Dr Mark Hirons

Dr Mark Hirons is a Senior Research Associate with Oxford EARTH at the University of Oxford. His work examines the politics and justice of environmental governance, with a particular focus on mining, agriculture, and the management of land and natural resources in the context of climate change and biodiversity loss. Drawing on over fifteen years of research, including extensive fieldwork in Sub-Saharan Africa and the UK, he explores how power, knowledge and values shape decision-making around natural resources, and how these processes affect livelihoods and local development.

Mark’s research sits at the intersection of environmental politics, development, and sustainability, with a strong emphasis on equitable and inclusive approaches to resource governance. He has led and contributed to interdisciplinary projects that inform policy and practice, particularly on extractive industries, forest governance and nature recovery, working across scales from local contexts to national and international policy arenas. Through his work, he seeks to support more just and sustainable approaches to managing land and natural resources across diverse social and ecological contexts.