Networks to strengthen public’s role in research and innovation

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has awarded 25 grants in the first phase of its £3.6 million Community Research Networks programme. The programme will empower communities to develop grassroots research agendas and build capability and expertise in community-led forms of research and innovation. The investment is supporting 25 collaborations, who have each received £25,000 for the initial expression of interest phase. Over the next six months, collaborations will work with local communities to develop detailed plans for a network in their area. They will be given the opportunity to bid…

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UKRI publishes position statement on carbon offsetting

UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has published a new position statement on the use of carbon offsetting for activities funded by UKRI grants. Based on current research, we have concluded that there is currently insufficient evidence that carbon offsetting is an effective means of achieving permanent carbon reductions. We recognise that carbon offsetting will have a role to play in future and we are working with partners and supporting research in this field. Read the position statement on carbon offsetting. Achieving net zero UKRI is committed to embedding environmental sustainability across…

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Major project to boost flexible plastic packaging recycling launches

FlexCollect, the UK’s largest collaborative project to support the collection and recycling of flexible plastic packaging, has launched with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) support. The multi-million-pound project was announced on 19 May 2022, will pilot household collections of flexible plastic packaging waste, to significantly increase recovery and recycling rates. The project is co-funded by: the Flexible Plastic Fund UKRI’s Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Challenge (SSPP), which is providing £700,000 Defra. In addition, further in-kind support is being provided from industry stakeholders including: Ecosurety, RECOUP, SUEZ Recycling & Recovery UK…

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Programme launched to tackle climate anxiety in young people

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is launching a new public engagement programme for young adults concerned about the environment. This comes as part of UK Research and Innovation’s (UKRI) contribution to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). The COP26 eco-anxiety digital engagement project entitled ‘Our Stories, Our Systems’ will facilitate two-way engagement between environmental science researchers and eco-anxious young adults. The project will connect young people aged 15-25 years old across the UK with UKRI funded researchers to tell their climate stories. Through discussing both environmental science research…

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UK Circular Plastics Flagship Projects Competition

A new £1.4 million flagship projects competition was launched at the inaugural annual meeting for members of The UK Plastics Pact, held in London on Thursday, 11 October. The competition, which is managed by WRAP working in partnership with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), was one of several special announcements made at the Summit. This competition forms part of the £20 million Plastic Research and Innovation fund (PRIF) which was announced by the Chancellor during the Autumn Statement in 2017. It will engage Britain’s best scientists and innovators to help…

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