Ron Janssen

Ron Janssen is a Visiting Professor at the School of Business and Economics, Department of Spatial Economics at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. His work focuses on decision support systems for environmental and spatial management, with expertise in geodesign, multicriteria analysis, and participatory planning. He leads projects in interactive land use planning workshops, spatial decision support systems (SDSS), and ecosystem services valuation.

Key research areas include:
- Geodesign applications in landscape planning (e.g., Lower Zambezi Valley workshops)
- Multicriteria analysis tools like DEFINITE/BOSDA software
- Climate adaptation strategies in peat meadow regions
- Stakeholder engagement in environmental decision-making (e.g., waste management workshops in Liverpool/Amsterdam)

Notable projects include:

• Designing regional adaptation strategies in Frisian peat meadows
• Marine spatial planning for tidal energy devices around Mull of Kintyre
• Ecosystem service valuations in Anguilla and British Virgin Islands

His work contributes to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to climate action (SDG13), sustainable cities (SDG11), and responsible consumption (SDG12). He has supervised 4 PhD theses and collaborates internationally on projects spanning South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bulgaria, and Scotland.

Labs/Teams: Active in the Spatial Economics research group, contributing to ESPON projects and collaborative planning initiatives through geodesign methodologies.