Funding announced for co-centres on climate and sustainable food

Sustain welcomes initiative, saying urgent investment is needed in policies and products “that will make our diets healthier and more sustainable”

Funding of £60m has been announced to allow academics, industry and policymakers to collaborate more closely on food sustainability and tackling climate change.

The initiative, funded jointly by the UK government, Northern Ireland government departments and the Irish government is intended to lead to ‘unprecedented collaboration’ by breaking down research silos.

The Co-Centre for Climate + Biodiversity and Water will tackle climate change, biodiversity loss, and water degradation. This will be achieved through research to enable ‘fair’ transformations to Net Zero, reverse biodiversity loss, restore water quality and ensure resilience for communities and a sustainable economy.

The Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems, meanwhile, proposes to undertake a research programme across four platforms – sustainable food, food safety and integrity, nutrition and health, and food systems data modelling.

The Co-Centres programme is funded for six years and will commence in January 2024.

Michelle Donelan, UK Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “The UK is determined to seize the opportunities for growth and prosperity that can be delivered when we work together on science and tech with our neighbours.”

Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, Chief Executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Regius Professor of Botany at the University of Cambridge said the programme would “capture transformative opportunities for collaboration”.

She said: “The investment will engage the public, businesses and governments to address complex societal challenges. Crucially, it will ensure a coordinated and agile approach to addressing our shared challenges.”

“The Co-Centres programme is an excellent example of government funders working in partnership to support researchers and industry…”

Katrina Godfrey, Permanent Secretary at Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs added: “The Co-Centres programme is an excellent example of government funders working in partnership to support researchers and industry who will undertake cutting-edge research in areas of mutual economic, societal, health and environmental importance.” 

The news was welcomed by campaigners. Ruth Westcott, Climate and Nature Emergency Co-ordinator at Sustain said she looked forward to seeing what comes out of the Co-Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems.

She said: “The climate and nature emergency is the single biggest threat to food security in the UK. Farmers are calling 2023 their ‘worst year ever’ thanks to extreme weather, while consumers paid an extra £600 for food in 2023 thanks to climate change and energy price hikes.

“We urgently need investment in policies and products that will make our diets healthier and more sustainable, with more plant-based foods, less-and-better meat, and for farmers to transition to nature-friendly methods.

“We greatly look forward to seeing what comes out of the Co-Centre. At the same time, we are calling on all UK governments to set targets and enact policies for decarbonising the food sector, to set a clear direction of travel and ensure that the results from the centre make the difference that is needed.”

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