New £5 million climate research programme

The government is launching a new £5 million research programme to step up the UK’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, such as flooding, heatwaves and extreme weather storms.

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

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

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK Climate & Energy Minister, 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 well-being, 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.”