NERC Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change Hub

Funding to establish a coordination and translation hub for the UKRI-Defra co-funded maximising UK adaptation to climate change programme.

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) has launched this opportunity with funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The opportunity will finance a single coordination and translation hub for the UKRI-Defra co-funded maximising UK adaptation to climate change programme. The hub will provide evidence about how to increase the resilience of people, ecosystems and infrastructure in the UK to cascading climate impacts.

The hub will address the following three key themes through its activities and any projects funded via its flexible fund:

1. Skills, partnerships and knowledge transfer.
2. Data and information.
3. Implementing effective and sustainable UK climate adaptation.

The hub will convene a transdisciplinary team of academics, policymakers, external practitioners and other relevant experts to inform UK adaptation to climate change, whilst benefitting people, the economy and nature. It will work in close partnership with local and national government departments, devolved administrations, industry, civic organisations and other stakeholders to provide evidence that will underpin policy development in climate resilience and adaptation and support the NAP3.

Specifically, the hub will:

• Exchange and integrate knowledge: adding value by working across all elements of the programme and interfacing with other relevant investments, ensuring research findings of the hub and research projects, once awarded, are aligned with policy and practice needs, and communicated effectively.
• Engage stakeholders: building strong links to stakeholders, identifying opportunities for co-production and learning, and ensuring collaboration across disciplines, sectors and through public engagement.
• Develop capacity and capability: provide opportunities that will help the UK to respond to climate shocks by identifying and developing the skills and expertise needed.
• Ensure cohesion across the wider climate adaptation programme, including the research projects, to deliver clear and consistent messaging and policy recommendations which consider all findings and perspectives, for example, workshops, evidence synthesis, convening, placements.
• Fund new research: provide opportunities for rapid research that responds to urgent policy questions to be funded through a flexible fund aiming to deliver real world impact.

Funding is available for up to three years.