JUSTLANZ
A national research project
Living Levels is a key local partner in a new major research project, called “JUSTLANZ: Just transformation of food-farming systems: reconciling net zero and other land-use ambitions.”
With the governments of all four of the UK nations trying to reach net zero targets, this project seeks to discover the crucial and unique perspectives of the farming and food sector in each of the four UK countries; Scotland, England, Northern Ireland and Wales. The Gwent Levels has been chosen as the study area for Wales.
We believe it is very important to discuss how to make net zero fair to everyone, which is why the project wants to hear from farmers in the Gwent Levels, as well as other members of the food supply chain:
What do you think about net zero?
How has your experience with net-zero been so far and how would you like it to be?
How can it be done fairly?
How do we balance the needs of food production, nature and communities, as well as protecting ourselves against climate change?
This project builds on work of the Living Levels, and we hope that you will be able to participate.
Update: February 2026.
The first phases of the JUSTLANZ project have been very successful. We have almost completed a set of interviews with farmers and other people involved with the food and farming systems, where they discussed their experiences and opinions of net zero. We also held a workshop where farmers and other people in farming-related positions designed their ideal farm of the future. A storyteller attended the workshop to help us bring to life our future fantasy farm. Look out for the resulting story during the spring and summer.
We are now analysing the interviews, while other JUSTLANZ colleagues integrate farmers’ ideal farms with policies published by the UK and devolved governments and climate data to develop potential scenarios for the future.
Further work will include a workshop with policymakers at the end of 2026 and a separate event where we will explore potential actions and solutions to help farmers and landowners work towards net zero.
The project will finish in mid-2027.
Can you help?
If you are engaged in farming on the Levels, or otherwise work in any aspect of the food system (processing, packaging, retailing or catering) and would like to have your say on making net zero fair to farmers and the wider food system – or if you have any queries about the project, please get in touch.
More information
For more information about JUSTLANZ, or to take part, contact:
Jane Ricketts Hein, Farmer Engagement Officer, Living Levels
T: 07713 711246 | E: jane.rickettshein@rspb.org.uk)
José Fajardo, Researcher, JUSTLANZ
T: 07736 793296 | E: jose.fajardoescoffie@rspb.org.uk).
For more information about the Land Use for Net Zero research initiative, visit the LUNZ Hub website.
JUSTLANZ is a research collaboration between the RSPB, James Hutton Institute, Universities of Leeds and Cambridge, Cranfield University, SRUC Innovation, FWAG-SW, the Nature Friendly Farming Network and the Living Levels Landscape Partnership. It is part of the LUNZ programme, co-designed and co-funded by UKRI, Defra, DESNZ, DAERA, Scottish Government & Welsh Government.
