UK launches £5m programme for climate resilience research

The four-year research programme will help inform future climate policy and ensure Britain can respond to the impacts of a warming planet on national infrastructure

The UK Government has announced fresh funding worth £5 million for research into helping the country adapt and become more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

The four-year ‘Climate Services for a Net Zero Resilient World’ research programme, led by a consortium of some of the leading authorities in environmental science including University College London and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, will help inform future climate policy.

It is expected to help ensure the UK can respond to the impacts of a warming planet on national infrastructure, including heatwaves causing record temperatures in buildings, extreme weather damage to power stations and electricity networks and flooding impacting communities.

The programme will also engage with local authorities on climate action plans, equipping them with information on how to help households cope with extreme temperatures and identifying low cost and low carbon measures.

In addition, it will provide models on how the UK can reduce carbon emissions globally as well as critical evidence and expertise to inform the government’s action plan to reach net zero by 2050.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, Climate & Energy Minister and International Adaption and Resilience COP26 Champion said: “Climate change poses a threat to both our way of life and the safety of our nation. The climate decisions taken by the government now and over these crucial next few years, are vital to protect our homes, our wellbeing and our future.

“This new programme brings together the brightest and best climate scientists, universities and research institutions from across the country to provide us with the latest tools, advice and research to inform future climate policies at a national and local level. This research will be vital to ensure we’re making the best possible choices on our journey to net zero, making certain the UK is adaptable and more resilient to the effects of climate change.”

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