Communication of environmental data

A key aspect of AERU's work involves the development of tools and techniques for communicating environmental data. Environmental data is not always generated in a format that aids decision making. Therefore it is often necessary to transform and interpret this data to aid communication and utilisation of the data. This can range from, for example, interpretation of scientific data in the PPDB to support specific applications through to how to utilise and communicate environmental impacts within the context of ecolabelling.

Skills and services encompass the following:

• Development of indicators and metrics
• Interpretation of environmental data
• Development of communication techniques
• Assessment of assurance schemes and ecolabels
• Sustainability profiling

Projects

• 2024-2027: Generating and utilising data on environmental outcomes in UK food systems
• 2006-ongoing: Pesticide, biopesticide and veterinary substances databases
• 2023-2024: A review of UK food ecolabels
• 2020-2025: FRAMEwork: Farmers clusters for realising agrobiodiversity management across ecosystems
• 1998-2021: Development of pesticide load indicators
• 2010-2011: Effective approaches to environmental labelling of food products
• 2004-2016: ADLib (Agricultural Document Library)
• 2004-2005: Planning Your Entry Level Stewardship application
• 1994-2017: Environmental Management for Agriculture

Publications

• Tzilivakis, J., Lewis, K.A., Kennedy, M.C., Ridley, L. & Garthwaite, D.G. (2026). The UK pesticide load indicator: development toward a policy tool. Journal of Environmental Science and Health, Part B: 1-18. [DOI].
• Tzilivakis, J., Taylor, J.L., Green, A., Warner, D.J & Lewis, K.A. (2024). A methodological review of UK food ecolabels. Final report. Prepared for the Consortium for Labelling for the Environment, Animal welfare, and Regenerative farming (CLEAR) by the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit (AERU), University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom. [Download].
• Kennedy, M., Garthwaite, D., Ridley, L. & Tzilivakis, J. (2024). UK Pesticide Load Indicator. Phase 5 Update Report. Prepared for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) for Project PC0122, by FERA Science Ltd and the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit (AERU), University of Hertfordshire, UK. [Download].
• Rainford, J, Tzilivakis, J., Garthwaite, D., Jones, G. & Lewis, K.A. (2023). Finalising a Pesticide Load Indicator for the UK: Phase 4 Report. Prepared for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), UK, for project PC0116, by FERA Science Ltd and the Agriculture and Environment Research Unit (AERU), University of Hertfordshire, UK. [Download].
• Mondière, A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D.J., van der Werf, H.M.G., Farruggia, A., Glinec, O. & Corson, M.S. (2022). An improved indicator framework to assess and optimise ecosystem services provided by permanent grasslands. Ecological Indicators, 146: 109765. [DOI].
• Lewis, K., Rainford, J., Tzilivakis, J., & Garthwaite, D. (2021). Application of the Danish Pesticide Load Indicator to UK arable agriculture. J Environ Qual.: 1-13. DOI.
• Rainford, J., Tzilivakis, J., Garthwaite, D., Jones, G. & Lewis, K. (2021). Developing a UK Pesticide Load Indicator: Phase 2 Final Report. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), London.
• Rainford, J., Garthwaite, D., Jones, G., Tzilivakis, J. and Lewis, K.A. (2020). Developing a UK Pesticide Load Indicator. Final report for a scoping project undertaken for Defra by FERA Science Limited and the Agriculture & Environment Research Unit at the University of Hertfordshire.
• Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D.J., Green, A. & Lewis, K.L. (2019). Spatial analysis of the benefits and burdens of Ecological Focus Areas for water-related ecosystem services vulnerable to climate change in Europe. Mitig. Adapt. Strateg. Glob. Change, 24(2): 205-233. DOI
• Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D.J. & Holland, J.M. (2019). Developing practical techniques for quantitative assessment of ecosystem services on farmland. Ecological Indicators, 106: 105514. DOI
• Green, A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. & Lewis, K. (2017). Problems of Benchmarking Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Dairy Agriculture. Benchmarking: An International Journal, 24(6): 1470-1489. DOI
• Lewis, K.A., Tzilivakis, J., Warner, D. & Green, A. (2016). An international database for pesticide risk assessments and management. Human and Ecological Risk Assessment: An International Journal, 22(4): 1050-1064. DOI
• Lewis, K.A. & Tzilivakis, J. (2013). The Waitrose Pesticide Load Indicator. Waitrose Annual Technical Conference for the Fresh Produce Supply base, 13 November 2013.
• Tzilivakis, J., Green, A., Warner, D.J., McGeever, K. & Lewis, K.A. (2012). A framework for practical and effective eco-labelling of food products. Sustainability Accounting, Management and Policy Journal, 3(1): 50-73. DOI
• Tzilivakis, J., Lewis, K.A., Green, A., Warner, D.J., MacMillan, T & McGeevor, K. (2011). Effective approaches to environmental labelling of food products. Final Report for Defra Project FO0419. January 2011.
• Green, A. Winspear, R. & Lewis, K.A. (2007). Integrating Strategies for Wildlife Management into Agri-environment Payment Schemes: A Decision Support Approach. EFITA/WCCA Conference Glasgow, July 2007
• Tzilivakis, J. & Lewis, K.A. (2007). The Agricultural Document Library (ADLib) and its applications. Proceedings of the European Federation for IT in Agriculture (EFITA) conference 2-5 July 2007, Glasgow
• Reus, J., Leendertse, P., Bockstaller, C., Fomsgaard, I., Gutsche, V., Lewis, K., Nilsson, C., Pussemier, L., Trevisan, M., Van der Werf, H., Alfarroba, F., Blümel, S., Isart, J., McGrath, D. & Seppälä, T. (2002). Comparison and evaluation of eight pesticide environmental risk indicators developed in Europe and recommendations for future use. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment 90, 177–187.
• Reus, J., Leendertse, P., Bockstaller, C., Fomsgaard, I., Gutsche, V., Lewis, K., Nilsson, C., Pussemier, L., Trevisan, M., Van der Werf, H., Alfarroba, F., Blümel, S., Isart, J., McGrath, D. & Seppälä, T. (2000). Comparing environmental risk indicators for pesticides: results of the European CAPER Project. Symposium Pesticide Chemistry, Paper XI.
• ECOTEC Research and Consultancy, University of Hertfordshire, Central Science Laboratory & the University of Newcastle upon Tyne. (1999). Design of a Tax or Charge Scheme for Pesticides, ISBN 1 851121 60 9, DETR.