Research & Results
Below you can find all publications, articles and projects that are the result of our independent research. Search directly on topic or navigate through our areas of expertise.
Towards a Global one health
The health of people, animals, and their environments are closely connected: think of zoonoses, plant pests, or other vector-borne diseases. Examples in human health are: the recent outbreak of Ebola in West Africa; the global spread of Zika virus; and the alarming invasion of the American fall armyworm in Africa, which threatens food production. Understanding the factors that cause such outbreaks and how they interact is crucial to safeguard the health of people everywhere on the planet.
Zero hunger
The world’s population is increasing quickly, and it is predicted to grow to almost 10 billion people in 2050. In about thirty years the earth will gain 2 billion extra inhabitants who will also have to live, work and eat. Fortunately, our prosperity is also predicted to increase, which means that diets will be subject to change.
Nutrition & Health
You are what you eat. It’s a saying with lots of meaning, because to a large extent our nutrition determines our health.
Sport & Health
We offer a wealth of research focusing on sports & health topics at Wageningen University & Research. Our expertise can add value to almost every aspect of sports, at all levels of play, from recreational exercise to Olympic level elite competitions.
Animals
We share our planet with a wide variety of animals, and not only in the wild; people also keep animals, for example for food or for company. Wageningen University & Research is committed to protecting wild animals and improving the health, welfare and living environments of domesticated animals. The knowledge we develop with our research contributes to achieving this.
Food production
Providing everyone with healthy food without harming the environment will become increasingly challenging. In 2040 there will be 9 billion people to feed. Food demands will change, emerging economies will require more meat and at the same time certain limited resources such as water and phosphate will have to be managed sustainably. Wageningen University & Research approaches this 21st century challenge through the motto 'two times more, with two times less'.
Metropolitan Solutions
In 2050, about 70% of the global population will live in cities. As a result, problems concerning sustainability and quality of life are becoming increasingly urgent for these urban areas. Wageningen wants to achieve metropolitan solutions with the aim of realising cities and metropolitan areas that – in close relationship with the surrounding rural areas – are livable, healthy and resilient, and have circular economies. We address aspects such as heat islands, flooding, food supply, air quality, urban agriculture and livability, as well as urban policy and urban planning.
Circular & Biobased Economy
The call for a circular, biobased economy is getting louder and louder. An increasing number of citizens, businesses, and politicians are realising that the reuse of products and reclaiming of natural resources is of great importance for ourselves and for the planet on which we live, if we want to move forward towards a sustainable future. Wageningen University & Research is working on solutions to make the circular, biobased economy a reality.
Coast & Sea
Seas and coastal zones are already being used for transport, fishery, sand reclamation and recreation. In addition, they offer opportunities for the production of sustainable food, wind energy and bio-active substances from organisms such as seaweed and algae.
Nature & Landscape
Humans have an intrinsic connection with nature, research has proved this over and over again. Environmental psychology research reveals how being surrounded by nature at an early age makes adults value diversity in nature more compared to being brought up in a less green environment. Even the health promoting aspects of nature such as trees trapping polluting particulate matter show our dependency on nature.
Climate change
The climate is changing constantly: volcano eruptions and forest fires have a big influence on the CO2 levels in the atmosphere. Until 1950, natural causes were the most influential factors on climate change. After 1950, the course of the average world temperature can only be explained by accounting for human influences. The average world temperature rises due to the increase in greenhouse gasses, but there are also other effects of climate change: changes in precipitation patterns and more extreme weather. The Netherlands is likely to experience more precipitation in winter, and less precipitation in summer combined with more, longer, and more intensive heat waves and a rising sea level. Wageningen University & Research does not only study this change, but also investigates the causes and develops new technologies to deal with the consequences of climate change.