#PlanetPartners: Reading research to inform UK’s climate change strategy

Researchers at the University of Reading will provide climate data and analysis to help the UK government shape its strategy for adapting to climate change impacts and cutting emissions.

A £5m research programme announced by the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) brings together a consortium of universities and institutes to provide the government with the latest science to help it meet its climate change targets. This includes important contributions from the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS)at Reading.

The four-year Climate Services for a Net Zero Resilient World (CS-N0W) will inform the UK’s strategy to mitigate the effects of rising temperatures on our homes, make energy infrastructure more climate-resilient, and achieve net zero emissions by 2050 in order to meet the Paris Agreement commitment to limit global temperature rise to below 1.5°C.

Professor Rowan Sutton, NCAS Director of Climate Science at the University of Reading, said: “The challenges of climate change could not be more urgent.

“This new programme will provide the science, data and information the UK government needs to meet these unprecedented challenges. I am delighted that NCAS at Reading will be playing a key role.”

NCAS scientists will contribute to the evidence, advice, digital data and tools to inform policy-making as part of the government’s action plan to deliver a low-carbon, greener future.

The programme is being led by Ricardo, a global environmental consultancy. As well as NCAS, it is partnering with other institutes supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), including the National Oceanography Centre (NOC), British Antarctic Survey (BAS), British Geological Survey (BGS), National Centre for Earth Observation (NCEO), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) and the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH); as well as University College London and Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan, UK Climate and 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.”