Nikoleta Jones

Professor Nikoleta Jones is a leading environmental sociologist at the University of Warwick's School of Global Sustainable Development, specializing in the social dimensions of biodiversity conservation and climate change policy. Formerly a Principal Research Associate at the University of Cambridge, she has secured over £2.2 million in research funding including an ERC grant for the FIDELIO project which collaborates with 20 European park authorities.

Her research integrates mixed-methods approaches to analyze social impacts of protected areas, forest management, and climate adaptation policies. She develops behavioral predictive models incorporating spatial-temporal elements, with core interests in equitable governance, social capital dynamics, and policy implementation across European and Global South contexts including Madagascar. Her work directly informs EU Biodiversity Strategy targets and UK net zero commitments.

Recent publications reveal strong thematic concentration on spatial distribution of social impacts, equitable governance frameworks, and socio-economic drivers of conservation support, with methodological innovations in Bayesian modeling and participatory assessment tools. Geographic focus spans European protected areas, Madagascar's deforestation challenges, and UK rewilding initiatives.

Scientific Awards:

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Professor Jones has supervised 3 PhD completions and currently mentors 5 doctoral candidates alongside over 25 Master's dissertations. She designs and leads postgraduate modules in sustainability while directing the Social Capital and Impact Assessment Tool for Protected Areas (SOCIAT). Her FIDELIO project established Europe's largest social impact database for protected areas, directly influencing Global Biodiversity Framework implementation.

She leads a multi-institutional research consortium under the FIDELIO project, coordinating with park authorities across 20 European sites to develop evidence-based policy tools. Her team's work on SOCIAT provides standardized frameworks for measuring social impacts in conservation governance.