Leo Mercer
Leo works on a variety of UK net-zero policy areas, including carbon pricing, just transition, the voluntary carbon market and decarbonisation of the land use sector.
Background
Leo has a background in environmental science and geography and completed a PhD in Environmental Studies at Victoria University of Wellington in 2020. His thesis explored the role of carbon forestry, registered under the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme, as a land development option for Māori landowners. Subsequent to this, he was employed as a policy analyst at the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries on a work programme to develop an agricultural emissions pricing mechanism to support New Zealand farmers and growers to reduce emissions in line with statutory obligations.
Research interests
- Decarbonisation pathways for the UK land use sector
- The voluntary carbon market
- Nature and technology based greenhouse gas removal approaches and associated MRV frameworks
- Distributional impacts of carbon pricing
Policy
Policy - 2023
This report synthesises the current policy, technical considerations and debate pertaining to rewilding in the UK, with a focus on what contribution, if any, rewilded land can make to supporting the decarbonisation of land use. Read more
This is a response made on behalf of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment to the... Read more
This report seeks to identify the factors underpinning the monitoring, reporting and verification (MRV) of greenhouse gas removal (GGR) across the spectrum of biological, chemical and geochemical techniques, and the risks associated with GGR-specific MRV. Read more
This report provides a detailed characterisation of low-carbon jobs from the last decade in the United States and the United Kingdom, bringing new evidence to support policy discussions. Read more
News
News - 2024
This magazine article assesses the likely impact of the forthcoming general election on the UK’s green policies. Read more
This segment Radio New Zealand considers the impact of elections across the world in 2024 on climate policy. The piece... Read more
Leo Mercer discusses whether current policies and subsidies within the food system are fit for purpose to support a just transition to more sustainable production. Read more
This news article reports on the UK’s decision to withdraw from an international treaty that enabled fossil-fuel companies to sue... Read more
News - 2023
In this commentary, Leo Mercer asks what would it take for rewilding to play a bigger role in climate change action in the UK. Read more
BBC, 11 October 2023 Read more
ESG Investor, 23 July 2023 Read more
This article which reports on how an apparent shortage of green skills in the workforce may undermind climate targets. The... Read more
This commentary, originally published in Business Green, explores the crucial role of monitoring, reporting and verification for greenhouse gas removals. Read more
This commentary explores how net climate change mitigation benefits can be achieved from using carbon credits, despite the variable and uncertain quality of credits. Read more
The article focus on Jacinda Ardern’s impact on climate. Leo Mercer is quoted in the piece. Inside Climate News, 29... Read more
News - 2022
A rumoured plan from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to dramatically restrict solar panels on farmland in the UK will not help food security – which is threatened far more by climate change – let alone energy security, and is at odds with the Government’s Net Zero Strategy. The UK should be seeking to invest and innovate in ‘Agri-PV’ schemes instead, writes Leo Mercer. Read more
