Eric Lambin is a distinguished geographer and environmental scientist holding dual professorships at Université catholique de Louvain in Belgium and Stanford University. He earned his PhD in Geography from the University of Louvain in 1988 following undergraduate studies in Geography and Philosophy completed in 1985. Appointed as professor at his alma mater in 1995, he established himself as a leading authority in land change science through rigorous interdisciplinary research. Since the 2009-2010 academic year, he has divided his time between UCLouvain and Stanford where he holds the Ishiyama Provostial Professorship at the School of Earth Energy & Environmental Sciences. His career reflects a profound commitment to advancing environmental science through transatlantic academic collaboration and innovative research methodologies.
Professor Lambin pioneered integrative approaches that merge satellite remote sensing with ground-based socio-ecological studies to understand global land use transformations. His leadership of the international Land Use and Land Cover Change project from 1999 to 2005 established critical frameworks for analyzing human-environment interactions across diverse geographical contexts. His extensive fieldwork across Africa and tropical regions has provided foundational insights into deforestation drivers, forest transitions, and desertification processes that inform global sustainability policies. With over 215 peer-reviewed publications and recognition as a Highly Cited Researcher since 2014, his work has shaped the field of land system science through methodological innovations that bridge physical and social sciences. His research on how globalization affects land use has become essential reading for scholars addressing contemporary environmental challenges.
As a member of five national science academies including the U.S. National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Academy of Sciences of Belgium, Lambin has significantly influenced global environmental research agendas through his scholarly leadership. His recent ERC Advanced Grant in 2024 funds the LUIRET project analyzing land use implications of the renewable energy transition, addressing critical sustainability challenges at the intersection of climate policy and land management. Between 2021 and 2025, he contributed his expertise as a member of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors to the European Commission, providing evidence-based guidance on environmental policy. His influential book An Ecology of Happiness demonstrates his commitment to translating scientific insights for broader public understanding beyond academic circles. Currently focusing on how private and public policies can reduce tropical deforestation, his work continues to bridge rigorous scientific research with practical environmental solutions that address humanity's most pressing sustainability challenges.
