NERC has today (Monday 2 June) launched a 10-year framework that sets out a transformative vision for the future of environmental research and innovation in the UK.
The Forward Look for Environmental Science has been published as the research funder marks its 60th birthday.
This framework will guide the Natural Environment Research Council’s (NERC) funding and strategic decisions over the next decade, ensuring that UK environmental science remains world-leading and fit for the future.
Supporting UK priorities
NERC will ensure environmental science in the UK plays a crucial role in driving economic growth, improving lives and adapting to climate change.
It will help develop solutions for biodiversity decline, climate change and pollution of our air, seas and land.
The framework supports the UK government’s ambition for a long-term, whole-systems approach to research investment, with science embedded in all areas of policymaking.
Why this matters?
New discoveries and technologies in environmental science are crucial to the UK’s prosperity and wellbeing.
Professor Louise Heathwaite, Executive Chair of NERC, said: “As the leading funder of environmental research and innovation in the UK, NERC has launched this ambitious framework for what will be a transformative decade. The Forward Look reflects our determination to drive innovation and growth, improve the UK’s environmental security in a changing world and support the talented people whose curiosity pushes our field forward. Working with our community and partners in the UK and internationally, the funding investments we make will deliver the best outcomes for the country and its citizens.”
Posted On: 02/06/2025
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