ESRC – What Works Centre (WWC) for a Climate Resilient UK

Funding to establish and lead a What Works Centre for a climate resilient UK to transform how the UK adapts, and builds resilience to the impacts of climate change.

The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is leading this opportunity in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government to establish an independent What Works Centre (WWC) for a climate resilient UK. The centre will work to transform how the UK adapts, and builds resilience to, the current and projected impacts of climate change.

The centre will work with stakeholders to generate, synthesise and mobilise evidence to inform, accelerate and scale adaptation pilots, interventions and actions. It must specifically deliver the following five objectives:

• Convene stakeholders and identify evidence needs.
• Generate and synthesise trusted evidence.
• Mobilise, test, accelerate and scale effective actions.
• Advance adaptation evaluation practice.
• Strengthen capacity and capability.

The centre must also explore the following three topics:

• Healthy natural environment and food systems.
• Thriving places.
• Services and infrastructure.

The duration of this award is 44 months. Projects must start by 1 August 2027 at the latest.