Ralph Chapman

BE, MPA, PhD
Adjunct Professor, Victoria University of Wellington
Ralph Chapman

Ralph has worked on climate change mitigation – ways to cut carbon emissions – since 1988, in the context of cities, transport, housing and urban planning. He’s also worked on environmental management and economics. He stepped down in 2021 after 16 years as Director of Environmental Studies at VUW. His current projects include the carbon footprint of public housing; and how to transition our cities to zero carbon.

Ralph's significant recent research studies include:

  • The PHUR programme, addressing the outcomes of public housing provision for urban regeneration and wellbeing (current study, funded by MBIE’s Endeavour Fund).
  • A research commission from the OECD on transitioning cities to zero carbon.
  • The ACTIVE project addressing the impact of investment in walking and cycling infrastructure on encouraging active travel, and reducing car use (papers include a cost-benefit study; and a paper on overall intervention study results).

Related Links

Key publications

  1. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Crane, J.
    Keall, M.
    Pierse, N.
    Baker. M. Cunningham, C Amore, K
    Aspinall, C
    Bennett, J.
    Bierre, S.
    Boulic, M
    Chapman, R.
    Chisholm, E.
    Davies, C.
    Fougere, G.
    Fraser, B.
    Fyfe, C.
    Grant, L.
    Grimes, A.
    Halley, C
    Logan-Riley, A.
    Nathan, K
    Olin, C.
    Ombler, J.
    O’Sullivan, K.
    Pehi, T.
    Penny, G.
    Phipps, R
    Plagmann, M.
    Randal, E.
    Riggs, L.
    Robson, B.
    Ruru, J Shaw, Caroline
    Schrader, B.
    Teariki, M.
    Telfar-Barnard, L.
    Tiatia, R.
    Toy-Cronin, B Tupara, H
    Viggers, H.
    Wall, T.
    Wilkie, M
    Woodward, A.
    Zhang, W
    He Kāinga Oranga: reflections on 25 years of measuring the improved health, wellbeing and sustainability of healthier housing.
    Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand,
    Online.
  4. Ürge-Vorsatz, D.
    Chapman, R.
    1.5°C of Global Warming: Can We Still Get There? Insights from the Urban Development Sector.
    In L. Grant, H. Viggers & P. Howden-Chapman (Eds.), Improving Buildings, Cutting Carbon.
    Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts, Aotearoa
  10. Hasan, M. A.
    Chapman, R.
    Frame, D. J.
    Acceptability of Transport Emissions Reduction Policies: A Multi-Criteria Analysis.
    Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews,
    133, 110298.
  18. Hasan M.A. Frame D.J.
    Chapman, R.
    Archie K.M.
    Emissions from the road transport sector of New Zealand: key drivers and challenges.
    Environmental Science and Pollution Research
    26(23), 23937–23957
  19. Archie, K.
    Chapman, R.
    Flood, S.
    Climate change response in New Zealand communities: Local scale adaptation and mitigation planning.
    Environmental Development
    28, 19-31
  23. Dodge, N.
    Chapman, R.
    Investigating recruitment and completion mode biases in online and door to door electronic surveys.
    International Journal of Social Research Methodology
    21(2).
  29. Chapman, R.
    Preval, N.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    How economic analysis can contribute to understanding the links between housing and health.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health
    14, 9.
  32. Randal, E.
    Keall, M.
    Shaw, C. Russell, M.
    Woodward, A.
    Chapman, R.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Why New Zealand transport policy needs to encourage walking and cycling.
    In L Early & P Howden-Chapman (Eds.), Cities in New Zealand: Preferences, patterns and possibilities.
    (pp.107-114). Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts Aotearoa.
  34. Sobiecki, L.
    Chapman, R.
    The future of Wellington’s bus fleet: The environmental and health implications of different upgrade options for Wellington’s bus fleet.
    NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities Policy Paper
    Victoria University of Wellington & NZ Centre for Sustainable Cities, May 2016
  38. Keall, M.
    Chapman, R.
    Howden-Chapman, P.
    Witten, K.
    Abrahamse, W.
    Woodward, A.
    Muggeridge, D. Beetham, J. Grams, M.
    Increasing active travel: results of a quasi-experimental pre-post study of an intervention to encourage walking and cycling.
    Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health
    doi:10.1136/jech-2015-205466
  40. Howden-Chapman, P.
    Stuart, K.
    Chapman, R.
    (Eds.),
    Sizing up the City: Urban form and transport in New Zealand.
    Wellington, New Zealand: Steele Roberts, Aotearoa

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