research climate change centre

• Twitter (X)

Climate Change Research Centre

We raise awareness by researching the impacts and risks of climate change to create a better climate future.

Follow CCRC on Facebook

UNSW CCRC is a multi-disciplinary research centre comprising one of the largest university research facilities of its kind in Australia, administered within the  School of BEES  in the Faculty of Science.

CCRC houses research expertise in the key areas of Earth's climate: atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial processes. We apply basic scientific principles to pressing questions on climate dynamics, global climate change, and extremes of weather and climate.

View our Climate Change Research Centre Strategic Plan 2022-26

View our 2022 Annual Report

Vision statement

The CCRC is a world-leading research centre in physical and biogeochemical climate science, and educates the Australian and global community about risks associated with climate variability and change.

Recent research

Conclusions on the evolving risk of drought

What is left in the global carbon budget?

Intergovernmental panel on climate change 6th assessment report

Latest news, dangerous climate tipping points will affect australia. the risks are real and cannot be ignored.

We don't yet fully understand what global climate tipping points mean for Australia. But we know enough to conclude the impacts of passing one or more tipping points must now be considered.

Yes, it's getting more humid in summer. Here's why

How’s the humidity? Australia’s east coast has been hit by intense humidity this summer. Here’s why – and why it’s a risk

When floodwaters reach the sea, they can leave a 50m thick layer of brown water – and cause real problems

Floodwaters pulsing into the sea normally clear within six days. But the 2022 floods in eastern Australia were different.

As Australia’s net zero transition threatens to stall, rooftop solar could help provide the power we need

Australia leads the world in rooftop solar per head. Can this small-scale power source be the secret weapon to fire up our struggling transition to net zero?

How can I keep cooler at home this summer? We asked an urban heat expert

Dr Negin Nazarian, a researcher in urban heat from UNSW Sydney, shares her expertise to help us keep cool at home.

Address Climate Change Research Centre Level 4, Mathews Building The University of New South Wales Sydney NSW 2052

Phone: +61 2 9385 9766 Email:  [email protected]

Follow us on Facebook

Jump to navigation

Search form

• From the Director
• Job Opportunities

MIT Center for Global Change Science affiliates include: the  MIT School of Science ;  MIT School of Engineering ;  Earth, Atmospheric & Planetary Sciences (EAPS) ;  Civil & Evironmental Engineering (CEE) ; Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (EECS) ;  Engineering Systems Division (ESD) , and  Biology .

• Atmospheric Chemistry and Large-Scale Circulation
• Biogeochemistry of Greenhouse Gases and Reflective Aerosols
• Convection, Atmospheric Water Vapor, and Cloud Formation
• Land Surface Hydrology and Hydrology-Vegetation Coupling
• Oceans, Ocean-Atmospheric Coupling, and Carbon Cycling
• Climate Modeling Initiative
• Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change
• All Publications
• Journal Articles
• CGCS Reports
• Student Theses
• Conference Papers

Recent Publications

• Talks & Presentations
• MIT OpenCourseWare
• Climate Change FAQs
• Links & Resources

For MIT Students

• Suggested Courses & Degree Programs
• Independent Activities Period
• Student Groups & Activities

CGCS Directory

• All Personnel
• Research Staff
• Administration
• Collaborators

Featured Profile

MIT CGCS forms a better understanding of Earth’s climate while facilitating the prediction of climate change. We are an interdisciplinary bridge spanning the  MIT School of Science  & the  MIT School of Engineering .

Our Activities

Our areas of Research

We use cookies. Read more about them in our Privacy Policy .

• Accept site cookies
• Reject site cookies

About the Institute

The Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment was established by the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2008 to create a world-leading multidisciplinary centre for policy-relevant research and training on climate change and the environment, bringing together international expertise from across LSE and beyond, including on economics, finance, geography, the environment, science, law, international relations, development and political science.

Vision, purpose and principles

The Institute’s vision is a sustainable, inclusive and resilient world.

The Institute’s purpose is to accelerate the transition, and remove obstacles, to a sustainable, inclusive and resilient world.

The mission of the Institute is to pursue its vision and purpose by:

• increasing knowledge and understanding by performing world-class multidisciplinary research on climate change and the environment;
• promoting better informed decision-making about climate change and the environment by engaging with a wide range of key stakeholders and audiences around the world; and
• educating and training new generations of researchers and professionals.

The Institute’s principles are:

• Independence: We carry out multidisciplinary research and other work without interference from our sponsors and supporters.
• Rigour: We base our research findings and views on robust evidence and reasoning, and not on ideology.
• Internationalism: We are located in the UK, but we aim to advance understanding and inform decision-making across the world.
• Leadership: We seek to guide thinking, discussion and decision-making in the UK and beyond on effective solutions to global environmental challenges.
• Collaboration: We are committed to working effectively together and with our partners in the UK and across the world.
• Engagement: We work constructively with decision-makers among the public, businesses and policy-makers.
• Fulfillment: we seek to create an environment in which staff and students can flourish and achieve their full potential, to the benefit of themselves and the Institute.

The activities of the Grantham Research Institute are funded by the Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and a number of other sources .

15th anniversary video

This video was produced in November 2023 to mark the 15th anniversary of the founding of the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the London School of Economics. The video features Professor Lord Nicholas Stern (Chair of the Institute) and Professor Elizabeth Robinson (Director of the Institute).

The video outlines three major global challenges we currently face: the climate crisis, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation. This is followed by an introduction to the work of the Grantham Research Institute during which the two presenters outline some of the pioneering ways in which we’re seeking to confront these challenges.

Queen’s Anniversary Prize

In November 2021 the Grantham Research Institute at LSE was awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its excellence and innovation. The Prizes are the highest national honour that a further and higher educational institution in the UK can receive. They recognise work carried out by UK universities and colleges which showcases quality and innovation and delivers real benefit to the wider world through education and training. The Institute was described as playing, “a leading international role in the economics, investment policy and legislation essential for the implementation of practical measures to address climate change.”

10th anniversary publications

The Grantham Research Institute at 10: Analysis, engagement, leadership

Since its inception in 2008, the Grantham Research Institute has established a world-leading reputation for research and policy analysis on environmental problems, with a focus on climate change.

This publication reviews the highlights of the last 10 years in key research areas and describes how aspects of this work will be extended. Institute staff describe the impacts of their work, from contributing to international negotiations and carbon market reform to building a unique knowledge resource on climate laws and informing decision-making on resilience in developing countries.

The publication features testimonials from prominent figures in the fight against climate change, from governments, international institutions and academia, as well as Institute alumni who have gone on to develop their work in particularly interesting and influential directions.

Download the publication here

Implementing the global agenda on climate change and sustainable development: Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment 2019–24

The next five to 10 years will determine whether or not the world makes a successful transition to inclusive, sustainable growth. In this pamphlet the Grantham Research Institute sets out how it will provide businesses and governments with the research and analysis they need to make better informed decisions about climate action and sustainable development. It presents the Institute’s priorities for 2019–24 in the areas of academic research, policy analysis, and engagement with decision-makers.

Sign up to our newsletter

The latest science on climate change? Here is what the Joint Research Centre is doing at COP26

At COP26 this year, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre is co/-organising no fewer than eleven side events, as well as launching new tools and presenting several reports covering a wide range of climate-related activities.

Side events with JRC during COP26

• The Joint Research Centre (JRC) will present a new tool, the Composite Indicators & Scoreboards Explorer , that aggregates existing scoreboards and indicators on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including climate actions and other environment goals, in the standalone event “Too much data: How can the composite indicators and scoreboards explorer help you?” The tool will help policymakers, researchers, journalists and stakeholders to improve the way they track progress on SDGs in countries around the world.
• At the event “Climate Adaptation enabled through the Copernicus Services and international cooperate,” the JRC will show how the Copernicus Emergency Management Service provides on-demand details from climate change-induced natural disasters around the world.
• JRC scientists will demonstrate how solar photovoltaics could become our major global energy source and argue for stronger representation of the technology in climate and energy models, at “The role of Photovoltaics for the Global Energy Transition – Requirements and a spotlight on Africa”.
• The JRC will raise awareness on the increasing potential of Earth Observation (EO) for addressing climate change mitigation, and present the Global Human Settlement Layer , a tool-set designed to assess human presence on the planet. EO provides a global, objective and transparent evidence base on which to develop, implement and assess mitigation policies, and will be discussed in the “EO for Climate Action: Mitigation, REDD+, and the Global Stocktake” event.
• Key findings of the upcoming 2021 Global Energy and Climate Outlook (GECO) will be showcased at “Connecting the dots: From ambition raising to mission zero”. This side event will provide an up-to-date assessment on global climate policy commitments, debate how the world can get closer to the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement, and set out which important steps still need to be taken.
• JRC scientists will debate the role and potential impact of financing, with a special focus on green bonds and macroeconomic policy in developing economies at the event “Building blocks for transformative climate action”.
• The latest estimates of sectorial greenhouse gas (GHG) footprints will be presented at “Options for climate-neutral transition towards sustainable food systems and forest management”, building on the two global databases , EDGAR-FOOD and EDGAR-LULUCF , and addressing potential effects of reducing food waste and changing diets via a global simulation model, MAGNET ( latest article ).
• A new JRC paper in Nature climate change will be presented during the “Land for climate and biodiversity: scientific challenges and highlights from EU-China cooperation” event. The paper advocates like-with-like comparisons between global models and national GHG inventories for accurate progress assessments.
• JRC will also organise a standalone event with international experts to present the global dimension of the New European Bauhaus for the first time. The discussion will reflect on how citizens and communities around the world can get involved, exchange ideas and cooperate, in the side event called “New European Bauhaus: a global dimension”.
• The JRC will contribute to bring fairness to the core of climate policy discussions in the event “Just Transition: Putting People & Fairness at the Heart of the Transition to Climate Neutrality”. Specifically we will raise awareness on the need to introduce tailored instruments to protect the most vulnerable households against temporary energy poverty during the green energy transition.
• The side event “How education can support transition towards a climate neutral society” will bring together members of the education community and those involved in climate projects. Here, the European Commission will present the EU approach on Education for Environmental Sustainability which includes the set-up of an Education for Climate Coalition to be launched on the first Education for Climate Day , 25 November.
• Finally, our scientists will reveal the main findings of a new JRC Science for Policy report on climate-induced displacement in Africa, published in conjunction with the COP26 session. This will happen during the side event “Climate impacts as drivers of displacement: science, human rights and policy response” and the JRC presentation will shed light on the connection between climate change and net migration , as well as the importance of local adaptation measures.

Register on Cop26 side event website to watch all JRC side events and more.

Recent JRC reports and tools linked to climate action

• Several JRC scientists contributed to the recent Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). As lead authors, they provided and coordinated the assessments on drivers of climate changes , the construction of regional climate information and contributed to several other chapters.
• The upcoming 2021 Global Energy and Climate Outlook takes stock of updates in nationally determined contributions and, for the first time, assesses how recently announced long-term strategies by major world economies – which include certain net-zero emission targets – will affect the global effort for the low-carbon transition. GECO is a vital instrument for policy and decision makers to help them finding the way towards climate neutrality.
• An independent estimate of greenhouse gas emissions for each country in the world is provided in the recently published the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research (EDGAR) report . The estimates are based on robust and consistent methodology stemming from the latest IPCC guidelines and most recent activity data. EDGAR is complementary to national inventories reported by EU Member States.
• The JRC conducts research on Natural Capital Accounting, proposing ways to systematically track the interaction between the economic context and natural resources to support a better management of the EU’s natural capital. In a special issue of Ecosystem Services, the JRC and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) presented some lessons learned .
• The JRC developed the first web-based tool - eConservation - mapping biodiversity conservation funding coming from the EU and other international donors. The tool can monitor effective spending of funds and will help decision makers identify where the needs are and assess the impact of their actions over time.
• A series of reports published by the JRC contributed to shaping the recent Fit for 55 package proposed by the European Commission, like residential building energy renovation , an assessment of heating and cooling , and a report on alternative to fuel transport . The JRC also launched an online tool to compare energy consumption and sources scenarios.
• Evidence to help inform the design of the European Green Bond Standard was recently put forward by a JRC financial analysis , a new standard that would enhance the effectiveness, transparency, comparability and credibility of the green bond market.
• The economic costs of heatwaves and a better resilience on drought were also recently analysed by scientists of the JRC.
• The JRC recently proposed as well a method for improving the assessment of collective progress towards the Paris Agreement’s goal.
• Moreover, the Joint Research Centre is committed to the “ Sevilla process ”, a proven participatory, transparent, consensus-based approach to develop and establish environmental criteria and standards in EU policies and legislation, on the basis of sound scientific and techno-economic information, data, and evidence involving all types of stakeholders. It has been developed and implemented by JRC over 20 years and covers a number of environmental policy fields, thus having the potential to be a cornerstone in supporting the green transition.

To read all the news on science on climate change, please visit the related sections on the JRC Science Hub .

Related Content

European Union side events

Share this page

Suggested Searches

Climate change.

• Expedition 64
• Mars perseverance
• SpaceX Crew-2
• International Space Station
• View All Topics A-Z

Humans in Space

Earth & climate, the solar system, the universe, aeronautics, learning resources, news & events.

NASA Tests Technology, Practices Artemis Moonwalks in Arizona Desert

Mission Manager Update: VIPER Rover Approved to Move into Environmental Testing!

How ‘Glowing’ Plants Could Help Scientists Predict Flash Drought

• Search All NASA Missions
• A to Z List of Missions
• Upcoming Launches and Landings
• Spaceships and Rockets
• Communicating with Missions
• James Webb Space Telescope
• Hubble Space Telescope
• Why Go to Space
• Astronauts Home
• Commercial Space
• Destinations
• Living in Space
• Explore Earth Science
• Earth, Our Planet
• Earth Science in Action
• Earth Multimedia
• Earth Science Researchers
• Pluto & Dwarf Planets
• Asteroids, Comets & Meteors
• The Kuiper Belt
• The Oort Cloud
• Skywatching
• The Search for Life in the Universe
• Black Holes
• The Big Bang
• Dark Energy & Dark Matter
• Earth Science
• Planetary Science
• Astrophysics & Space Science
• The Sun & Heliophysics
• Biological & Physical Sciences
• Lunar Science
• Citizen Science
• Astromaterials
• Aeronautics Research
• Human Space Travel Research
• Science in the Air
• NASA Aircraft
• Flight Innovation
• Supersonic Flight
• Air Traffic Solutions
• Green Aviation Tech
• Drones & You
• Technology Transfer & Spinoffs
• Space Travel Technology
• Technology Living in Space
• Manufacturing and Materials
• Science Instruments
• For Kids and Students
• For Educators
• For Colleges and Universities
• For Professionals
• Science for Everyone
• Requests for Exhibits, Artifacts, or Speakers
• STEM Engagement at NASA
• NASA's Impacts
• Centers and Facilities
• Directorates
• Organizations
• People of NASA
• Internships
• Our History
• Doing Business with NASA
• Get Involved
• Aeronáutica
• Ciencias Terrestres
• Sistema Solar
• All NASA News
• Video Series on NASA+
• Newsletters
• Social Media
• Media Resources
• Upcoming Launches & Landings
• Virtual Events
• Sounds and Ringtones
• Interactives
• STEM Multimedia

Hubble Views the Dawn of a Sun-like Star 

Eleasa Kim: Pioneering CLDP Payload Operations and Cultural Integration

Station Science 101 | Research in Microgravity: Higher, Faster, Longer

NASA Teammates Recall Favorite Memories Aboard Flying Laboratory

Meet NASA Women Behind World’s Largest Flying Laboratory

Binoculars: A Great First Telescope

NASA’s New Mobile Launcher Stacks Up for Future Artemis Missions 

C.26 Rapid Mission Design Studies for Mars Sample Return Correction and Other Documents Posted

The Big Event, 2024

Hubble Glimpses a Star-Forming Factory

Amendment 13: Due Date Delay and FAQ Posted for A.58 Increasing Participation of Minority Serving Institutions in Earth Science Surface-Based Measurement Networks

NASA Licenses 3D-Printable Superalloy to Benefit US Economy

Tech Today: A NASA-Inspired Bike Helmet with Aerodynamics of a Jet  

Tech Today: NASA’s Ion Thruster Knowhow Keeps Satellites Flying

NASA Selects Commercial Service Studies to Enable Mars Robotic Science

Latest Join Artemis News and Features

NASA Challenge Gives Artemis Generation Coders a Chance to Shine

Diez maneras en que los estudiantes pueden prepararse para ser astronautas

Astronauta de la NASA Marcos Berríos

Resultados científicos revolucionarios en la estación espacial de 2023

Climate change research.

Science in Space: April 2024

Everyone on Earth is touched by the effects of climate change, such as hotter temperatures, shifts in rain patterns, and sea level rise. Collecting climate data helps communities better plan for these changes and build more resilience to them.

The International Space Station, one of dozens of NASA missions contributing to this effort, has multiple instruments collecting various types of climate-related data. Because the station’s orbit passes over 90 percent of Earth’s population and circles the planet 16 times each day, these instruments have views of multiple locations at different times of day and night. The data inform climate decisions and help scientists understand and solve the challenges created by climate change.

While crew members have little involvement in the ongoing operation of these instruments, they do play a critical role in unpacking hardware when it arrives at the space station and in assembling and installing the instruments via spacewalks or using the station’s robotic arm.

One investigation on the orbiting lab that contributes to efforts to monitor and address climate change is ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station ( ECOSTRESS ). It provides thermal infrared measurements of Earth’s surface that help answer questions about water stress in plants and how specific regions respond to climate change. Research confirmed the accuracy of ECOSTRESS surface estimates 1 and found that the process of photosynthesis in plants begins to fail at 46.7 degrees C (114 degrees F). 2 Average temperatures have increased 0.5 degrees C per decade in some tropical regions, and temperature extremes are becoming more pronounced. Rainforests are a primary producer of oxygen and, without sufficient mitigation of the effects of climate change, leaf temperatures in these tropical forests soon could approach this failure threshold.

The Total and Spectral Solar Irradiance Sensor ( TSIS ) measures total solar irradiance (TSI) and solar spectral irradiance (SSI). TSI is the total solar energy input to Earth and SSI measures the Sun’s energy in individual wavelengths. Energy from the Sun drives atmospheric and oceanic circulations on Earth, and knowing its magnitude and variability is essential to understanding Earth’s climate. Researchers verified the instrument’s performance and showed that it made more accurate measurements than previous instruments. 3,4 TSIS maintains a continuity of nearly 40 years of data on solar irradiance from space-based observations.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

The Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation ( GEDI ) observes global forests and topography using light detection and ranging (lidar). These observations could provide insight into important carbon and water cycling processes, biodiversity, and habitat. One study used GEDI data to estimate pan-tropical and temperate biomass densities at the national level for every country observed and the sub-national level for the United States. 5

Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation ( EMIT ) determines the type and distribution of minerals in the dust of Earth’s arid regions using an imaging spectrometer. Mineral dust affects local warming and cooling, air quality, rate of snow melt, and ocean plankton growth. Researchers demonstrated that data from EMIT also can be used to identify and monitor specific sources of methane and carbon dioxide emissions. Carbon dioxide and methane are the primary human-caused drivers of climate change. Increasing emissions in areas with poor reporting requirements create significant uncertainty in the global carbon budget. 6 The high spatial resolution of EMIT data could allow precise monitoring even of sources that are close together.

The station’s Orbiting Carbon Observatory-3 ( OCO-3 ) collects data on global carbon dioxide during sunlit hours, mapping emissions of targeted local hotspots. This type of satellite-based remote sensing helps assess and verify emission reductions included in national and global plans and agreements. Monitoring by OCO-3 and the Italian Space Agency’s PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa (PRISMA) satellite of 30 coal-fired power plants between 2021 and 2022 showed agreement with on-site observations. 7 This result suggests that under the right conditions, satellites can provide reliable estimates of emissions from discreet sources. Combustion for power and other industrial uses account for an estimated 59% of global human-caused carbon dioxide emissions.

The Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment III-ISS ( SAGE III-ISS ) measures ozone and other gases and tiny particles in the atmosphere, called aerosols, that together act as Earth’s sunscreen. The instrument can distinguish between clouds and aerosols in the atmosphere. A study showed that aerosols dominate Earth’s tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere, a transition region between the two atmospheric levels. Continuous monitoring and identification of these layers of the atmosphere helps quantify their effect on Earth’s climate. 8

An early remote sensing system, ISS SERVIR Environmental Research and Visualization System ( ISERV ), captured images of Earth at pre-programmed intervals through a window in the space station with high-quality optics, known as the Window Observational Research Facility ( WORF ). Researchers reported that this type of Earth observation is critical for applications such as mapping land use and assessing carbon biomass and ocean health. 9

John Love, ISS Research Planning Integration Scientist Expedition 71

Search this database of scientific experiments to learn more about those mentioned above.

1 Weidberg N, Lopez Chiquillo L, Roman S, Roman M, Vazquez E, et al. Assessing high resolution thermal monitoring of complex intertidal environments from space: The case of ECOSTRESS at Rias Baixas, NW Iberia. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment. 2023 November; 32101055. DOI: 10.1016/j.rsase.2023.101055.

2 Doughty CE, Keany JM, Wiebe BC, Rey-Sanchez C, Carter KR, et al. Tropical forests are approaching critical temperature thresholds. Nature. 2023 August 23; 621105-111. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06391-z.

3 Richard EC, Harber D, Coddington OM, Drake G, Rutkowski J, et al. SI-traceable spectral irradiance radiometric characterization and absolute calibration of the TSIS-1 Spectral Irradiance Monitor (SIM). Remote Sensing. 2020 January; 12(11): 1818. DOI:  10.3390/rs12111818.

4 Coddington OM, Richard EC, Harber D, Pilewskie P, Chance K, et al. The TSIS-1 hybrid solar reference spectrum. Geophysical Research Letters. 2021 April 26; 48(12): e2020GL091709. DOI:  10.1029/2020GL091709

5 Dubayah R, Armston J, Healey S, Bruening JM, Patterson PL, et al. GEDI launches a new era of biomass inference from space. Environmental Research Letters. 2022 August; 17(9): 095001. DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/ac8694.

6 Thorpe A, Green RD, Thompson DR, Brodrick PG, Chapman DK, et al. Attribution of individual methane and carbon dioxide emission sources using EMIT observations from space. Science Advances. 2023 November 17; 9(46): eadh2391. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adh2391.

7 Cusworth DH, Thorpe A, Miller CE, Ayasse AK, Jiorle R, et al. Two years of satellite-based carbon dioxide emission quantification at the world’s largest coal-fired power plants. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics. 2023 November 24; 23(22): 14577-14591. DOI: 10.5194/acp-23-14577-2023.

8 Bhatta S, Pandit AK, Loughman R, Vernier J. Three-wavelength approach for aerosol-cloud discrimination in the SAGE III/ISS aerosol extinction dataset. Applied Optics. 2023 May; 62(13): 3454-3466. DOI: 10.1364/AO.485466 .

9 Kansakar P, Hossain F. A review of applications of satellite earth observation data for global societal benefit and stewardship of planet earth. Space Policy. 2016 May; 3646-54.

Discover More Topics

Latest News from Space Station Research

Station Science 101: Earth and Space Science

NASA is a global leader in studying Earth’s changing climate.

Space Station Research and Technology

• Utility Menu

• Climate Change

Earth Day Fest - Longwood

Location: .

Come celebrate sustainability and kick off the 2024 growing season at this festive event!... Read more about Earth Day Fest - Longwood

Arctic Security in the Age of Green Transition

The Arctic is warming nearly four times faster than the rest of the world’s regions, changing both the geological and geopolitical landscape of the Arctic region. Meanwhile, China and Russia are enhancing their cooperation in the Arctic, particularly through China’s investments in Russia’s rich natural resources... Read more about Arctic Security in the Age of Green Transition

Climate Justice Backed Financing for Africa: A Case of too Many Unmet Promises

Majority of the proposed solutions for climate finance for Africa has been rooted in the quest for climate justice.... Read more about Climate Justice Backed Financing for Africa: A Case of too Many Unmet Promises

European Energy Security in Light of the War in Ukraine

The Salata Institute for Climate & Sustainability invites you for a discussion with Jozef  Síkela , the Czech Republic's Minister of Industry and Trade, moderated by Dustin Tingley, Professor of Government in the Government Department and Deputy Vice Provost for Advances in Learning at Harvard University. Lunch will be provided.... Read more about European Energy Security in Light of the War in Ukraine

2024 Environmental Artist Talk: John Sabraw

The Harvard University Center for the Environment at the Salata Institute invites you for an artist talk with John Sabraw, Professor of Art at Ohio University, whose work is currently on view in the Center lounge.... Read more about 2024 Environmental Artist Talk: John Sabraw

Climate Research Workshops

The Salata Institute’s Climate Research Workshops bring Harvard University faculty together to present and discuss recent climate-related research papers and scholarly publications.... Read more about Climate Research Workshops

Earth Day Celebration

Join the Harvard Office for Sustainability and Harvard Common Spaces for an Earth Day Festival on Thursday, April 18, 2024 from 12 to 2 pm at the Science Center Plaza.... Read more about Earth Day Celebration

Book Talk: Climate Capitalism by Bloomberg's Akshat Rathi

Our age will be defined by the climate emergency. Fortunately, the green economy is not only possible, but profitable. Join the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability to hear from Bloomberg's senior climate reporter Akshat Rathi about this newly released book that examines this topic.

... Read more about Book Talk: Climate Capitalism by Bloomberg's Akshat Rathi

Climate Change Planning through a Black Feminist Ecological Lens

Join WGH and Dr. Fushcia-Ann Hoover, 2023-2024 Radcliffe-Salata Climate Justice Fellow, for a brief presentation followed by a lunch and learn-style discussion on Black Feminist Ecology theory!... Read more about Climate Change Planning through a Black Feminist Ecological Lens

Is the Paris Agreement Working? With Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at the United Nations Development Programme

Join the Salata Institute's Climate Action Accelerator for a conversation with Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to hear insights from the front lines of implementing the Paris Agreement.... Read more about Is the Paris Agreement Working? With Cassie Flynn, Global Director of Climate Change at the United Nations Development Programme

The Role of Courts in Advancing the Right to a Healthy Environment: Lessons from Latin America

"The Role of Courts in Advancing the Right to a Healthy Environment" with Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, Antonio Herman Benjamin, and Ricardo Lorenzetti.

... Read more about The Role of Courts in Advancing the Right to a Healthy Environment: Lessons from Latin America

2024 Horizon Award

" 2024 Horizon Award Honoring Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Sue Biniaz."

... Read more about 2024 Horizon Award

The Environment and Human Rights

"Spring 2024: Symposium on the Environment and Human Rights".

... Read more about The Environment and Human Rights

Climate Leadership Conference 2024

The Climate Leadership Conference 2024, presented by the students at Harvard University, unites leaders, scholars, and innovators worldwide to address climate challenges.... Read more about Climate Leadership Conference 2024

De-poisoning Catalysts for Sustainable Chemical Processing

A presentation from 2023–2024 Edward, Frances, and Shirley B. Daniels Fellow Jane P. Chang... Read more about De-poisoning Catalysts for Sustainable Chemical Processing

• Architecture & Environmental Design
• Arts & Humanities
• Business, Law & Policy
• Ecology & Biodiversity
• Human Health
• Social Sciences

Quick links

Climate change.

• COVID-19 research
• Staff profiles

Climate change and variability affect almost every aspect of our lives. We are tackling the climate change challenge by improving climate knowledge and services, developing low- and negative emissions technologies and helping to build resilient communities in Australia, our region and the world.

Frequently asked climate questions

What are the sources of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, what are the current carbon dioxide levels, how can we address the causes of climate change, how can we adapt to climate change, climate change questions and answers.

We address some of the common questions raised about climate change and the science involved in studying it.

Monitoring climate change

Latest greenhouse gas data.

The latest greenhouse gas (GHG) data updated monthly from one of the cleanest air sources in the world.

Oceans and climate

Just as our changing climate is influencing changes on the land, climate change is also having an effect beneath the waves of the world’s oceans and coastal waterways.

Atmospheric composition and chemistry

CSIRO’s Atmospheric Composition and Chemistry (ACC) group brings together capability in the observation of trace gases, particulate matter and chemical processes of the atmosphere, and the transport and chemical modelling required to interpret these data.

Argo robotic floats

Argo robotic floats are helping to improve our understanding of the world’s oceans.

Global greenhouse gas budgets

Global budgets for three key greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) provide up-to-date information about the sources and sinks of these important contributors to global warming.

Research vessel (RV) Investigator

RV Investigator offers an impressive capability to deliver biological, oceanographic, geological and atmospheric research, as well maritime education and training activities.

State of the Climate 2022

Download the latest report.

Continued warming of Australia’s climate, an increase in extreme fire weather and length of the fire season, declining rainfall in southern Australia, and rising sea levels are some of the key trends detailed in the latest State of the Climate report, released by CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology.

Climate modelling and projections

Regional climate modelling.

Our Conformal Cubic Atmospheric Model (CCAM) is helping Australian sectors to mitigate and adapt to climate change impacts by providing high-resolution climate information.

ACCESS climate model

We've built a climate and earth system model that enables us to contribute to international assessments of climate change.

Climate projections for Australia

Information about Australia's past, current and future climate helps industries, governments and communities plan for and adapt to a variable and changing climate.

Bluelink ocean forecasting

Bluelink, a platform developed by CSIRO and partners, is used to model the dynamic and sparsely observed ocean. It improves understanding of ocean dynamics for the benefit of the Australian community.

Sea-level rise planning

We are helping to plan for the impacts of sea-level rise through research focused on understanding the impacts of sea levels, supporting adaptation options and modelling of future projections.

Enabling Australia to prosper and grow in a global low emissions world

Towards net zero mission.

The Towards Net Zero Mission is working with Australian regions and industries to help them achieve net zero emissions and realise the opportunities of a low carbon economy.

Climate adaptation

Climate adaptation in agriculture.

Lowering the carbon footprint and enhancing the resilience of our agrifood systems through climate smart strategies.

Drought resilience progress

Australia needs an integrated national approach to drought resilience. Our Drought Resilience Mission is working with government, industry, communities and the research sector to address this challenge.

Water banking

Water banking can help to increase water security in some of Australia’s most drought-affected regions.

Preparing Australia

Delivering science and technology to reduce the impact of fire on Australia’s people, environment and economy. Read our latest research summary brochure here.

Smoke forecasting

We have developed a smoke forecasting tool that is being used to help manage fine particle exposure from prescribed burns and bushfires in NSW and Victoria.

Marine climate responses

Climate change poses a threat to fisheries and marine biodiversity. CSIRO's Marine Climate Impacts and Adaptation research stream is studying how climate change will affect Australia’s oceans, and developing adaptation options to respond to these challenges.

Floods are part of Australia's natural ecology, although floods can cause significant damage to infrastructure and loss of life. Climate change may result in more severe flooding.

My Climate View

My Climate View is a digital information product that provides commodity and location-specific climate predictions for Australian farmers for the next 50 years.

Water forecasting

Our tools and systems have improved the reliability of water forecasts, which are critical for flood management and optimising river and water resources management.

Climate change in the Pacific

Climate change in the asia-pacific.

We helped develop a climate data and information portal for the Asia-Pacific - the Regional Climate Consortium for Asia and the Pacific (RCCAP) climate change data portal. It provides ready access to climate science, impacts and adaptation information for stakeholders across the region.

Adaptation pathways

We are developing new approaches to help decision makers plan for, and respond to, the impacts of global changes.

We are working with partners in the Pacific to enhance the capacity of Pacific nations to incorporate climate change science into decision making and adapt to the challenges of a changing climate.

Torres Strait futures

The islands of the Torres Strait are facing rapid changes, such as sea level rise and the impacts of development in neighbouring Papua New Guinea and Indonesia. This project helps residents to plan for these changes in a way that fits their culture and will bring benefits under all possible scenarios.

CSIRO Climate Science Centre

Delivering knowledge to respond to australia's changing climate.

The CSIRO Climate Science Centre is a research program that brings together the core of CSIRO's capability in climate modelling and observations of the atmosphere and ocean. Our mission is to be Australia’s centre for innovative and world leading climate system science information and to inspire collaboration, along with climate solutions and actions.

There are no news releases to show.

Explore our climate change research

Find out how we can help you and your business. Get in touch using the form below and our experts will get in contact soon!

CSIRO will handle your personal information in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and our Privacy Policy .

Enter a valid email address, for example [email protected]

A Country value must be provided

First name must be filled in

Surname must be filled in

Please choose an option

Organisation must be filled in

Please provide a subject for the enquriy

We'll need to know what you want to contact us about so we can give you an answer

We have received your enquiry and will reply soon.

We're Sorry

The contact form is currently unavailable. Please try again later. If this problem persists, please call us with your enquiry on 1300 363 400 or +61 3 9545 2176. We are available from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm AEST Monday - Friday.

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

• View all journals
• Explore content
• About the journal
• Publish with us
• Sign up for alerts
• Published: 10 May 2024

Views on climate change and health

• Wenjia Cai   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4436-512X 1 ,
• Jessica Fanzo   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6760-1359 2 ,
• Jason Glaser   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0642-3616 3 ,
• Rachel Lowe   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3939-7343 4 ,
• Adelaide M. Lusambili   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8174-7963 5 &
• Elizabeth Marks   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6560-0670 6  

Nature Climate Change volume  14 ,  pages 419–423 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

394 Accesses

20 Altmetric

Metrics details

• Climate change
• Climate-change impacts
• Developing world
• Environmental social sciences
• Public health

Climate change is a health emergency, impacting multiple facets of human well-being via direct and indirect pathways. Nature Climate Change asked experts from different health fields to share their thoughts on the urgent issues and possible paths forward.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

24,99 € / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 12 print issues and online access

195,33 € per year

only 16,28 € per issue

Buy this article

• Purchase on Springer Link
• Instant access to full article PDF

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Author information

Authors and affiliations.

Department of Earth System Science, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China

The Columbia Climate School, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

Jessica Fanzo

La Isla Network, Washington DC, USA

Jason Glaser

Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) and Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain

Rachel Lowe

Environmental Health And Governance (EHAG) Centre, Africa International University, Nairobi, Kenya

Adelaide M. Lusambili

University of Bath, Bath, UK

Elizabeth Marks

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Wenjia Cai , Jessica Fanzo , Jason Glaser , Rachel Lowe , Adelaide M. Lusambili or Elizabeth Marks .

Ethics declarations

Competing interests.

The authors declare no competing interests.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article.

Cai, W., Fanzo, J., Glaser, J. et al. Views on climate change and health. Nat. Clim. Chang. 14 , 419–423 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01998-0

Download citation

Published : 10 May 2024

Issue Date : May 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-024-01998-0

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Quick links

• Explore articles by subject
• Guide to authors
• Editorial policies

Sign up for the Nature Briefing: Anthropocene newsletter — what matters in anthropocene research, free to your inbox weekly.

Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Read our research on:

Full Topic List

Regions & Countries

Publications

• Our Methods
• Short Reads
• Tools & Resources

Read Our Research On:

Climate, Energy & Environment

How americans view future harms from climate change in their community and around the u.s..

A majority of Americans believe climate change is causing harm to people in the U.S. today and 63% expect things to get worse in their lifetime.

How Republicans view climate change and energy issues

Americans continue to have doubts about climate scientists’ understanding of climate change, why some americans do not see urgency on climate change.

Just 12% of Republicans and Republican leaners say dealing with climate change should be a top priority for the president and Congress.

The share of Americans who say climate scientists understand very well whether climate change is occurring decreased from 37% in 2021 to 32% this year.

Growing share of Americans favor more nuclear power

A majority of Americans (57%) say they favor more nuclear power plants to generate electricity in the country, up from 43% who said this in 2020.

As the Earth’s temperature continues to rise, climate change remains a lower priority for some Americans, and a subset of the public rejects that it’s happening at all. To better understand the perspectives of those who see less urgency to address climate change, the Center conducted a series of in-depth interviews designed to provide deeper insight into the motivations and views of those most skeptical about climate change.

What the data says about Americans’ views of climate change

Two-thirds of Americans say the United States should prioritize developing renewable energy sources over expanding the production of fossil fuels.

How Americans view electric vehicles

About four-in-ten Americans (38%) say they’re very or somewhat likely to seriously consider an electric vehicle (EV) for their next vehicle purchase.

Majorities of Americans Prioritize Renewable Energy, Back Steps to Address Climate Change

Large shares of Americans support the U.S. taking steps to address global climate change and prioritize renewable energy development in the country. Still, fewer than half are ready to phase out fossil fuels completely and 59% oppose ending the production of gas-powered cars.

Younger evangelicals in the U.S. are more concerned than their elders about climate change

Evangelical Protestant adults under 40 are more likely than older evangelicals to say climate change is an extremely or very serious problem.

How Religion Intersects With Americans’ Views on the Environment

Most U.S. adults – including a solid majority of Christians and large numbers of people who identify with other religious traditions – consider the Earth sacred and believe God gave humans a duty to care for it. But highly religious Americans are far less likely than other U.S. adults to express concern about warming temperatures around the globe.

REFINE YOUR SELECTION

Research teams.

1615 L St. NW, Suite 800 Washington, DC 20036 USA (+1) 202-419-4300 | Main (+1) 202-857-8562 | Fax (+1) 202-419-4372 |  Media Inquiries

Research Topics

• Age & Generations
• Coronavirus (COVID-19)
• Economy & Work
• Family & Relationships
• Gender & LGBTQ
• Immigration & Migration
• International Affairs
• Internet & Technology
• Methodological Research
• News Habits & Media
• Non-U.S. Governments
• Other Topics
• Politics & Policy
• Race & Ethnicity
• Email Newsletters

ABOUT PEW RESEARCH CENTER  Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. It conducts public opinion polling, demographic research, media content analysis and other empirical social science research. Pew Research Center does not take policy positions. It is a subsidiary of  The Pew Charitable Trusts .

Copyright 2024 Pew Research Center

An official website of the United States government Here's how you know

Official websites use .gov A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock ( Lock A locked padlock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Climate and Transportation Research Center

An initiative advancing the nation’s transportation decarbonization and resilient infrastructure 

Today, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $1.7 million in research funding for a Climate Change and Transportation Research Center at the University of California, Davis. The new Center for Emissions Reduction, Resiliency, and Climate Equity in Transportation, established through a cooperative agreement with DOT, will support the DOT Climate Change Center as well many related Department climate and research programs 

“Tackling the climate crisis and making our infrastructure more resilient has never been more urgent,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “The funding and the new research center we’re announcing today will help develop the solutions we need to reduce carbon pollution from transportation and improve the resiliency of our infrastructure—and help turn those findings into national policy. ” 

The new Center will advance research and technologies to support the Nation’s clean energy goals, accelerate decarbonization of the transportation sector, strengthen the resilience of the Nation’s transportation infrastructure, and address environmental inequities created by the transportation system.

“This investment will spur innovation and support research-backed transportation decisions across the nation,” said  Dr. Robert C. Hampshire, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Research and Technology and Chief Science Officer .

The Center is comprised of partner institutions, including California State University Long Beach, Texas Southern University, University of California, Riverside, University of Southern California, and the University of Vermont, to collectively execute research activities.

For more information, reach out to  [email protected] .   

Center for Climate Change and Transformation

Center for Climate Change and Transformation self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":R2j1l79uuurtta:",0.8)

Facts & figures, research areas, climate and disaster risk, climate neutral society, transformation towards climate just societies, data integration and management, water, climate and human systems, news & events.

22-23.04.2024

04-06.12.2024

05 October 2023

Launch of the CRISP Tool self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjl9ajl6l79uuurtta:",1)

Launch of the new Climate Risk Sourcebook self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjl9ijl6l79uuurtta:",1)

01 December 2022

Inizia Return: è il più grande progetto mai realizzato in Italia su rischi e cambiamenti climatici self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjl9qjl6l79uuurtta:",1)

view all News & Events

RETURN - multi-Risk sciEnce for resilienT commUnities undeR a changiNg climate

Adaptation ST

Climate Change Adaptation Strategy South Tyrol

European Climate Risk Assessment

Institute's Projects

Magazine science stories that inspire.

Litigare per l’acqua self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjqkml9l79uuurtta:",1)

A che punto è l'alto adige sulla strada per la neutralità climatica self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.queryselector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentelement,a=e=>i.style.maxwidth=e+"px";i.style.maxwidth="";let l=r.clientwidth,n=r.clientheight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":rjql6l9l79uuurtta:",1).

We have to learn how to live on a damaged planet self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjqlml9l79uuurtta:",1)

Climate risks: Europe is not prepared self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjqkql9l79uuurtta:",1)

The case of Bhutan self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjqlal9l79uuurtta:",1)

Bus senza conducente in valle? self.__wrap_b=(e,t,i)=>{let r=(i=i||document.querySelector(`[data-br="${e}"]`)).parentElement,a=e=>i.style.maxWidth=e+"px";i.style.maxWidth="";let l=r.clientWidth,n=r.clientHeight,o=l/2-.25,s=l+.5,d;if(l){for(;o+1 {self.__wrap_b(0,+i.dataset.brr,i)})).observe(r)};self.__wrap_b(":Rjqlql9l79uuurtta:",1)

Funding opportunity: Centre in Climate Change and Health Full Stage (invite only)

Last updated: 31 August 2023 - see all updates

Apply for funding to establish a centre in climate change and health.

This centre will be a world-leading centre of excellence carrying out interdisciplinary, cutting-edge, and impactful research to address major challenges at the interface of climate and health research.

You must have already submitted an outline proposal and been shortlisted at the outline panel. You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funding.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your project can be between £5 million and £9.7 million. We will fund 80% of the FEC.

Funding is available for up to five years.

Who can apply

This funding opportunity is only open to you if you submitted an outline proposal and have subsequently been shortlisted and invited to submit a full proposal. Any uninvited proposals will be rejected.

Standard UKRI eligibility rules apply. UKRI has updated the Individual Eligibility Policy and has introduced new role types for funding opportunities being run on UKRI’s new Funding Service

For full details, visit  UKRI Eligibility Guidance .

This funding opportunity is being administered by ESRC on behalf of UKRI. Standard ESRC eligibility rules for project co-leads apply.

It is likely that successful applications will be led by experienced researchers who are internationally recognised, with proven ability to deliver a large-scale research project successfully and lead an investment of this nature. The amount of time committed to the grant by the project lead and project co-lead must be costed into the proposal, but very small fractions of project co-lead time should be avoided. Our standard research funding rules would apply for staff engaged in more than one ESRC grant (see ESRC Research Funding Guide ).

International Applicants

The inclusion of international project co-leads in proposals is permitted. Academic researchers (at PhD or equivalent status) must be from established overseas research organisations of comparable standing to UKRI-eligible UK research organisations to be listed as international project co-leads under this funding opportunity. You should read project co-lead (international) policy guidance  for details of eligible organisations and costs.

International collaboration is not limited to project co-lead but may also involve partnerships to develop international datasets, promote knowledge exchange and international impact, and enhance social science conceptual development on an international scale.

Business, third sector or government body project co-leads

We welcome inter-institutional applications and strongly encourage collaboration to fulfil the aims of the centre. Partnerships are encouraged with non-HEI organisations and across third sector, business and the public sector, either as project partners or as project co-lead.

We will fund all justified costs associated with international and UK business, civil society or government bodies project co-leads at 100% FEC. However, these combined costs must not exceed 30% of the full 100% FEC cost of the grant.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity for all funding applicants. We encourage applications from a diverse range of researchers.

We support people to work in a way that suits their personal circumstances. This includes:

• career breaks
• support for people with caring responsibilities
• flexible working
• alternative working patterns

Find out more about equality, diversity and inclusion at UKRI .

What we're looking for

We are looking for a centre that will find solutions to address the challenges that climate change poses to population health, in a way that enhances both environmental and health outcomes.

The centre will bring together the right people, disciplines, institutions, and infrastructure to deliver impact within a five-year timeframe. The centre will form part of a portfolio of investments under the UKRI securing better health, ageing and wellbeing strategic theme, as set out in the  UKRI strategy 2022 to 2027 .

Please note that we will allow for a 10% deviation, either an increase or decrease, in the 100% full economic cost of proposals between the outline and full proposal stages. However please note that the maximum limit of £9.7 million, and minimum limit of £5 million at 100% full economic cost remains in force for all proposals.

Disruptions to Earth’s natural systems, caused by human activity, are already having a detrimental impact on our health and wellbeing. Climate change has wide ranging impacts on the environment including:

• biodiversity and habitat loss
• disruption to food systems
• water scarcity
• extremes of temperature

These in turn are having direct and indirect effects on aspects of human health, including nutrition, mental health, and diseases (both infectious and non-communicable).

Climate change and human health do not exist in a vacuum and are part of broader complex systems and relationships. This is central to the concept of planetary health, which describes how the health of humans and other living organisms are inextricably linked and how these in turn depend on Earth systems that sustain life. The issue of intergenerational justice is pertinent here as well: that is, what we owe to future generations.

The centre will accelerate understanding of the links between climate change and human health across the life course. It will form an evidence base and develop solutions which will propel decision makers towards sustainable, transformational action within the lifespan of the award and beyond.

We know that adaptation, decarbonisation and mitigation strategies designed to address climate change can impact human health in various ways. Moreover, health interventions can have positive or negative impacts on environmental quality.

This centre will take account of co-effects when targeting solutions to climate change and health challenges. For example, the potential for climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies to have positive and detrimental impacts on health or the environment. A key focus of the centre should be on interventions to address upstream determinants (including mitigation, adaptation, and resilience), rather than down-stream individual-level factors.

The drivers of climate change and human health are embedded in complex systems, relationships, and boundaries. The centre will identify how these often-intersecting drivers affect both climate and health (for example, environmental factors such as biodiversity loss or land use change, culture, economic, technological, legal, and political systems).

The centre should apply systems thinking and methods, to ensure that solutions are developed and delivered with a deep understanding of the mosaic of factors at play.

This approach calls for input from a variety of disciplinary backgrounds. We encourage applications that integrate perspectives from across the disciplinary remits of the research councils involved in this funding opportunity, to bring different partners and sectors together to co-develop solutions. There should be meaningful links to policy makers and end-users.

Areas in scope

In your proposal you should describe the challenge your centre would address. The centre should identify a range of questions relevant to an overarching challenge, rather than narrowly focusing on one specific topic. You should describe how the centre would adopt interdisciplinary and whole systems approaches.

We provide some broad examples of areas in scope below, but they are not exhaustive, and we encourage you to think creatively about potential challenges and the impacts that could be achieved.

Vulnerability to the effects of climate change on health including understanding biological mechanisms is in scope. For this centre we are interested in population-level variation in these impacts, for example, increased vulnerabilities to the effects of climate change in particular population groups, and how mitigations might have a protective effect.

Those most at risk may include, but are not exclusive to, individuals and groups at vulnerable stages of the life course, with established disease or those disadvantaged by inequalities. Effects on animals are only eligible for inclusion where relevant to human health (for example, on nutrition).

Also in scope are the wider factors that influence individual and group health behaviours, and how these are influenced by the social, physical, technological, political and economic environment. How can we use this understanding to shape ethical solutions to mitigate climate change impacts on health and to support resilient communities?

This could include a consideration of legal frameworks, the built environment, and of cultural, heritage and environmental assets (for example, museums, historic monuments, rivers, parks).

Proposals may consider new ways to use data, machine learning and technology to improve our understanding of climate change and its risks to health, and novel technology solutions to address these risks. This could include challenges for technology integration and may incorporate a consideration of how best to re-engineer complex healthcare systems challenges to deliver early intervention for climate-related health risks.

The centre could include a focus on food and nutrition, providing links are made through to impacts on both human health and the environment. This could include developing a better understanding of the impact of climate change on nutrition security across the food system.

It might also encompass an exploration of the link between climate change and the health and nutrition of soils, crops, and livestock as well as the health of consumers (including access to quality food).

As the impacts of climate change are not experienced equally across society, the centre should include health, social and environmental inequality as a cross-cutting theme. Meaningful co-creation with affected communities across the research lifecycle is strongly encouraged, and relevant costs to support this should be included.

The centre will work in partnership with a variety of stakeholders to ensure the research outputs drive forward and deliver benefits to both the environment and health.

The centre should be primarily focused on the UK. A place-based approach may be acceptable, for example with a focus on a geographically defined community, if justified by the research proposed. Where this approach is taken, potential for wider scale up and applicability must be demonstrated.

Proposals can include an international element where justified, including learning from international approaches and demonstrating leadership through applying UK learning elsewhere, but proposals focused entirely outside the UK are out of scope. International project co-leads are eligible.

We expect to fund a single centre through this funding opportunity.

The research will address a gap that is not being addressed elsewhere that can be delivered within a five-year timeframe.

Research challenges

You must demonstrate that your centre will deliver the following:

High-quality, interdisciplinary, internationally recognised research findings to address unanswered questions about a defined challenge to our society, economy or both

In this case, the centre will need to clearly articulate how the proposed programme of interdisciplinary research addresses challenges climate change poses to health in a way that promises co-benefits to both the environment and health.

You should include details of any innovative research methods that you intend to develop and use, including in evaluating the impact of potential solutions.

Significant economic and societal impact, demonstrating that the centre is responding to its specified challenge.

Impact should be a major consideration throughout the scoping of a proposal, and during and beyond the lifetime of a centre.

Impact should be multisectoral, with evidence of user engagement from inception throughout all stages of the planned timeframe for the award.

Centres should consider other investments in terms of adding value to their centres, for example maximising opportunities through impact acceleration accounts.

You must include a logic model in the Approach section demonstrating the changes the centre will bring about to respond to the challenge, and how and why your programme of research will bring about those changes.

Further resources to support the development of a logic model can be found under ‘Supporting Documents’ in the ‘Additional information’ section.

The resources needed to become a centre of excellence that adds value to the wider community. This will include developing the people, producing the data and creating the infrastructure needed to respond to their specified challenge, as well as making use of existing datasets and infrastructure.

Studentships

Up to three associated studentships may also be included in this application. They must be based in a doctoral training partnership (DTP) or centre for doctoral training (CDT) eligible to receive studentships from the research council most closely aligned to the primary discipline of the studentship(s). Further information can also be found in our postgraduate funding guide . For each studentship that you intend to fund or part fund from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funds, please provide details of the number of studentships and the PhD topics to be undertaken.

Please provide the following information for each studentship being requested in full or partly supported through UKRI funds. (If they are not being funded by UKRI funds there is no requirement to provide this information):

• proposed start and end date of the studentship(s)
• duration of each studentship in years
• name of the student(s), if known at the point of application
• name of main supervisor
• details of the accredited subject area in which the student will be based
• confirmation that the DTP/CDT director supports the proposed studentship arrangements
• a summary statement of the PhD topic(s) to be undertaken and a justification for the length of the programme of study
• a clear statement of how this is independent from, but will add value to, the principal research objectives set out in the application

Associated studentships linked to a grant are designed to add value to the proposed research outlined in the application, while providing a clear opportunity for a distinct and independent course of enquiry for the student. Through being embedded within a high-quality research team, they should offer the student an opportunity to develop their substantive research skills, alongside broader professional development. The main research grant project should still be viable without the studentship and should have distinct objectives that are not reliant upon the studentship

Up to three studentships can be applied for on any single application. Studentships may only be linked to grants that are for three years or more. The student(s) must be located within a UKRI accredited DTP or CDT and studying through an accredited subject area. The project lead or project co-leads approved to act as a primary supervisors for PhD students must also be based within a DTP or CDT. The costs associated with the studentship should be included within the costs table and justified in the Resources and cost justification section.

Career and skills development

You should clearly articulate your plans for career development.

UKRI is a signatory to the Concordat to Support the Career Development of Researchers, and the Technician Commitment, through these UKRI commits to support the professional and career development of researchers and technicians through its funding opportunities. You are encouraged to consider both leadership development and capacity building in your plans.

Leadership development skills should be considered at all career stages to equip researchers in the centre with the leadership skills needed to be able to design, lead and deliver large and complex or interdisciplinary projects and teams.

Research leadership should go beyond project management to include a capacity to enthuse, ignite and sustain an intellectual vision that is inclusive, flexible and open to challenge. The report  fit for the future: research leadership matters  gives insight into the skills related to research leadership at different career stages and some preliminary suggestions for how those skills might be supported across the career life-course.

You should also demonstrate how you plan to build capacity among decision makers to use evidence as well as building skills in academia, policy and industry engagement among research staff and technicians at all career levels, from PhD students to early and mid-career academics to established professors.

There is a significant opportunity to better integrate health and environment data to explore the intersection and develop interventions.

Centres should maximise the use of relevant existing data resources in the first instance, as well as (where appropriate) producing data that responds to their proposed challenge and is of value to the wider community.

Data collection and management should be in accordance with the  ESRC research data policy . UKRI funds a range of data infrastructures that are available and free to use for all bona fide researchers (subject to appropriate data sharing considerations).

Management and structure

You should consider the structure of your proposed centre to ensure it can successfully deliver the objectives of the funding opportunity, whether through a consortium approach or single institution.

The centre should span a range of distinct disciplines and we also encourage the inclusion of different organisations within each proposal. Partnerships with non-higher education institution organisations across government, industry and civil society are also encouraged, where appropriate.

You should consider existing funded research, including from UKRI, to ensure that the centres’ research objectives are novel. The centre will be required to collaborate and engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including existing relevant research activity. This should evolve over time, but might include the  transforming UK food systems programme ,  clean air programme ,  mobilising community assets to tackle health inequalities  and the  UK Prevention Research Partnership . Your proposal should not duplicate current and previously funded research.

We encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds and experiences, either as project lead or project co-leads.

You must include a management plan in the Approach section, demonstrating:

• how you will provide leadership across the collaborators involved in the application
• how the management of the centre and its activities will be carried out, including details of project management and administration resource

You should also include details of any advisory group that will be appointed to oversee the development of the centre.

You are also expected to indicate your plans for monitoring progress against your logic model, and any plans for self-evaluation throughout the lifetime of the award.

The successful centre will be allocated an ESRC investment manager who will work with their centre to agree a monitoring and evaluation plan in the starting phase of the award.

You may propose a title for this centre.

• Organisational support

We will be looking for evidence of long-term strategic and financial institutional commitment to the proposed centre, above the required 20% (as we fund at 80% FEC), which should be detailed in the Organisational Support section. This should be through the provision of grant-associated parallel activities. Examples include but are not limited to:

• studentships
• summer schools
• refurbishment of facilities for the centre
• provision of equipment
• administration
• new lectureships

We do not require an institutional letter of support for the full stage of the centres competition. By submitting your proposal to us, you are confirming that your institution is supportive of and committed to your centre.

Research ethics

You must ensure that the proposed research will be carried out to a high ethical standard.

You must clearly state how any potential ethical, safeguarding and health and safety issues have been considered and will be addressed, ensuring that all necessary ethical approval is in place and all risks are minimised before the award commences.

All proposals, including those involving animal and human participants, must state how they will comply with relevant UKRI policies and the  ESRC framework for research ethics . If your proposal involves animals, you must read and refer to the UKRI position statement on the use of animals in research .

Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)

Promoting EDI is an integral part of our vision to deliver new knowledge and an enriched, healthier, more sustainable and resilient society and culture, and to contribute to a more prosperous economy.

You are expected to demonstrate throughout your proposal how you will consider EDI during the centre’s lifetime.

Environmental sustainability

We recognise that we must embed environmental sustainability in everything we do.

You are expected to consider the environmental impact of the centre’s activities and to put in place actions that encourage sustainability and mitigate any risk of environmental harm.

How to apply

We are running this funding opportunity on the new UKRI Funding Service. You cannot apply on the Joint Electronic Submissions (Je-S) system.

The project lead is responsible for completing the application process on the Funding Service, but we expect all team members and project partners to contribute to the application.

Only the lead research organisation can submit an application to UKRI.

• Follow the link to the Funding Service in the email sent from the ESRC Centres mailbox.
• Confirm you are the project lead.
• Sign in or create a Funding Service account. To create an account, select your organisation, verify your email address, and set a password. If your organisation is not listed, email [email protected]
• Answer questions directly in the text boxes. You can save your answers and come back to them, or work offline and return to copy and paste your answers. All questions and assessment criteria are listed in the ‘How to apply’ section on this Funding finder page.
• Send the completed application to your research office for checking. They will return it to you if it needs editing
• Your research office will submit the completed and checked application to UKRI.

Watch our research office webinars about the new UKRI Funding Service .

We must receive your application by 7 November 2023 at 4:00pm UK time.

You will not be able to apply after this time.

You should ensure you are aware of and follow any internal institutional deadlines that may be in place.

Processing personal data:

ESRC as part of UKRI, will need to collect some personal information to manage your funding service account and the registration of your funding applications.

We will handle personal data in line with UK data protection legislation and manage it securely. For more information, including how to exercise your rights, read our privacy notice .

Outcomes publication:

ESRC, as part of UKRI, will publish the outcomes of this funding opportunity at What ESRC has funded – UKRI

If your application is successful, some personal information will be published via the UKRI Gateway to Research .

UKRI Funding Service: section guidance

In plain English, provide a summary that can be sent to potential reviewers to determine if your proposal is within their field of expertise.

This summary may be made publicly available on external facing websites, so please ensure it can be understood by a variety of readers, for example:

• opinion-formers
• policymakers
• the general public
• the wider research community.

Guidance for writing a summary

Succinctly describe your proposed work in terms of:

• its context
• the challenge the project addresses and how it will be applied to this
• its aims and objectives
• its potential applications and benefits.

Word count: 550

List the key members of your team and assign them roles from the following:

• project lead (PL)
• project co-lead UK (PcL)
• project co-lead (International) (PcL (I))
• grant manager
• professional enabling staff
• research and Innovation Associate
• visiting researcher

Only list one individual as project lead.

Find out more about UKRI’s new grant roles and eligibility .

Section: Vision

Question: What are you hoping to achieve with your proposed work?

What the assessors are looking for in your response

explain how your proposed work:

• meets a clearly defined challenge that is critical to the future of our society or the economy, or both
• is of excellent quality and importance within or beyond the field(s) or area(s)
• has the potential to advance current understanding, generates new knowledge, thinking or discovery within or beyond the field or area
• is timely given current trends, context and needs
• impacts world-leading research, society, the economy or the environment

Within the Vision section we also expect you to:

• identify the potential direct or indirect benefits and who the beneficiaries might be

Within this section you can also:

• demonstrate elements of your responses in visual form if relevant.
• use images sparingly and only to convey important information that cannot easily be put into words
• insert each new image onto a new line
• provide a descriptive legend for each image immediately underneath it (this counts towards your word limit)

Files must be:

• In JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
• Be smaller than 8MB

Word count: 1,000

Section: Approach

Question: How are you going to deliver your proposed work?

Explain how you have designed your approach so that it:

• Is interdisciplinary, bringing together the right disciplines to respond to your proposed challenge.
• is effective and appropriate to achieve your objectives
• is feasible, and comprehensively identifies any risks to delivery and how they will be managed
• if applicable, uses a clear and transparent methodology
• makes use of existing data where relevant and justifies the collection of any new data in line with the challenge area
• if applicable, summarises the previous work and describes how this will be built upon and progressed
• will maximise translation of outputs into outcomes and impacts
• ensures that impact is multisectoral with evidence of user engagement from inception throughout all stages of the planned timeframe for the award. This should be backed up by a clear logic model demonstrating the changes the centre will bring about to respond to the challenge.
• describes how your, and if applicable your team’s, research environment (in terms of the place, its location, and relevance to the project) will contribute to the success of the work
• Demonstrates evidence that issues relating to equality, diversity, inclusion have been considered throughout your approach.

Within the Approach section we also expect you to:

• demonstrate access to the appropriate services, facilities, infrastructure, or equipment to deliver the proposal
• provide a detailed and comprehensive project plan including milestones and timelines in the form of a Gantt chart or similar
• include a detailed and appropriate plan for how you will acquire and manage data

Images embedded within must be:

• in JPEG, JPG, JPE, JFI, JIF, JFIF, PNG, GIF, BMP or WEBP format
• be smaller than 8MB

Word count: 4,000

Section: Governance

Question: How will you manage the centre to successfully deliver its objectives?

Explain how the proposed centre will be managed, demonstrating that your centre:

• will be effectively governed, including details about advisory groups
• will be effectively and inclusively managed, demonstrated by a clear management plan
• has clear leadership team roles and responsibilities
• will manage and encourage partnerships with non-HEI organisations across government, industry and civil society
• has plans for monitoring your progress against your logic model (included in the Approach section), as well as self-evaluation throughout the lifetime of your award

Section: Capacity building

Question: What do you think the capacity-building needs associated with this research challenge are and what is your approach to address them?

What the assessors are looking for in your response:

Explain your approach to and plans for building capability, including how you will:

• support careers and capacity building, in line with the challenge area
• demonstrate how you will enhance equality, diversity and inclusion across career stages and job roles in your Centre
• demonstrate how you will support all career stages, pathways and types
• demonstrate how you will add value by convening and aligning existing training activity across the UK
• demonstrate how you will share good practice in skills and career development
• explain what the skills needs are in the challenge area in context of activities already on offer either within participating research organisations or nationally and justify how you are going to address them
• identify your intended training, careers and capacity building outcomes, actions to achieve these, and the relevant timescales, success criteria and evidence for each outcome.

Within this section we also expect you to:

• Proposed start and end date of the studentship(s)
• Duration of each studentship in years
• Name of the student(s), if known at the point of application
• Name of main supervisor
• Details of the accredited subject area in which the student will be based
• Confirmation that the DTP/CDT Director supports the Proposed studentship arrangements
• A summary statement of the PhD topic(s) to be undertaken and a justification for the length of the programme of study
• A clear statement of how this is independent from, but will add value to, the principal research objectives set out in the application
• A letter of support from the DTP Director should be submitted with this application. A letter should be within one side of A4 per student.

Word count: 2,000

Section: References

Question: List the references you’ve used to support your application.

Ensure your application is a self-contained description. You can provide hyperlinks to relevant publications or online resources. However, assessors are not obliged to access the information they lead to or consider it in their assessment of your application. You must not include links to web resources in order to extend your application. If linking to web resources, to ensure the information’s integrity is maintained include, where possible, persistent identifiers such as digital object identifiers.

Section: Applicant and team capability to deliver

Question: Why are you the right individual or team to successfully deliver the proposed work?

Evidence of how you, and if relevant your team, have:

• the relevant experience (appropriate to career stage) to deliver the proposed work
• the right balance of skills and expertise to cover the proposed work
• the appropriate leadership and management skills to deliver the work and your approach to develop others
• contributed to developing a positive research environment and wider community

The word count for this section is 3,000 words, 2,000 words to be used for R4RI modules and, if necessary, a further 1,000 words for Additions.

Use the Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI) format to showcase the range of relevant skills you, and if relevant your team (investigators, researchers, other (technical) staff for example research software engineers, data scientists and so on, and partners), have and how this will help to deliver the proposed work. You can include individuals’ specific achievements but only choose past contributions that best evidence their ability to deliver this work.

Complete this section using the R4RI module headings listed below. You should use each heading once and include a response for the whole team, see the UKRI guidance on R4RI . You should consider how to balance your answer, and emphasise where appropriate the key skills each team member brings:

• contributions to the generation of new ideas, tools, methodologies, or knowledge
• the development of others and maintenance of effective working relationships
• contributions to the wider research and innovation community
• contributions to broader research or innovation users and audiences and towards wider societal benefit

Additions: Provide any further details relevant to your application. This section is optional and can be up to 1,000 words. You should not use it to describe additional skills, experiences or outputs, but any factors that provide context for the rest of your R4RI (for example, details of career breaks if you wish to disclose them).

You should complete this as a narrative and you should avoid CV type format.

Word count 3,000

Section: Your organisation’s support

Question: Provide details of support from your research organisation.

Provide a statement of support, no more than two sides of A4, from your research organisation detailing why the proposed work is needed. This should include details of any matched funding that will be provided to support the activity and any additional support that might add value to the work.

The committee will be looking for a strong statement of commitment from your research organisation.

We recognise that in some instances, this information may be provided by the Research Office, the Technology Transfer Office (TTO) or equivalent, or a combination of both.

You must also include the following details:

• a significant person’s name and their position, from the TTO or Research Office, or both
• office address or web link

Upload details are provided within the service on the actual application.

Word count: 10

Section: Project partners

Question: Provide details about any project partners’ contributions using the template provided.

Download and complete the  Project partner contributions template (DOCX, 52KB) . Paste the completed table into the funding service.

Each letter or email you provide should:

• confirm the partner’s commitment to the project
• clearly explain the value, relevance, and possible benefits of the work to them
• describe any additional value that they bring to the project
• be no more than one side of A4

Save letters or emails of support from each partner in a single PDF no bigger than 8MB. Unless specially requested, please do not include any personal data within the attachment.

For the file name, use the unique funding service number the system gives you when you create an application, followed by the words ‘Project partner’.

If the attachment does not meet these requirements, the application will be rejected.

The Funding Service will provide document upload details when you apply. If you do not have any project partners, you will be able to indicate this in the Funding Service.

Ensure you have prior agreement from project partners so that, if you are offered funding, they will support your project as indicated in the contributions template.

For audit purposes, UKRI requires formal collaboration agreements to be put in place if an award is made.

Do not provide letters of support from host and project co-leads’ research organisations.

Word count: 1,500

Section: Facilities

Question: Does your proposed research require the support and use of a facility?

If not, enter N/A into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

If you will need to use a facility (including access to, and use of data, infrastructure and resources) you should follow your proposed facility’s normal access request procedures. Where prior agreement is required, ensure you obtain their agreement that, should you be offered funding, they will support the use of their facility on your project. ESRC encourages the use of secondary and linked datasets.

In the text box below, for each requested facility you should provide:

• the name of facility, copied and pasted from facility information list (DOCX, 35KB)
• the proposed usage or costs, or costs per unit where indicted on that list
• confirmation you have their agreement where required

Do not put the facility contact details in your response.

Word count: 250

Section: Data management

Question: How will you manage and share data collected or acquired through the proposed research?

Provide a data management plan which should clearly detail how you will comply with ESRC’s published Research Data Policy , which includes detailed guidance notes.

If you are not generating new data as part of your grant application, you are not required to complete this section. Please enter ‘N/A’ in the text box, mark this section as complete and move to the next question.

We recognise the importance of research data quality and provenance. Research data generated by ESRC-funded research must be well-managed by the grant holder to enable their data to be exploited to the maximum potential for further research.

Using the text box below you should:

• describe how you will publish your research findings ,
• demonstrate that you comply with ESRC’s Research Data Policy and ESRC Framework for Research Ethics . This should include confirmation that existing datasets have been reviewed and why currently available datasets are inadequate for the proposed research. You should cover any legal and ethical considerations of collecting, releasing or storing the data, including consent, confidentiality, anonymisation, security and other ethical issues.
• explain how data collected, generated or acquired through the proposed research (such as primary input into research and first order results of that research) will be managed, including planning for the research through the life cycle of the award until data is accepted for archiving by the UK Data Service (UKDS). See the importance of managing and sharing data on the UKDS website for further information. Detailed advice on what assessors are looking for in your response can also be found on the UKDS site . We expect you to provide a summary of the points provided.
• critically consider any challenges to data sharing (e.g., copyright or data confidentiality), with possible solutions discussed to optimise data sharing. Most data collected, generated or acquired as a result of economic and social research can be successfully archived and shared. However, some research data are more sensitive than others. It is a responsibility of the grant holders to consider all issues related to confidentiality, ethics, security and copyright before initiating the research.

Word count: 500

Section: Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)

Question: What are the ethical or RRI implications and issues relating to the proposed work? If you do not think that the proposed work raises any ethical or RRI issues, explain why.

Demonstrate that you have identified and evaluated the relevant ethical or responsible research and innovation considerations, and how you will manage them.

All proposals have to comply with the ESRC Framework for Research Ethics which includes guidance for applicants and links to related web resources.

All necessary ethical approvals must be in place before the project commences, but do not need to have been secured at the time of application.

If you are generating new data as part of your project, you should complete the Data Management question and should cover ethical considerations relating to data in your response.

If you are not generating new data and have not completed the Data Management question you should address any legal or ethical considerations relating to your use of data here.

Additional sub-questions (to be answered only if appropriate) relating to research involving:

• human participants

Section: Research involving the use of animals

Question: Does your proposed research involve the use of vertebrate animals or other organisms covered by the Animals Scientific Procedures Act?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and do the same for the next question.

If you are proposing research that requires using animals, write ‘Yes’ in the text box. Then, download and complete the animal research question template (DOCX, 74KB) , which contains all the questions relating to research using vertebrate animals or other Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 regulated organisms. Then, save it as a PDF and upload to your application. Unless specifically requested, do not include any personal data within the attachment.

Section: Conducting research with animal overseas

Question: Will any of the proposed animal research be conducted overseas?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ in the text box, mark as complete and move to the next question.

If you are proposing to conduct overseas research, it must be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with those in the UK, as per Responsibility in the Use of Animals in Bioscience Research , on page 14.

You should also ensure all named applicants in the UK and overseas are aware of this requirement and provide a statement below to confirm that:

• all named applicants are aware of the requirements and have agreed to abide by them
• this overseas research will be conducted in accordance with welfare standards consistent with the principles of UK legislation
• the expectation set out in ‘ Responsibility in the Use of Animals in Bioscience Research’ will be applied and maintained
• appropriate national and institutional approvals are in place.

Overseas studies proposing to use non-human primates, cats, dogs, equines or pigs, will be assessed during  NC3Rs review  of research proposals. The required information should be provided by completing the template from the question ‘Research Involving the use of animals’.

For studies involving other species listed below, you should select the relevant checklist or checklists from the list below, complete it and save it as a PDF and use the file upload feature to attach. If you need to complete more than one checklist, you should merge them into a single document and then save it as a PDF before uploading it:

• Additional questions on the use of rodents overseas (DOCX 49.1KB)
• Additional questions on the use of rabbits overseas (DOCX 49.2KB)
• Additional questions on the use of sheep overseas (DOCX 50.9KB)
• Additional questions on the use of goats overseas (DOCX 47.3KB)
• Additional questions on the use of pigs overseas (DOCX 51.4KB)
• Additional questions on the use of cattle overseas (DOCX 57.0KB)
• Additional questions on the use of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis overseas (DOCX 57.2KB)

Word count: 700

Section: Research involving human participation

Question: Will the project involve the use of human subjects or their personal information?

If not, enter ‘N/A’ into the text box, mark this section as complete and move on to the next section.

If you are proposing research that requires the involvement of human subjects, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place. Then, justify the number and the diversity of the participants involved, as well as any procedures.

Provide details of any areas of substantial or moderate severity of impact.

Word count: 700

Section: Research involving human tissues or biological samples

Question: Does your proposed research involve the use of human tissues, or biological samples?

If you’re answering ‘yes’, provide the name of any required approving body and whether approval is already in place.

You should justify the use of human tissue or biological samples specifying the nature and quantity of the material to be used and its source.

Section: Resources and cost justification

Question: What will you need to deliver your proposed work and how much will it cost?

Justify the application’s more costly resources, in particular:

• project staff
• significant travel for field work or collaboration (but not regular travel between collaborating organisations or to conferences)
• any equipment that will cost more than £10,000
• any consumables beyond typical requirements, or that are required in exceptional quantities
• all facilities and infrastructure costs
• all resources that have been costed as ‘Exceptions’

Assessors are not looking for detailed costs or a line-by-line breakdown of all project resources. Overall, they want you to demonstrate how the resources you anticipate needing for your proposed work:

• are comprehensive, appropriate, and justified
• represent the optimal use of resources to achieve the intended outcomes
• maximise potential outcomes and impacts

Additionally, where relevant you should explain:

• support for activities to either increase impact, for public engagement, knowledge exchange or to support responsible innovation
• support for access to facilities, infrastructure or procurement of equipment
• support for preserving, long-term storage, or sharing of data
• support from your organisation or partner organisations and how that enhances value for money
• support for activities outsourced to a third party (such as consultancy or social surveys)
• support for project co-leads under our international, business and third sector eligibility policies
• evidence that environmental sustainability has been considered and reflected in your proposed resource and justified appropriately

For detailed guidance on eligible costs please see the ESRC Research Funding Guide .

How we will assess your application

Assessment process.

This is the second stage of the assessment process, and proposals have already been shortlisted by an outline panel.

The full stage proposals will be assessed using the following process:

Peer Review

Full stage proposals will be subject to external review. You will have an opportunity to respond to reviewer comments before the proposals are discussed by an assessment panel

Assessment Panel

Proposals will be shortlisted at an assessment panel in March 2024

If shortlisted you will be invited to interview in April 2024, after which funding decisions will be made. You will be notified of decisions in May 2024.

The primary assessment criteria are those under the Vision section, however panel members will be guided to take account of all the assessment criteria in deciding which proposals to recommend for funding.

We will give feedback with the outcome of your application

Principles of assessment

We support the San Francisco declaration on research assessment and recognise the relationship between research assessment and research integrity.

Find out about UKRI principles of assessment and decision making .

We reserve the right to modify the assessment process as needed.

Assessment criteria – full stage

The criteria we will assess your application against can be found in the How to apply section under ‘What the assessors are looking for in your response’.

Assessors will refer to criteria under these headings only:

• Applicant and team capability to deliver
• Capacity-building
• Resources and cost justification
• Ethics and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI)

Contact details

Get help with your application.

For help on costings and writing your application, contact your research office. Allow enough time for your organisation’s submission process.

Ask about this funding opportunity

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 01793 547490

Our phone lines are open Monday-Thursday 8:30am to 5:00pm and Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm

Questions about eligibility

Read UKRI’s research organisation and applicant eligibility guidance.

Sensitive information

If you, or a key team member, need to tell us something you wish to remain confidential, email the Funding Service helpdesk on [email protected] You must include in the subject line: <ESRC Centres, sensitive info, Funding Service application number>

Typical examples of confidential information include:

• applicant is unavailable until a certain date (for example due to parental leave)
• declaration of interest
• additional information about eligibility to apply that would not be appropriately shared in the Applicant and team capability section
• conflict of interest for UKRI to consider in reviewer or panel participant selection

For information about how UKRI handles personal data, see  UKRI’s privacy notice .

Additional info

Supporting documents.

Copy web page from the centre in climate change and health outline stage (PDF, 246KB)

Equality impact assessment (PDF, 345KB)

Logic model guidance (PDF, 101KB)

• 31 August 2023 Word count added to the 'Ethics and responsible research and innovation (RRI)' section in the 'How to apply' section.
• 31 July 2023 Opening date amended from 28 July 2023 to 4 August 2023; closing date amended from 31 October 2023 to 7 November 2023.

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Environmental Changes Are Fueling Human, Animal and Plant Diseases, Study Finds

Biodiversity loss, global warming, pollution and the spread of invasive species are making infectious diseases more dangerous to organisms around the world.

By Emily Anthes

Several large-scale, human-driven changes to the planet — including climate change, the loss of biodiversity and the spread of invasive species — are making infectious diseases more dangerous to people, animals and plants, according to a new study.

Scientists have documented these effects before in more targeted studies that have focused on specific diseases and ecosystems. For instance, they have found that a warming climate may be helping malaria expand in Africa and that a decline in wildlife diversity may be boosting Lyme disease cases in North America.

But the new research, a meta-analysis of nearly 1,000 previous studies, suggests that these patterns are relatively consistent around the globe and across the tree of life.

“It’s a big step forward in the science,” said Colin Carlson, a biologist at Georgetown University, who was not an author of the new analysis. “This paper is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that I think has been published that shows how important it is health systems start getting ready to exist in a world with climate change, with biodiversity loss.”

In what is likely to come as a more surprising finding, the researchers also found that urbanization decreased the risk of infectious disease.

The new analysis, which was published in Nature on Wednesday, focused on five “global change drivers” that are altering ecosystems across the planet: biodiversity change, climate change, chemical pollution, the introduction of nonnative species and habitat loss or change.

The researchers compiled data from scientific papers that examined how at least one of these factors affected various infectious-disease outcomes, such as severity or prevalence. The final data set included nearly 3,000 observations on disease risks for humans, animals and plants on every continent except for Antarctica.

The researchers found that, across the board, four of the five trends they studied — biodiversity change, the introduction of new species, climate change and chemical pollution — tended to increase disease risk.

“It means that we’re likely picking up general biological patterns,” said Jason Rohr, an infectious disease ecologist at the University of Notre Dame and senior author of the study. “It suggests that there are similar sorts of mechanisms and processes that are likely occurring in plants, animals and humans.”

The loss of biodiversity played an especially large role in driving up disease risk, the researchers found. Many scientists have posited that biodiversity can protect against disease through a phenomenon known as the dilution effect.

The theory holds that parasites and pathogens, which rely on having abundant hosts in order to survive, will evolve to favor species that are common, rather than those that are rare, Dr. Rohr said. And as biodiversity declines, rare species tend to disappear first. “That means that the species that remain are the competent ones, the ones that are really good at transmitting disease,” he said.

Lyme disease is one oft-cited example. White-footed mice, which are the primary reservoir for the disease, have become more dominant on the landscape, as other rarer mammals have disappeared, Dr. Rohr said. That shift may partly explain why Lyme disease rates have risen in the United States. (The extent to which the dilution effect contributes to Lyme disease risk has been the subject of debate, and other factors, including climate change, are likely to be at play as well.)

Other environmental changes could amplify disease risks in a wide variety of ways. For instance, introduced species can bring new pathogens with them, and chemical pollution can stress organisms’ immune systems. Climate change can alter animal movements and habitats, bringing new species into contact and allowing them to swap pathogens .

Notably, the fifth global environmental change that the researchers studied — habitat loss or change — appeared to reduce disease risk. At first glance, the findings might appear to be at odds with previous studies, which have shown that deforestation can increase the risk of diseases ranging from malaria to Ebola. But the overall trend toward reduced risk was driven by one specific type of habitat change: increasing urbanization.

The reason may be that urban areas often have better sanitation and public health infrastructure than rural ones — or simply because there are fewer plants and animals to serve as disease hosts in urban areas. The lack of plant and animal life is “not a good thing,” Dr. Carlson said. “And it also doesn’t mean that the animals that are in the cities are healthier.”

And the new study does not negate the idea that forest loss can fuel disease; instead, deforestation increases risk in some circumstances and reduces it in others, Dr. Rohr said.

Indeed, although this kind of meta-analysis is valuable for revealing broad patterns, it can obscure some of the nuances and exceptions that are important for managing specific diseases and ecosystems, Dr. Carlson noted.

Moreover, most of the studies included in the analysis examined just a single global change drive. But, in the real world, organisms are contending with many of these stressors simultaneously. “The next step is to better understand the connections among them,” Dr. Rohr said.

Emily Anthes is a science reporter, writing primarily about animal health and science. She also covered the coronavirus pandemic. More about Emily Anthes

Explore the Animal Kingdom

A selection of quirky, intriguing and surprising discoveries about animal life..

Scientists say they have found an “alphabet” in the songs of sperm whales , raising the possibility that the animals are communicating in a complex language.

Indigenous rangers in Australia’s Western Desert got a rare close-up with the northern marsupial mole , which is tiny, light-colored and blind, and almost never comes to the surface.

For the first time, scientists observed a primate in the wild treating a wound  with a plant that has medicinal properties.

A new study resets the timing for the emergence of bioluminescence back to millions  of years earlier than previously thought.

Scientists are making computer models to better understand how cicadas  emerge collectively after more than a decade underground .

News & Events

View the contact page for more contact and location information

Trinity to headquarter Climate+ Co-Centre

Posted on: 28 November 2023

The new €41.3 million research centre will be the home of research, innovation, and policy development across the interlinked challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and water degradation on the islands of Ireland and Britain.

The Climate+ Co-Centre, which will initially be funded over six years by Science Foundation Ireland, Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, and the Environment & Rural Affairs and UK Research & Innovation, will receive more than 30% co-funding from 29 industry partners.

Climate+ will formally commence activities on January 1st 2024.

The funding was officially announced by Simon Harris, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, and Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary at Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, at the British and Irish Intergovernmental Conference at Farmleigh House.

The centre will bring together over 60 leading researchers from 14 academic partner institutions in Ireland, Northern Ireland and Great Britain. These researchers will work to deliver the transformative change urgently needed to tackle the climate, biodiversity and water crises impacting the two islands – and the wider world.

Yvonne Buckley, Professor of Zoology at Trinity, and Co-Director of Climate +, said:

“We need transformative changes to all sectors of society and the economy to tackle the climate, biodiversity and water crises. Climate+ includes a team of outstanding researchers across 14 different universities and research institutes and we will combine our diverse research skills and knowledge to develop solutions for these important challenges.

“It is clear from the scientific evidence that business as usual is no longer an option, and we are delighted to be working with forward thinking and progressive industry partners who will collaborate with us on research to provide sustainable solutions for their services and products.”

Dr Linda Doyle, Provost of Trinity , said:

“Trinity is delighted to headquarter the Climate+ Co-Centre and is committed to pursuing research across traditional disciplinary boundaries to tackle climate change, biodiversity loss and water degradation, and to develop actions and solutions for a more fair, equitable, and liveable future.

"It is clear we need new visions and evidence, nationally and internationally, to provide for truly sustainable alternative futures and spark change across society and the economy, and this new approach can make a major impact in that most important and pressing endeavour.”

Professor Mark Emmerson, Queen’s University Belfast, and Co-Director of Climate+ said:

“Given the scale of climatic anomalies that we have seen in 2023, we need urgent action to drive transformative change at scale and pace. Climate+ will provide a mix of integrated solutions drawing on expertise from across the natural, social and physical sciences to help mitigate, and adapt to, the impacts of climate change, biodiversity loss and water quality declines. These are inter-related global challenges and by addressing them together we maximise the co-benefits.”

“We draw on leading experts from across the islands of Ireland and Great Britain to address these inter-related challenges and we welcome the announcement of the funding of the Co-centre today.”

Professor Ed Hawkins, climate scientist at the University of Reading and Great Britain lead for the Climate+ Co-Centre , said:

“Climate change and biodiversity loss are threats that require coordinated action across national borders. This new multi-country research centre presents a wonderful opportunity for Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Great Britain to pool our scientific expertise to develop innovative solutions to the challenges of climate change, biodiversity decline, and water security that we all face.”

Climate+ research will facilitate fair transitions to Net Zero, reverse biodiversity loss, and restore water quality for a sustainable economy. Climate+ researchers will provide urgently required solutions and pathways for sustainable and just transitions in land use for climate, biodiversity and water, seeking to deliver the solutions needed at individual and systemic levels, as well as providing the evidence-based tools to facilitate positive change.

Climate+ researchers will also work with industry partners to identify and validate the innovations needed to thrive in a climate, nature and water-positive world. Specifically, they will collaborate with industry partners in 1) Sustainable AgriFood Transitions; 2) Sustainable Communities & Livelihoods; 3) Assessing Risks & Opportunities; and 4) Investing in Carbon & Nature, in forestry, peatlands, grasslands and coastal habitats.

The Climate+ Co-Centre has emerged from collaborations between multiple academic partners in Ireland and Norther Ireland within the All Island Climate & Biodiversity Research Network, funded by the National Parks & Wildlife Service, together with other partners in the UK.

The Climate+ academic partner institutions are: Trinity College Dublin; Maynooth University; University of Galway; University College Cork; Dublin City University; University College Dublin; Atlantic Technological University; University of Limerick; Queen’s University Belfast; Ulster University; Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute; University of Reading; Newcastle University; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

• Awards and Funding
• Environment
• Sustainability

Media Contact:

Thomas Deane | Media Relations | [email protected] | +353 1 896 4685

The green IT revolution: A blueprint for CIOs to combat climate change

Companies and governments looking to combat climate change are turning to tech for help. AI, new technologies, and some promising tech-driven business models have raised hopes for dramatic progress.

About the authors

This article is a collaborative effort by Gerrit Becker, Luca Bennici, Anamika Bhargava, Andrea Del Miglio , Jeffrey Lewis , and Pankaj Sachdeva, representing views from McKinsey Technology.

While many organizations’ climate goals are lofty, enterprise technology leaders—CIOs, chief digital innovation officers (CDIOs), and chief technology officers (CTOs), among others—have not always succeeded at turning climate ambitions into reality. One of the biggest reasons is that hard facts and clear paths of action are scarce. Misconceptions and misinformation have clouded the picture of what CIOs and tech leaders should do.

We have done extensive analysis of where technology can have the biggest impact on reducing emissions. To start, we divided technology’s role into two primary types of activities:

• offense—the use of technology and analytics to cut emissions by reducing (improving operational efficiency), replacing (shifting emission-generating activities to cleaner alternatives), and reusing (recycling material)
• defense—the actions IT can take to reduce emissions from the enterprise’s technology estate

Scope of the McKinsey analysis

McKinsey’s emissions analysis for this report focuses on enterprise technology emissions, which are the business IT emissions from the hardware, software, IT services, enterprise communications equipment, mobile devices, fixed and mobile network services, and internal technology teams that a company uses for its own operations and that a CIO has control over. These include the emissions related to the full life cycles of the products and services that an enterprise IT function uses, including their development, delivery, usage, and end of life (exhibit). Our internal services emissions' analysis assumes around 40 percent of IT workers are working from home.

The analysis does not include the emissions from the technology products and services that a company is selling (such as data center capacity sold by hyperscalers), operational technology devices (such as sensors and point-of-sale systems), and cryptocurrency mining.

The defense activities are where the CIO, as the head of IT, can act independently and quickly. This article focuses on defense, specifically the IT elements over which a CIO has direct control. We examined emissions from use of electricity for owned enterprise IT operations, such as the running of on-premises data centers and devices (classified as scope 2 by the Greenhouse Gas Protocol 1 Greenhouse Gas Protocol: Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions: Supplement to the Corporate Value Chain (Scope 3) Accounting & Reporting Standard , World Resources Institute & World Business Council for Sustainable Development, 2013. Scope 1 emissions are direct emissions from the activities of an organization or under their control, including fuel combustion on site such as gas boilers, fleet vehicles, and air-conditioning leaks; scope 2 emissions are from electricity purchased and used by the organization; and scope 3 emissions are all indirect emissions not included in scope 2 that occur in the value chain of the reporting company, including both upstream and downstream emissions. ), and indirect emissions from technology devices that the CIO buys and disposes of (scope 3). 2 These calculations do not include emissions from technology-driven services sold, such as cloud capacity. (See sidebar, “Scope of the McKinsey analysis.”)

What the facts say

Our analysis has uncovered several facts that contravene some commonly held views about enterprise technology emissions. These facts involve the significant amount of tech-related emissions, the share of emissions from end-user devices, the variety of mitigation options available, and the favorable impact of shifting to cloud computing.

Enterprise technology generates significant emissions

Enterprise technology is responsible for emitting about 350 to 400 megatons of carbon dioxide equivalent gases (CO 2 e), accounting for about 1 percent of total global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. At first blush, this might not seem like a lot, but it equals about half of the emissions from aviation or shipping and is the equivalent of the total carbon emitted by the United Kingdom.

The industry sector that contributes the largest share of technology-related scope 2 and scope 3 GHG emissions is communications, media, and services (Exhibit 1). Enterprise technology’s contribution to total emissions is especially high for insurance (45 percent of total scope 2 emissions) and for banking and investment services (36 percent).

This amount of carbon dioxide and equivalent gases is a significant prize for companies under increasing pressure to cut emissions. Progress on climate change requires action on many fronts, and enterprise technology offers an important option that CIOs and companies can act on quickly.

You’re invited

To a McKinsey Technology webinar on the critical role of technology in building a sustainable enterprise on October 25, 9:30–10:30am ET.

The biggest carbon culprit is end-user devices, not on-premises data centers

End-user devices—laptops, tablets, smartphones, and printers—generate 1.5 to 2.0 times more carbon globally than data centers (Exhibit 2). 3 On-premises and co-located data centers used by enterprises, not including data center capacity sold by hyperscalers. One reason is that companies have significantly more end-user devices than servers in on-premises data centers. In addition, the devices typically are replaced much more often: smartphones have an average refresh cycle of two years, laptops four years, and printers five years. On average, servers are replaced every five years, though 19 percent of organizations wait longer. 4 Rhona Ascierto and Andy Lawrence, Uptime Institute global data center survey 2020 , Uptime Institute, July 2020.

More worrisome, emissions from end-user devices are on track to increase at a CAGR of 12.8 percent per year. 5 End-user computing market: Growth, trends, COVID-19 impact, and forecasts (2022–2027) , Mordor Intelligence, January 2022. Efforts to address this could target the major causes of emissions from these devices. About three-fourths of the emissions comes from manufacturing, upstream transportation, and disposal. A significant source of these emissions is the semiconductors that power the devices.

Plenty of low-cost/high-impact options exist, starting with improved sourcing

We have found that when it comes to going green, many CIOs think in terms of investments needed to replace items or upgrade facilities. Our analysis, however, finds that CIOs can capture significant carbon benefits without making a significant investment—and in some cases can even save money (Exhibit 3).

Overall, for example, 50 to 60 percent of emissions related to end-user devices can be addressed through sourcing changes, primarily by procuring fewer devices per person and extending the life cycle of each device through recycling. These options will not require any investment and will lower costs, though companies may want to evaluate the impact on employee experience.

In addition, companies can more aggressively recycle their devices; 89 percent of organizations recycle less than 10 percent of their hardware overall. 6 Sustainable IT: Why it’s time for a green revolution for your organization’s IT , Capgemini Research Institute, 2021. CIOs can put pressure on suppliers to use greener devices, especially as companies in the semiconductor sector are already increasing their commitments to emission reduction. Further low-cost, high-impact actions include optimizing business travel and data center computing needs, as well as increasing the use of cloud to manage workloads.

Moving to cloud has more impact than optimizing data centers

Optimizing an on-premises data center’s power usage effectiveness (PUE) 7 PUE describes how efficiently a computer data center uses energy, expressed as the ratio of total facility energy to IT equipment energy. is expensive and results in limited carbon abatement. If a company were to double what it spends on infrastructure and cloud to reduce PUE, it would cut carbon emissions by only 15 to 20 percent. Structural improvements in data centers and optimized layout can help, but the impact is limited, and many companies have already implemented them. More aggressive measures, such as moving data centers to cooler locations or investing in new cooling tech, are prohibitively expensive.

A more effective approach is to migrate workloads to the cloud. Hyperscalers (also known as cloud service providers) and co-locators are investing significantly to become greener through measures such as buying green energy themselves and investing in ultra-efficient data centers with a PUE equal to or less than 1.10, compared with the average PUE of 1.57 for an on-premises data center. 8 “Uptime Institute 11th annual Global Data Center Survey shows sustainability, outage, and efficiency challenges amid capacity growth,” Uptime Institute, September 14, 2021. (We estimate that companies could achieve just a 1.3 PUE score for their data center if they invested nearly 250 percent more, on average, over what they currently spend for their data centers and cloud presence.)

With thoughtful migration to and optimized usage of the cloud, companies could reduce the carbon emissions from their data centers by more than 55 percent—about 40 megatons of CO 2 e worldwide, the equivalent of the total carbon emissions from Switzerland.

Three steps to take now

With companies and governments under intensifying pressure to cut carbon emissions and with technology playing a key role in delivering on those goals, CIOs will find themselves on the front lines. The challenge will be to reduce IT’s carbon footprint while delivering high-quality, low-cost technology services to customers and employees.

On average, completion of the defensive steps might take three to four years. However, CIOs who act decisively and precisely can achieve 15 to 20 percent of carbon reduction potential in the first year with minimal investment.

CIOs can choose from among a wide array responses, particularly in conjunction with the CEO and the board. However, three measures they can take right now will prepare the organization for longer-term efforts. These measures involve sourcing strategies, key metrics, and a performance management system.

The net-zero transition: What it would cost, what it could bring

Move now on sourcing strategies.

Far and away the fastest and most effective defensive measure for reducing IT carbon emissions is to revise policies for technology sourcing. Optimizing the number of devices in line with standards followed by companies in the top quartile 9 Top quartile in terms of the ratio of devices to people is derived from the number of devices per person. Our analysis uses McKinsey Digital’s Ignite solutions and 2020 data. would reduce about 30 percent of end-user-device emissions, the amount of carbon emitted by Hong Kong. For example, top-quartile companies have one printer for every 16 people in the workplace; the overall average is one printer per eight people.

This sourcing shift does not necessarily lead to a degradation in user experience, because the rollout of 5G and increasingly advanced processing and compute power allow the main processing function to happen at the server. Therefore, devices can be less powerful and consume much less energy. Essentially, this is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model where high-end and user-friendly experiences happen on the server, not the device. The effectiveness of this approach will depend on having stable networks, less resource-intensive coding at the device level, edge computing capabilities, and shifts of offerings to more efficient platforms (for example, cloud).

As part of this effort, the CIO and the business’s head of procurement will need to collaborate on reviewing and adjusting device refresh timelines and device-to-person ratios, as well as adjusting the basis for purchasing decisions. Procurement generally relies on cost/benefit calculations, and rightly so. That approach will need to expand to account for carbon dioxide emissions. The spirit of collaboration should extend to suppliers as well, with the parties working together to formulate plans that provide the greatest benefits for all.

A more thoughtful sourcing strategy extends beyond end-user devices. CIOs, for example, should look for green sources of the electricity IT uses. When these sources are unavailable, CIOs can direct procurement to power purchase agreements to offset carbon use. CIOs can also set green standards for their vendors and suppliers, requiring GHG emissions disclosures and incorporating them into their criteria for purchase decisions.

Establish a green ROI metric for technology costs

Any real progress on green technology can happen only when companies measure their “green returns.” But today, most green metrics omit cost and savings, which ultimately makes them impractical. A better metric focuses on cost per ton of carbon saved (accounting for costs saved as well). Sophisticated models calculate emissions throughout the full life cycle, including production, transportation, and disposal.

CIOs can further assess suppliers, manufacturers, and service providers based on how advanced they are in recycling and refurbishing electronics; designing circular components; extending product life cycles with better design, higher-quality manufacturing, and more robust materials; offering repair services; and reselling to consumers.

Decisions about IT spending need to consider a range of factors, including technical debt abatement and business strategy. Along with these factors, companies should institutionalize a green ROI metric that is transparent to everybody in the business as an element in IT decision making, including in requests for proposals (RFPs). Doing so will enable companies to better understand the true impact their technology is having on carbon emissions.

Put in place green measurement systems

Establishing a green ROI metric is only a start. CIOs need to establish a baseline of performance, measure progress against the baseline, and track impact in near real time, much as companies track real-time computer and network usage for applications in the cloud. This kind of measuring system ensures that CIOs know what’s working and what isn’t, so they can adjust quickly.

In practice, implementing green measurement can be challenging. Some companies have spent a year measuring their carbon footprint, ending up with an outdated analysis. This tends to happen when companies are determined to measure every bit of carbon emitted, a praiseworthy but time-consuming effort. CIOs can make substantial progress by instead prioritizing measurement where the impact is highest, such as tracking the number of end-user devices purchased and in use, the current duration of use for each device, and the ratio of devices per user. Another way CIOs can make quick progress is to embed emissions- and power-monitoring capabilities into large technology assets and work with external providers, such as electricity companies, to track usage in real time.

Effectively combating climate change won’t happen through one or two big wins; those don’t exist yet. To have real impact, companies and governments will need to act in many areas. Technology has a huge role to play in many of these areas, but CIOs and tech leaders need to act quickly and decisively.

This article is the first in a series about how CIOs can reduce emissions. The next article will explore how CIOs can drive the business’s sustainability agenda by playing offense and implementing reduce, replace, and reuse levers to decarbonize.

Gerrit Becker is an associate partner in McKinsey’s Frankfurt office, Luca Bennici is an associate partner in the Dubai office, Anamika Bhargava is a consultant in the Toronto office, Andrea Del Miglio is a senior partner in the Milan office, Jeffrey Lewis is a senior partner in the New Jersey office, and Pankaj Sachdeva is a partner in the Philadelphia office.

The authors wish to thank Bernardo Betley, Arjita Bhan, Raghuvar Choppakatla, Sebastian Hoffmann, Abdelrahman Mahfouz, Tom Pütz, Jürgen Sailer, Tim Vroman, Alice Yu, and Gisella Zapata for their contributions to this article.

Explore a career with us

Related articles.

It’s not easy buying green: How to win at sustainable sourcing

Sustainability in semiconductor operations: Toward net-zero production

Delivering the climate technologies needed for net zero

Copernicus: Global temperature record streak continues – April 2024 was the hottest on record

• 1. April 2024 – Surface air temperature and sea surface temperature highlights
• 2. April 2024 – Hydrological highlights
• 3. April 2024 – Sea Ice highlights
• 4. More Information
• 5. About Copernicus and ECMWF

Bonn, 08/05/2024

Surface air temperature anomaly for April 2024 relative to the April average for the period 1991-2020. Data source: ERA5. Credit: Copernicus Climate Change  Service/ECMWF.  DOWNLOAD THE ORIGINAL IMAGE

The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) , implemented by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts on behalf of the European Commission with funding from the EU, routinely publishes monthly climate bulletins reporting on the changes observed in global surface air and sea temperatures, sea ice cover and hydrological variables. All the reported findings are based on computer-generated analyses and according to ERA5 reanalysis dataset, using billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations around the world.  

Monthly global surface air temperature anomalies (°C) relative to 1850–1900 from January 1940 to April 2024, plotted as time series for each year. 2024 is shown with a thick yellow line, 2023 with a thick red line, and all other years with thin lines shaded according to the decade, from blue (1940s) to brick red (2020s). Data source: ERA5. Credit: C3S/ECMWF.    ACCESS TO DATA   |  DOWNLOAD THE ORIGINAL IMAGE

April 2024 – Surface air temperature and sea surface temperature highlights

April 2024 was warmer globally than any previous April in the data record, with an average ERA5 surface air temperature of 15.03°C, 0.67°C above the 1991-2020 average for April and 0.14°C above the previous high set in April 2016.  

This is the eleventh month in a row that is the warmest in the ERA5 data record for the respective month of the year. While unusual, a similar streak of monthly global temperature records happened previously in 2015/2016.  

The month was 1.58°C warmer than an estimate of the April average for 1850-1900, the designated pre-industrial reference period.   

The global-average temperature for the past 12 months (May 2023 – April 2024) is the highest on record, at 0.73°C above the 1991-2020 average and 1.61°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial average.   

The average European temperature for April 2024 was 1.49°C above the 1991-2020 average for April, making the month the second warmest April on record for the continent.   

Temperatures were most above average in eastern European regions. Fennoscandia and Iceland experienced below-average temperatures. The mean temperature, however, masks the contrast between warmer and colder temperatures experienced at the start and latter part of April in western Europe.  

Outside Europe, temperatures were most above average over northern and northeastern North America, Greenland, eastern Asia, northwest Middle East, parts of South America, and most of Africa.  

The El Niño in the eastern equatorial Pacific continued to weaken towards neutral conditions, but marine air temperatures in general remained at an unusually high level.   

The global sea surface temperature (SST) averaged for April 2024 over 60°S–60°N was 21.04°C, the highest value on record for the month, marginally below the 21.07°C recorded for March 2024.  

This is the thirteenth month in a row that the SST has been the warmest in the ERA5 data record for the respective month of the year. 

Daily sea surface temperature (°C) averaged over the extra-polar global ocean (60°S–60°N) for 2023 (orange) and 2024 (dark red). All other years between 1979 and 2022 are shown with grey lines. The daily average for the 1991–2020 reference period is shown with a dashed grey line. Data source: ERA5. Credit: Copernicus Climate Change Service/ECMWF.  ACCESS TO DATA   |  DOWNLOAD THE ORIGINAL IMAGE

According to Carlo Buontempo, Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) : "El Niño peaked at the beginning of the year and the sea surface temperatures in the eastern tropical pacific are now going back towards neutral conditions. However, whilst temperature variations associated with natural cycles like El Niño come and go, the extra energy trapped into the ocean and the atmosphere by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases will keep pushing the global temperature towards new records." 

Anomalies and extremes in sea surface temperature percentiles in April 2024. Colour categories refer to the percentiles of the temperature distributions for the 1991–2020 reference period. The extreme (“Coolest” and “Warmest”) categories refer to the period 1979–2024. Values are only calculated for the ice-free oceans. Areas covered with sea ice and ice shelves in April 2024 are shown in light grey. Data source: ERA5. Credit: Copernicus Climate Change Service/ECMWF.  ACCESS TO DATA   |  DOWNLOAD THE ORIGINAL IMAGE

April 2024 – Hydrological highlights

In April 2024, it was predominantly wetter than average over most of north-western, central and north-eastern Europe.   

Most of southern Europe, including large parts of eastern Spain, peninsular Italy, the western Balkans, Türkiye, Ukraine and southern Russia, as well as Iceland, were drier than average.  

In April 2024, conditions were wetter than average over regions of the central, eastern and southern North America, across Central Asia, the Persian Gulf countries, easternmost Asia, eastern Australia, southern Brazil; heavy rainfall often led to floods.   

Drier-than-average conditions were seen in parts of northern Mexico, around the Caspian Sea and the Tibetan Plateau. Most of Australia was also drier than average. 

April 2024 – Sea Ice highlights

Arctic sea ice extent was about 2% below average, a relatively small negative anomaly compared to the April anomalies recorded over the past 10 years.  

As in March, sea ice concentration anomalies were mixed across the Arctic Ocean. Concentrations remained above average in the Greenland Sea, a persistent feature since October.   

Antarctic sea ice extent was 9% below average, the 10th lowest extent for April in the satellite data record, continuing a pattern of frequent large negative anomalies observed since 2017.   

As in February and March, sea ice concentrations were most below-average in the northern Weddell Sea and in the Ross-Amundsen Sea sector. 

More Information

More information about climate variables in April and climate updates of previous months as well as high-resolution graphics can be downloaded here .

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding temperature monitoring can be found here.  

Temperature monitoring FAQs

More information on Climate Pulse here.  

More information on Climate Atlas here.  

The findings about global sea surface temperatures (SSTs) presented here are based on SST data from ERA5 averaged over the 60°S–60°N domain. Note that ERA5 SSTs are estimates of the ocean temperature at about 10m depth (known as foundation temperature). The results, may differ from other SST products providing temperature estimates at different depths, such as 20cm depth for NOAA’s OISST. 

Sea ice maps and data are from a combination of information from ERA5, as well as from the EUMETSAT OSI SAF Sea Ice Index v2.2 . 

Regional area averages quoted here are the following longitude/latitude bounds: 

Globe, 180W-180E, 90S-90N, over land and ocean surfaces. 

Europe, 25W-40E, 34N-72N, over land surfaces only.  

Information about the C3S data set and how it is compiled: 

Temperature and hydrological maps and data are from ECMWF Copernicus Climate Change Service’s ERA5 dataset. 

Sea ice maps and data are from a combination of information from ERA5, as well as from the EUMETSAT OSI SAF Sea Ice Index v2.1, Sea Ice Concentration CDR/ICDR v2 and fast-track data provided upon request by OSI SAF. 

Europe, 25W-40E, 34N-72N, over land surfaces only.   

About the Data and Analysis

Information on national records and impacts: 

Information on national records and impacts are based on national and regional reports. For details see the respective temperature and hydrological C3S climate bulletin for the month. 

C3S has followed the recommendation of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to use the most recent 30-year period for calculating climatological averages and changed to the reference period of 1991-2020 for its C3S Climate Bulletins covering January 2021 onward. Figures and graphics for both the new and previous period (1981-2010) are provided for transparency. 

More information on the reference period

About Copernicus and ECMWF

Copernicus is a component of the European Union’s space programme, with funding by the EU, and is its flagship Earth observation programme, which operates through six thematic services: Atmosphere, Marine, Land, Climate Change, Security and Emergency. It delivers freely accessible operational data and services providing users with reliable and up-to-date information related to our planet and its environment. The programme is coordinated and managed by the European Commission and implemented in partnership with the Member States, the European Space Agency (ESA), the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites (EUMETSAT), the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), EU Agencies and Mercator Océan, amongst others.  

ECMWF operates two services from the EU’s Copernicus Earth observation programme: the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) and the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S). They also contribute to the Copernicus Emergency Management Service (CEMS), which is implemented by the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC). The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by 35 states. It is both a research institute and a 24/7 operational service, producing and disseminating numerical weather predictions to its Member States. This data is fully available to the national meteorological services in the Member States. The supercomputer facility (and associated data archive) at ECMWF is one of the largest of its type in Europe and Member States can use 25% of its capacity for their own purposes.  

ECMWF has expanded its location across its Member States for some activities. In addition to an HQ in the UK and Computing Centre in Italy, offices with a focus on activities conducted in partnership with the EU, such as Copernicus, are in Bonn, Germany.  

   The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service website can be found at  http://atmosphere.copernicus.eu/   

The Copernicus Climate Change Service website can be found at  https://climate.copernicus.eu/   

More information on Copernicus:  www.copernicus.eu   

The ECMWF website can be found at  https://www.ecmwf.int/