Mandy van den Ende

Mandy van den Ende is a postdoctoral researcher at Utrecht University's Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development, specializing in transformative environmental governance for sustainable land use. She holds a Master of Science (MSc) and is affiliated with the Environmental Governance department within the Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development. Her work focuses on systemic transformations in governance frameworks to address root causes of environmental degradation, particularly in peatland areas.

Research Interests:
Mandy’s research emphasizes breaking free from 'inside-the-box' governance approaches and fostering societal/systemic changes. Key themes include:
- Transformative governance for sustainable land use - Peatland restoration and climate adaptation - Role of creativity/art in policy (e.g., the Embassy of the Peat initiative) - Foresight methodologies and scenario planning for land-use decisions

Current Projects:
- Shaping the future of Dutch peatlands through sustainable transitions
- Systematic review of agency in climate adaptation governance
- Co-creating educational materials for HAVO (senior secondary) and university students

Publications:
Her recent work explores experimentation in governance, subsidence mitigation in peatlands, and policy mainstreaming. Themes include peatland management, climate adaptation frameworks, and equitable resource allocation.

Labs/Teams:
Co-founder of the Embassy of the Peat, which grants voice to non-human stakeholders (peat, flora/fauna, future generations) in land-use decisions. Collaborates with Utrecht University’s master’s students on curricula development.