Natural Environment Research Council

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds world-class science that increases knowledge and understanding of the natural world. It addresses major environmental issues such as climate change, biodiversity and natural hazards.

Its goals are to:

• Enable society to respond urgently to global climate change and the increasing pressures on natural resources
• Contribute to UK leadership in predicting the regional and local impacts of environmental change from days to decades
• Create and support vibrant, integrated research communities

The Chief Executive, Professor Alan Thorpe, sits on the Board of UKCDS.

UKCDS Collaboration

NERC is joining other UKCDS members and stakeholders to overcome major environmental challenges of the 21st century which particularly threaten the livlihoods of the world's poorest people. Projects include: 

• Energy Programme
  Research to tackle the challenges involved in creating new energy technologies and understanding the social and economic implications.
• Living with Environmental Change
  A major interdisciplinary partnership to tackle environmental change.
• Global Uncertainties
  A programme to develop and support new multi-disciplinary research in response to global security challenges.
• Ecosystems Services for Poverty Alleviation (ESPA)
  Improving ecosystems management policies to help alleviate poverty in developing countries.