The UK government has announced a new £5m (US$6.9m) research program which aims to step up the country’s resilience to the impacts of climate change, such as flooding, heatwaves and extreme weather storms.
Providing high-quality scientific research and analysis, the four-year program – 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 and Hydrology.
This will ensure the UK is able to respond to the impacts a warming planet will have on national infrastructure. This includes heat waves causing record temperatures in buildings, extreme weather damage to power stations and electricity networks, and flooding impacting communities.
The program 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.
To ensure that emissions are cut around the world, the scheme will also provide models for how the UK can reduce carbon emissions globally. This will build on the UK government’s work with other countries to develop decarbonization strategies – supporting overseas nations reduce their carbon footprints while building resilience and protecting their populations.
UK climate and energy minister and international adaptation and resilience COP26 champion Anne-Marie Trevelyan, said, “This new program 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.”
The 4-year UK government research program will improve the UK’s resilience to climate change by enhancing scientific understanding of climate impacts, decarbonization and climate action. It will provide transformative advice, digital data, and technology such as data visualization tools, providing critical evidence and expertise to inform the government’s action plan to reach net zero and deliver a thriving, low carbon, greener future.