08/06/2009: Press release £100 million for UK’s environmental challenges

A package of new research to help the UK prepare for the inevitable challenges of climate and environmental change has been announced today. £100 million is being invested in projects that will, among other things, tackle the spread of infectious diseases, produce resilient designs for cities and transport systems, and address the economic impacts of our changing environment.

This is the first set of research programmes to come under the Living With Environmental Change umbrella. The funding for the new research comes from the £1 billion committed in 2008 over the next ten years by the LWEC partners.

The research includes completely new programmes, such as the £6 million ARCC programme to enable the design of more resilient buildings, transport and water systems in cities. It contributes to established programmes such as the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. It also includes the development of new activities, such as ensuring that the technological, economic and social advances needed to combat environmental changes are acceptable to the public.

Living With Environmental Change is the biggest environmental research programme ever undertaken in the UK, and is revolutionising the way science is carried out. It allows a much closer relationship between the researchers and their ‘customers’ – who are decision makers in government, NGOs and businesses – and raises their understanding of both the societal and scientific needs that should be addressed when making policy decisions.

Science and Innovation Minister, Lord Drayson said: “Tackling climate change is the biggest challenge of our generation. Through this groundbreaking research programme, the public will benefit from the development of innovative green technologies that will tackle climate change while enhancing their quality of life, and motivate all of us to tackle this challenge.”

Director of LWEC, Professor Andrew Watkinson commented: “Living With Environmental Change aims to make sure that organisations funding, undertaking and using environmental research work efficiently and effectively together to provide value for money and help stimulate the green economy.”

Living With Environmental Change is looking at environmental changes at a range of scales from the local to the global. Some of the most significant challenges will undoubtedly occur in developing countries. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment showed that the loss of services from ecosystems (for example deforestation, soil degradation, water purification) is a significant barrier to reducing poverty, hunger and disease. LWEC is funding the development of Ecosystem Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA), a programme that aims to help reduce poverty and improve the wellbeing of people living in developing countries.

The LWEC partners’ board meets today (8 June) to decide on the next set of priorities for research funding. The board will be looking for research that will help the UK to deliver a low carbon economy, ensure food, water and security for people, and increase the resilience of vulnerable people, places and infrastructure.