Ece's honorary degree, economic risk of biosolid applications, ECOV4R framework, and Aldersgate
In this Month's Newsletter:
Our CEO, Ece Ozdemiroglu, is awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Royal Holloway College, University of London
The award recognises her contributions to environmental economics and entrepreneurship
Economic risk of contaminated biosolid applications
eftec’s report for Fidra is published
Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) Framework
The framework was presented on 22 Sept at IENE 2026, Bristol and will be again at UKNEE webinar on 28 October
Happy 20th to Aldersgate Group!!
And launch of their Green Policy Review
Our CEO, Ece Ozdemiroglu, is awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree by Royal Holloway College, University of London
The award recognises her contributions to environmental economics and entrepreneurship
On 29th July, our CEO Ece Ozdemiroglu was presented with an honorary Doctor of Science degree from Royal Holloway College (University of London). At the ceremony, Dr. Gul Berna Ozcan read the citation for her degree and said it “recognises Ece’s exceptional work as an environmental economist and activist, whose belief that economics can help us understand the value of the natural world and allocate society’s resources accordingly has driven her remarkable career.” In her acceptance speech, Ece weaves her experience as theatre maker and her 30-year professional career: First, always focus on the individuals. Decisions are not made by a faceless system. Second, care for who you work with and who you work for. No one succeeds alone. Third, nurture your curiosity. Curiosity is your life force and can be cultivated through many outlets: art, literature, a walk in the park. Speaking on behalf of the eftec team, Victoria Reeser says, “Ece closed her speech on what we know to be her most obvious belief: Invest in nature and people. We’ve all benefited from and are grateful for her devotion to us and our work. Congratulations, Ece, on receiving this honour. It’s well-deserved!" Her speech starts at min 54:45 here |
Economic risk of contaminated biosolid applications
eftec’s report for Fidra is published
Fidra commissioned eftec to assess the economic risks of contaminated biosolids and compare applying them to farmland with alternative treatments. Our analysis found that spreading biosolids remains the cheapest financial option, but its price tag overlooks potentially significant long-term costs to soil health, biodiversity, water environment, human health risks associated with PFAS and antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as well as future remediation. Around 94% of the UK’s sewage sludge is recycled to farmland, returning valuable nutrients and organic matter to soils, but wastewater treatment also contains contaminants in sludge, giving microplastics, PFAS and pharmaceuticals a route into agricultural soils. Many are not routinely monitored or regulated in the UK, raising concerns about their accumulation in soils and movement through the wider environment. The report explored four alternative treatment technologies (conventional incineration, high-temperature incineration, pyrolysis and gasification) and their financial and environmental trade-offs. The full report is available on our website. Blog post by Fidra is available here. |
Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) FrameworkThe framework was presented at IENE 2026, Bristol and will be again at UKNEE webinar on 28 October |
The International Union of Railways (UIC) commissioned AtkinsRéalis and eftec to develop the Ecosystem Valuation for Railways (ECOV4R) Framework. Launched in March 2026, ECOV4R provides a repeatable, flexible process for assessing and valuing ecosystem services. It supports decision-making, Environmental Impact Assessments, sustainability reporting, and nature disclosures.
The framework was designed to be adaptable to different decision-making contexts, geographies, data availability and user needs. It helps users understand when and how valuation evidence can support decision making to:
Unlock new value streams and future-proof assets.
Meet regulatory and stakeholder expectations for sustainability and resilience.
Lead the sector in innovative, evidence-based infrastructure management.
Ian Dickie joined his co-authors to present the framework at the IENE (Infrastructure & Ecology Network Europe) 2026 conference in Bristol, in the session called “The Value of Nature in Resilient Infrastructure” on 24 September.
Our summary of the work can be found on our website.
The Framework, pilot case studies and webinar recording are available online.
Marie Claire Jalaguier (AtkinsRéalis) will be presenting the study at an UKNEE webinar on 28 October – Register here
Happy 20th to Aldersgate Group!!
And launch of their Green Policy Review
eftec would like to say a warm congratulations to the Aldersgate Group for 20 years of pursuing their mission to bring business and civil society together to shape evidence-led policy for a sustainable economy.
Aldersgate Group hosted a celebration on 9th September, which Ece Ozdemiroglu and Ian Dickie attended. Ian’s involvement with the Group started in 2006, and he was a board member from its incorporation in 2007 until 2021, and eftec remains a member of the Group.
The Aldersgate Group has an important role in bringing different stakeholders and opinions together across political and business decision-makers. They’ve been successful at supporting their members to transform complex issues into practical insights.
The evening also marked the launch of their Green Policy Review, setting out policy recommendations for a prosperous and secure UK, which is available here.
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