Dr Olivia Rendón

Dr Olivia Rendón is an Environmental economist at Plymouth Marine Laboratory, specialising in the valuation of ecosystem services, and its application to sustainable marine and coastal management. Her research aims to further our understanding of the relationship between communities and nature, including the study of the multiple values that humans hold for nature, quantifying natural/ anthropogenic impacts on nature and society, and exploring nature-based solutions to key environmental challenges. Her research seeks to inform more sustainable marine management and use across government-private sector-society, to create impact by advising policy and decision makers. For example, she recently contributed to the report “The Ocean: Turning the Tide on Climate Change” of the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group for the Ocean. Key areas of her work include blue carbon and climate change, ecosystem-based management, flood and erosion management, and marine pollution (i.e., Nitrogen, light). Her research spans local to global scales, with a focus on interdisciplinary projects where she has developed ample experience working with academics, policy makers, managers, NGOs, governments, among other actors.

Key projects

• FOCUS National Capabilities International project - feasibility of blue carbon schemes in Malaysia and socioeconomic impacts of light pollution in Chile (WP co-lead)
• SANH project - the impacts of marine Nitrogen pollution on coastal communities (WP co-lead)
• BLUE consultancy - quantifying the co-benefits and potential finance mechanisms for Blue Carbon in the UK (lead)
• Sea The Value project - state-of-the-art valuation of blue carbon and bioremediation and development of blue carbon finance mechanisms in the UK (WP co-lead)
   

Selected publications