Dr Laura de Vito

Dr Laura De Vito is Associate Professor of Environmental Policy at the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), where she is based within the Centre for Environment, Society and Resilience. Her research sits at the intersection of environmental policy, strategic foresight, and sustainability transitions.

Her work examines how governments and institutions can respond more effectively to long-term environmental challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, nature-based solutions, and air pollution. Drawing on theories of public policy and governance, she investigates the processes through which environmental decisions are made and implemented across multiple scales of governance.

A central strand of her research focuses on strategic foresight and sustainable futures. She works with policymakers and public institutions to explore how futures thinking can support more adaptive, resilient, and future-oriented forms of governance. Her research combines conceptual developments in foresight and public policy with practical applications in government decision-making.

Laura also leads and contributes to interdisciplinary research on sustainability transitions, with particular interests in public engagement, intergenerational justice, citizen participation, and place-based approaches to environmental change. Her projects have involved collaborations with governments, local authorities, industry partners, and civil society organisations in the UK and internationally.

Before joining UWE Bristol, Laura completed a PhD in Public Policy at the University of Bristol. She holds Master's degrees from the London School of Economics and Political Science and LUISS Guido Carli University in Rome.