Research topics include: air pollution, biodiversity, chemical risks in the environment, extreme weather events, droughts, floods, greenhouse gas emissions, soil health, sustainable agriculture, sustainable ecosystems, water quality, and water resources management.

[2] The centre manages an urban atmospheric pollution observatory at the top of BT Tower in London.

[5] The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) was formally established in March 1994 by John Krebs, the then chief executive of NERC.

CEH expanded and by 1999 there were some 600 staff and about 300 students linked to the universities, with most registered for post-graduate qualification.

In December 2019, following UK Government approval, the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology became autonomous from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), launching as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee with charitable status on 1 December that year.