology

MSc Environmental Resource Assessment

PhD Sustainability Assessment

Research Interests

• Public and civil society engagement in - and perceptions of - energy technology and policy
• Policy and governance implicatons of the above
• Applied domains include: carbon capture and storage, bioenergy & biofuels, aviation, carbon labelling, energy and emission scenarios for regions and cities

Publications

• Riesch H; Oltra C; Lis A; Upham P; Pol M (2013) Internet-based public debate of CCS: Lessons from online focus groups in Poland and Spain, Energy Policy, 56, pp.693-702. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2013.01.029
• Oltra C; Boso À; Upham P; Riesch H; Brunsting S; Dütschke E; Lis A (2012) Public responses to CO storage sites: Lessons from five European cases, Energy and Environment, 23, pp.227-248. doi: 10.1260/0958-305X.23.2-3.227
• Roberts T; Upham P; Upham P; Upham P (2012) Prospects for the use of macro-algae for fuel in Ireland and the UK: An overview of marine management issues, Marine Policy, 36, pp.1047-1053. doi: 10.1016/j.marpol.2012.03.001
• Oltra C; Upham P; Riesch H; Boso A; Brunsting S; Duetschke E; Lis A (2012) PUBLIC RESPONSES TO CO2 STORAGE SITES: LESSONS FROM FIVE EUROPEAN CASES, ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT, 23, pp.227-248.
• Upham P; Jones C (2012) Don't lock me in: Public opinion on the prospective use of waste process heat for district heating, APPLIED ENERGY, 89, pp.21-29. doi: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.02.031
• Upham P; Upham P; Upham P (2012) Environmental citizens: climate pledger attitudes and micro-generation installation, Local Environment, 17, pp.75-91. doi: 10.1080/13549839.2011.631991
• Upham P; Tomei J; Dendler L (2011) Governance and legitimacy aspects of the UK biofuel carbon and sustainability reporting system, Energy Policy, 39, pp.2669-2678. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2011.02.036
• Diedrich A; Upham P; Levidow L; van den Hove S (2011) Framing environmental sustainability challenges for research and innovation in European policy agendas, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY, 14, pp.935-939. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2011.07.012
• Upham P; Dendler L; Bleda M (2011) Carbon labelling of grocery products: public perceptions and potential emissions reductions, JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION, 19, pp.348-355. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2010.05.014
• Upham P; Roberts T (2011) Public perceptions of CCS in context: Results of NearCO focus groups in the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain and Poland, Energy Procedia, 4, pp.6338-6344. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.650
• Upham P; Upham P; Upham P; Roberts T (2011) Public perceptions of CCS: Emergent themes in pan-European focus groups and implications for communications, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 5, pp.1359-1367. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.06.005
• Gough C; Upham P; Upham P; Upham P (2011) Biomass energy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS or Bio-CCS), Greenhouse Gases: Science and Technology, 1, pp.324-334. doi: 10.1002/ghg.34
• Brunsting S; De Best-Waldhober M; Desbarats J; Duetschke E; Oltra C; Upham P; Riesch H (2011) The public and CCS: The importance of communication and participation in the context of local realities, Energy Procedia, 4, pp.6241-6247. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.637
• Brunsting S; De Best Waldhober M; Upham P; Upham P; Upham P; Dütschke E; Oltra C; Desbarats J; Riesch H; Reiner D (2011) Communicating CCS: Applying communications theory to public perceptions of carbon capture and storage, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 5, pp.1651-1662. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2011.09.012
• Upham P; Riesch H; Tomei J; Thornley Patricia P (2011) The sustainability of forestry biomass supply for EU bioenergy: A post-normal approach to environmental risk and uncertainty, Environmental Science and Policy, 14, pp.510-518. doi: 10.1016/j.envsci.2011.02.010
• Anderson J; Chiavari J; Coninck HD; Shackley S; Sigurthorsson G; Flach T; Reiner D; Upham P; Richardson P; Curnow P (2009) Results from the project 'Acceptance of CO2 capture and storage: economics, policy and technology (ACCSEPT)', Energy Procedia, 1, pp.4649-4653. doi: 10.1016/j.egypro.2009.02.287
• Tomei J; Upham P (2009) Argentinean soy-based biodiesel: An introduction to production and impacts, ENERGY POLICY, 37, pp.3890-3898. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2009.05.031
• Thornley P; Upham P; Huang Y; Rezvani S; Brammer J; Rogers J (2009) Integrated assessment of bioelectricity technology options, Energy Policy, 37, pp.890-903. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2008.10.032
• Shackley S; Reiner D; Upham P; de Coninck H; Sigurthorsson G; Anderson J (2009) The acceptability of CO capture and storage (CCS) in Europe: An assessment of the key determining factors. Part 2. The social acceptability of CCS and the wider impacts and repercussions of its implementation, International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 3, pp.344-356. doi: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2008.09.004
• Thornley P; Upham P; Tomei J (2009) Sustainability constraints on UK bioenergy development, Energy Policy, 37, pp.5623-5635. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2009.08.028
• Upham P (2009) Applying environmental-behaviour concepts to renewable energy siting controversy: Reflections on a longitudinal bioenergy case study, Energy Policy, 37, pp.4273-4283. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2009.05.027
• Piterou A; Shackley S; Upham P (2008) Project ARBRE: Lessons for bio-energy developers and policy-makers, Energy Policy, 36, pp.2044-2050. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2008.02.022
• Upham P; Shackley S (2007) Local public opinion of a proposed 21.5 MW(e) biomass gasifier in Devon: Questionnaire survey results, Biomass and Bioenergy, 31, pp.433-441. doi: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2007.01.017
• Gössling S; Broderick J; Upham P; Ceron J-P; Dubois G; Peeters P; Strasdas W (2007) Voluntary carbon offsetting schemes for aviation: Efficiency, credibility and sustainable tourism, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 15, pp.223-248. doi: 10.2167/jost758.0
• Upham P; Speakman D (2007) Stakeholder opinion on constrained 2030 bioenergy scenarios for North West England, Energy Policy, 35, pp.5549-5561. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2007.05.026
• Upham P; Shackley S; Waterman H (2007) Public and stakeholder perceptions of 2030 bioenergy scenarios for the Yorkshire and Humber region, Energy Policy, 35, pp.4403-4412. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2007.03.002
• Upham P; Shackley S; Upham P (2006) Stakeholder opinion of a proposed 21.5 MWe biomass gasifier in winkleigh, devon: Implications for bioenergy planning and policy, Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 8, pp.45-66. doi: 10.1080/15239080600634144
• Upham P; Shackley S (2006) The case of a proposed 21.5 MWe biomass gasifier in Winkleigh, Devon: Implications for governance of renewable energy planning, Energy Policy, 34, pp.2161-2172. doi: 10.1016/j.enpol.2005.04.001
• Upham PJ; Mills JN (2005) Environmental and operational sustainability of airports: Core indicators and stakeholder communication, Benchmarking, 12, pp.166-179. doi: 10.1108/14635770510593103
• Upham P; Raper D; Thomas C; Lever M; McLellan M; Lieuwen A (2004) Environmental capacity and European air transport: Stakeholder opinion and implications for modelling, Journal of Air Transport Management, 10, pp.199-205. doi: 10.1016/j.jairtraman.2003.10.016
• Upham P; Thomas C; Raper D; Gillingwater D (2003) Environmental capacity and airport operations: Current issues and future prospects, Journal of Air Transport Management, 9, pp.145-152. doi: 10.1016/S0969-6997(02)00078-9
• Thomas C; Raper D; Upham P; Gillingwater D; Yang YJ; Hinde C (2001) A strategic decision support tool for indicating airport sustainability, ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE, 16, pp.297-298. doi: 10.1016/S1364-8152(00)00069-4
• Upham P (2001) A comparison of sustainability theory with UK and European airports policy and practice, Journal of Environmental Management, 63, pp.237-248. doi: 10.1006/jema.2001.0469
• Upham P (2001) Environmental capacity of aviation: Theoretical issues and basic research directions, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 44, pp.721-734. doi: 10.1080/09640560120079993
• Upham P; Upham P (2000) Scientific consensus on sustainability: The case of the natural step, Sustainable Development, 8, pp.180-190. doi: 10.1002/1099-1719(200011)8:4<180::AID-SD143>3.0.CO;2-R
• Upham P (2000) Scientific consensus on sustainability: The case of the natural step, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, 8, pp.180-190. doi: 10.1002/1099-1719(200011)8:4<180::AID-SD143>3.3.CO;2-I
• Upham PJ; Thornley P; Tomei J; Boucher P (Not yet published) Substitutable biodiesel feedstocks for the UK: a review of sustainability issues, Journal of Cleaner Production, 17, pp.S37-S45. doi: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2009.04.014