Partners
Living with Environmental Change brings together 22 UK partner organisations that fund, undertake and use environmental research. It represents an unprecedented collaboration spanning research councils, government and business. The programme connects world-leading natural, engineering, economic, social, medical, cultural, arts, and humanities researchers with policy makers, business, the public, and other key stakeholders. The partnership will help ensure the UK provides international leadership and solutions to the challenges during this crucial period, as well as helping position the economies of all the countries of the UK to capitalise on emerging opportunities. 
As well as its core partners, Living with Environmental Change will also work with other business, branches of government, and third sector organisations. Click on any of the three broad categories below to view the Living with Environmental Change partners.
Research
Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
The Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) is one of seven Research Councils that work together as Research Councils UK (RCUK). It is funded from the Government's Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
Its current budget is £450M. It supports a total of around 1600 scientists and 2000 research students in universities and institutes in the UK.
Mission
To promote and support, by any means, high-quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training relating to the understanding and exploitation of biological systems.
To advance knowledge and technology (including the promotion and support of the exploitation of research outcomes), and provide trained scientists and engineers, which meet the needs of users and beneficiaries (including the agriculture, bioprocessing, chemical, food, healthcare, pharmaceutical and other biotechnological related industries), thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom and the quality of life.
Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) funds research and training in social and economic issues. It is an independent organisation, established by Royal Charter, but receives most of its funding through the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Its budget of £181 million (2007/2008) funds over 2,500 researchers in academic institutions and policy research institutes throughout the UK. It also support more than 2,000 postgraduate students.
The ESRC began in 1965 as the Social Science Research Council, comprising social science committees covering 14 disciplines ranging from anthropology to statistics. In 1983 the council was restructured under the new name of Economic and Social Research Council, focusing on six research areas: economic affairs, education and human development, environment and planning, government and law, industry and employment, and social affairs.
It has an international reputation both for providing high-quality research on issues of importance to business, the public sector and government, and for our commitment to training world-class social scientists. Nearly two-thirds of its budget (£105 million in 2007/2008) is allocated to research, and just under one-third (£56 million in 2007/2008) to postgraduate training.
The quality of life and economic well-being of the UK and its citizens are just two of the many policy-relevant issues addressed by its research and training activities. Comparative and international perspectives are strongly encouraged. For example, UK economic performance is increasingly dependent on the global economy, and economic distribution - both within and between countries and regions - is a major issue for social science research.
Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)
The Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) is the main UK government agency for funding research and training in engineering and the physical sciences, investing around £740 million a year in a broad range of subjects – from mathematics to materials science, and from information technology to structural engineering. The EPSRC's mission is to:
- Promote and support, by any means, high quality basic, strategic and applied research and related postgraduate training in engineering and the physical sciences.
- Advance knowledge and technology (including the promotion and support of the exploitation of research outcomes), and provide trained scientists and engineers, which meet the needs of users and beneficiaries (including the chemical, communications, construction, electrical, electronic, energy, engineering, information technology, pharmaceutical, process and other industries), thereby contributing to the economic competitiveness of the United Kingdom and our quality of life.
Medical Research Council (MRC)
The Medical Research Council (MRC) is a publicly-funded organisation dedicated to improving human health.
The MRC supports research across the entire spectrum of medical sciences, in universities and hospitals, in its own units and institutes in the UK, and in its units in Africa.
Mission
The heart of the MRC's mission is to improve human health through world-class medical research. To achieve this, the MRC supports research across the biomedical spectrum, from fundamental lab-based science to clinical trials, and in all major disease areas. The MRC works closely with the NHS and the UK Health Departments to deliver its mission, and gives a high priority to research that is likely to make a real difference to clinical practice and the health of the population.
Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds world-class science in universities and its own research centres that aim to increase knowledge and understanding of the natural world. NERC is tackling the 21st century's major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards. They lead in providing independent research and training in the environmental sciences.
Mission
The Natural Environment Research Council delivers independent research, survey, training and knowledge transfer in the environmental sciences, to advance knowledge of the planet as a complex, interacting system.
NERC's work covers the full range of atmospheric, earth, biological, terrestrial and aquatic sciences, from the deep oceans to the upper atmosphere, and from the poles to the equator.
NERC's mission is to gather and apply knowledge, create understanding and predict the behaviour of the natural environment and its resources, and communicate all aspects of its work.
Vision
NERC's vision is to advance knowledge and understanding of the Earth and its environments to help secure a sustainable future for the planet and its people.
Policy
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is a Government Department in the UK. Defra's overarching challenge is to secure a healthy environment in which we and future generations can prosper. As we move towards a low carbon, resource-efficient economy, Defra helps people to adapt to changes, deals with environmental risks and makes the most of the opportunities we now have to secure a sustainable society and a healthy environment. This will help see us through the difficult economic times, volatile food and energy prices and a changing climate which all make us more aware that we can’t take our environment for granted.
Department for International Development (DFID)
The Department for International Development is the part of the UK Government that manages Britain's aid to poor countries and works to get rid of extreme poverty. DFID is headed by a Cabinet minister, one of the senior ministers in the Government. This reflects how important the Government sees reducing poverty around the world. It has two headquarters (one in London; the other in East Kilbride) and 64 offices overseas. It also employs over 2500 staff, almost half of who work abroad. http://www.dfid.gov.uk/ 
Department for Transport (DFT)
The Department for Transport's aim is transport that works for everyone. This means a transport system which balances the needs of the economy, the environment and society. The Department for Transport provides leadership across the transport sector to achieve its objectives, working with regional, local and private sector partners to deliver many of the services. http://www.dft.gov.uk/
Department of Communities & Local Government (DCLG)
The Department for Communities & Local Government (DCLG) sets policy on local government, housing, urban regeneration, planning and fire and rescue. It has responsibility for all race equality- and community cohesion- related issues in England, as well as for building regulations, fire safety and some housing issues in England and Wales. The rest of its work applies only to England.
Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC)
The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) was created in October 2008, bringing together energy policy (previously with BERR - the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform) with climate change mitigation policy (previously with Defra - the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).
We face unprecedented challenges to our environment, our economy, and the future security of our energy supplies – and the decisions we make now will affect the planet and our way of life for generations to come.
DECC exists to tackle these challenges. Its creation reflects the fact that climate change and energy policies are inextricably linked – two thirds of our emissions come from the energy we use. Decisions in one field cannot be made without considering the impacts in the other.
Department of Health (DoH)
The Department of Health (DH) exists to improve the health and wellbeing of people in England.
http://www.dh.gov.uk/en/index.htm
Scottish Government
The devolved Government for Scotland is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education, justice, rural affairs, and transport. It manages an annual budget of more than £30 billion in 2007-2008. The Government was known as the Scottish Executive when it was established in 1999 following the first elections to the Scottish Parliament. The current administration was formed after elections in May 2007. The Scottish Government is led by a First Minister who is nominated by the Parliament and in turn appoints the other Scottish Ministers who make up the Cabinet. Civil servants in Scotland are accountable to Scottish Ministers, who are themselves accountable to the Scottish Parliament.
Welsh Assembly Government
The Welsh Assembly Government is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Wales, including the economy, health, education, and local government. The role of the Welsh Assembly Government is to exercise functions devolved to it in order to: make decisions on matters which affect people’s daily lives; develop and implement policy; make subordinate legislation (eg regulations and statutory guidance) and propose Assembly Measures (Welsh laws).
Delivery
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency is the leading public body for protecting and improving the environment in England and Wales. It is their job to make sure that air, land and water are looked after by everyone in today's society, so that tomorrow's generations inherit a cleaner, healthier world. Their long-term goal is for a rich, healthy and diverse environment for present and future generations. The Environment Agency wants people to have peace of mind, knowing that they live in a clean and safe environment, rich in wildlife and natural diversity - one they can enjoy to the full, but feel motivated to care for.
Forestry Commission
Our forests and woods can contribute so much to our nation. The Forestry Commission delivers practical programmes to make sure that, as communities and individuals, we can get the most from them.
The Forestry Commission is constantly looking for ways to share knowledge, plan activities and develop new initiatives to provide benefits for the economy and for our health and wellbeing.
Forestry Commission works with a whole range of partners from private sector landowners to sports clubs, local communities to national businesses, on a whole host of recreation, regeneration and educational schemes.
Responsibilities span research, commercial timber production, sustainability programmes and policy, as well as learning and leisure.
The goal is always to ensure that, at a practical level, Britain can use its forests to contribute positively to as many of the nation's needs as we can while sustaining this great resource for the future.
Local Government Association (LGA)
In 1997, local government came together and created the Local Government Association to be its voice in the national arena. Based in Westminster, close to the Houses of Parliament and Whitehall, the LGA is a voluntary lobbying organisation, acting as the voice of the local government sector, and an authoritative and effective advocate on its behalf. In fulfilling this role we target our efforts on the issues that matter most to councils, working with and on behalf of our membership to deliver our shared vision of an independent and confident local government sector, where local priorities drive public service improvement in every city, town and village and every councillor acts as a champion for their ward and for the people they represent.
Met Office
We are one of the world's leading providers of environmental and weather-related services. Our solutions and services meet the needs of many communities of interest... from the general public, government and schools, through broadcasters and online media, to civil aviation and almost every other industry sector - in the UK and around the world.
Natural England
Natural England is an independent public body whose purpose is to protect and improve England’s natural environment and encourage people to enjoy and get involved in their surroundings. Natural England's broad remit means that their reach extends across the country. They work with people such as farmers, town and country planners, researchers and scientists, and the general public on a range of schemes and initiatives. Put simply, their aim is to create a better natural environment that covers all of our urban, country and coastal landscapes, along with all of the animals, plants and other organisms that live with us.
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
The aim of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency is to protect, conserve and promote the natural environment and built heritage for the benefit of present and future generations.
Our vision is that we will have a healthy and well protected environment and heritage in Northern Ireland which contributes to the social and economic wellbeing of the whole community.
Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA)
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is Scotland’s environmental regulator. Their main role is to protect and improve the environment. They do this by being an excellent environmental regulator, helping business and industry to understand their environmental responsibilities, enabling customers to comply with legislation and good practice and to realise the many economic benefits of good environmental practice.
SEPA protects communities by regulating activities that can cause harmful pollution and by monitoring the quality of Scotland's air, land and water. The regulations they implement also cover the keeping and use, and the accumulation and disposal, of radioactive substances. They are also responsible for delivering Scotland's flood warning system, helping to implement Scotland's National Waste Strategy and controlling, with the Health and Safety Executive, the risk of major accidents at industrial sites. SEPA protects the environment and human health through the work of its 1,300 employees who cover a range of specialist areas including chemistry, ecology, environmental regulation, hydrology, engineering, quality control, planning, communications, business support and management functions. Its 22 offices enable them to work across the whole of Scotland from the Highlands and Islands to the Borders and their corporate office is in Stirling.
Technology Strategy Board
The Technology Strategy Board promotes innovation in many ways. Much of their work is in spreading knowledge, understanding policy, spotting opportunities and bringing people together to solve problems or make new advances. They also invest in and manage a range of delivery mechanisms and programmes to drive technology-enabled innovation.
To guide their work the Technology Strategy Board have identified technology areas and application areas where efforts are focused, with Innovation Platforms targeting specific areas of challenge. The Technology Strategy Board's role is to stimulate technology-enabled innovation in the areas which offer the greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity. They promote, support and invest in technology research, development and commercialisation. They spread knowledge, bringing people together to solve problems or make new advances.
The Technology Strategy Board advises Government on how to remove barriers to innovation and accelerate the exploitation of new technologies. They also work in areas where there is a clear potential business benefit, helping today's emerging technologies become the growth sectors of tomorrow.