THE PROJECT

This project focuses on the role of research in the challenge to transition the UK to net zero.

Academic support and frameworks are essential to provide the best available scientific evidence to provide independent analysis to articulate available options and to base investment decisions upon.

The UK is home to some of the leading thinkers on climate change, but the academic community has never spoken with a coordinated voice. Therefore, clear explanation of the evidence base is important. Today some external stakeholders struggle to access and exploit academic research.

This project seeks to address this issue.

The project will articulate a consensus identifying urgent initial steps and a longer-term strategy for delivering net zero. It will apply a whole system approach because we need to understand the costs and benefits of different technologies, systems design and decarbonisation pathways. There is a need to understand how the constituent parts of the energy system might interact and collaborate to transition to net zero.

The project aims to build a trusting relationship between industry, academia and government about net zero aiming to guide decision makers with the best academic evidence available.

It is an 18-month project funded by the UK Research and Innovation Energy & Decarbonisation Programme. It is led by Professor John Barrett from the University of Leeds Sustainability Research Institute, Professor Nick Pidgeon from Cardiff University’s School of Psychology and Dr Mike Colechin of Cultivate Innovation Limited.