UK to invest £390m per year in innovation and research

The government has pledged to invest £390 million per year on research and innovation over the next four years. The money from the Department for International Development (DFID) will focus […]

The government has pledged to invest £390 million per year on research and innovation over the next four years.

The money from the Department for International Development (DFID) will focus on projects and technologies to help address global challenges including energy, climate change and water.

There will be “significant research investment” in those areas including how to deliver and put into use innovations in access to water and climate science, build resilience and integrate weather disaster risk reduction into development approaches and scale up access to clean energy.

The DFID will also work closely with BEIS to address those challenges.

Other areas of funding include tackling diseases, poverty and improving education.

DFID Secretary Priti Patel said: “The UK is a research super-power whose global leadership is changing and saving lives across the world.

“British innovation in fighting extreme poverty is more important than ever. That’s why I am determined to put top-quality research and evidence at the heart of UK aid. The UK in partnership with world-leading organisations can help address the great global challenges of today.”

Climate change will be part of the discussions at the Energy Live 2016 conference in London on Thursday. Find out more here and join in the discussions using #EL2016.

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