This funding, provided through the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), supports international teams to develop and implement collaborative strategies for climate adaptation and mitigation targeting vulnerable groups.
Projects aim to tackle both physical and socioeconomic vulnerabilities by integrating diverse expertise and engaging communities in research and policy development. Emphasis is placed on addressing key climate risks identified by the Sixth Assessment Report of the United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), such as coastal ecosystems, food security, and human mobility.
UKRI has funded 16 projects for a three-year duration.
Flood resilience in the Caribbean region
Project title: ‘A collaboratively designed and managed flood resilience framework for affected communities in the Caribbean region’
Lead institution: UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
This project addresses flooding in coastal and riverine communities in the CARICOM countries of Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and St. Lucia due to sea level rise. It aims to build resilience by understanding the links between terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal systems and the impacted people, supporting improved policy and governance, and delivering decision support tools to mitigate social, economic and environmental damages.
The research involves innovative science in socio-economics, human-water systems modelling, nature-based solutions, and the development of flood forecasting tools and digital communications for effective flood control and relief.
Consortium:
- Chandra Madramootoo and Jan Adamowski, McGill University (Canada)
- Emad Habib, University of Louisiana at Lafayette (US)
Older adults' preparedness for extreme heat
Project title: ‘A comprehensive approach to enhance older adults’ preparedness for extreme heat (COPE)’
Lead institution: School of Psychological Sciences & Health, University of Exeter
This project addresses the vulnerability of older adults to extreme heat by integrating individual health-protective behaviours and community-based programs. It aims to create comprehensive adaptation plans with older adults and community partners in several countries, using a participatory approach.
The project will help build age-friendly cities and improve community services, supporting the UN’s goals for good health, climate action and sustainable communities, while recognising older adults’ resilience and active role in climate adaptation.
Consortium:
- Theresa Pauly and Atiya Mahmood, Simon Fraser University (Canada)
- Wendy Sarkissian (Canada)
- Gong Xianmin and Hoi Lam Helene Fung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong)
- Kevin Lau, Luleå University of Technology (Sweden)
Mapping global nature-based climate action
Project title: ‘BioCAM4 – biodiversity integration in climate adaptation and mitigation actions for planet, people, and human health’
Lead institution: Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London
The BioCAM4 project aims to map global nature-based climate action (NBCA) trends and assess local opportunities and challenges, focusing on vulnerable communities in East Africa and Central America. It has three main objectives:
- to create a global NBCA database and analysis
- to explore local NBCA dynamics in four biodiversity hotspots
- to co-create policy guidance for equitable resource distribution and effective NBCA implementation
The project seeks to inform global climate and biodiversity efforts and support local actors in designing inclusive and impactful climate actions.
Consortium:
- Idil Boran and Dawn Bazely, York University (Canada)
- Ines Dombrowsky, German Institute for Development & Sustainability (Germany)
- Sander Chan, Radboud University (Netherlands)
- Joanes Atela, Africa Research and Impact Network (Kenya)
Smallholder women farmers adapting with conservation agriculture
Project title: ‘Building resilience: how conservation agriculture can help smallholder women farmers adapt to climate change’
Lead institution: Kent Business School, University of Kent
This project employs participatory action research to explore how conservation agriculture can empower smallholder women farmers and mitigate climate-related risks to their livelihoods, food security, and health.
By engaging with women farmers in Nigeria and Brazil, the project aims to:
- understand the benefits and challenges of conservation agriculture practices
- address their socioeconomic vulnerabilities and physical limitations
- co-develop policy recommendations for promoting climate resilience and improving their socioeconomic status in low and middle-income countries
Consortium:
- Kelly McShane, Toronto Metropolitan University (Canada)
- Gustavo Almeida, Federal University of Sao Carlos (Brazil)
- Kasim Waziri, University of Abuja (Nigeria)
Urban resilience strategies in the Lake Victoria Basin and Great Lakes region
Project title: ‘Climate adaptation and resilience strategies (CLARS): socio-economic vulnerabilities among urban migrants in the Lake Victoria Basin and Great Lakes region’
Lead institution: Worcester Business School, University of Worcester
This project aims to develop co-produced adaptation strategies to reduce socioeconomic vulnerabilities and build resilience for climate migrants and host communities in five cities across the Lake Victoria Basin and Great Lakes region. It will assess policy effectiveness, produce urban climate data, and co-create inclusive adaptation strategies.
The project also focuses on knowledge exchange to enhance learning and share effective climate adaptation practices and policies.
Consortium:
- Gail Krantzberg, McMaster University (Canada)
- Diogo Andreolla Serraglio, Potsdam Institute for Climate Action Research (Germany)
- Derek van Berkel, University of Michigan (US)
Climate change adaptation for low-lying coastal communities
Project title: ‘Climate change adaptation, dispossession and displacement (ADD): co-constructing solutions with coastal vulnerable groups in Africa and Asia’
Lead institution: School of Social and Political Sciences, University of Glasgow
This project investigates the risks to low-lying coastal socio-ecological systems and peace and human mobility, focusing on the connections between climate change adaptation (CCA), dispossession and displacement. It aims to develop new CCA theories, identify best practices to prevent displacement, and create a community network for sharing knowledge and solutions.
Consortium:
- Michaela Hynie, York University (Canada)
- Prateep Nayak, University of Waterloo (Canada)
- Dorina Damsa and Kathinka Evertsen, Institute for Social Research (Norway)
- Sanjeeb Hossain, Centre for Peace and Justice, BRAC University (Bangladesh)
- Alifa Haque, University of Dhaka (Bangladesh)
Exploring climate solutions with interactive theatre
Project title: ‘Climate collaboratorium: co-creation of applied theatre decision labs for exploring climate change adaptation and mitigation’
Lead institution: School of Architecture & Environment, University of the West of England
This project uses design thinking workshops with bias and inclusivity experts to develop adaptation and mitigation options based on local climate change scenarios, which will be incorporated into interactive theatre productions. Audiences will influence the outcome of the plays by choosing preferred actions, creating a dynamic way to explore climate solutions.
The project blends design thinking, theatre, and climate science to produce touring plays in water-insecure regions, generating new knowledge and sharing it with policymakers to enhance local water security.
Consortium:
- Graham Strickert and Lori Bradford, University of Saskatchewan (Canada)
- David Kaye, University of New Hampshire (US)
- Sina Leipold, Helmholtz Centre for Environment Research (Germany)
Protecting mangroves in Eastern and Western Africa
Project title: ‘Co-developing decision support system for coastal mangrove-based socio-ecological systems in Eastern and Western Africa’
Lead institution: Energy, Environment & Society, University of Dundee
This project aims to protect and restore mangroves in Eastern and Western Africa, which provide vital ecosystem services and climate change protection to coastal communities. It focuses on creating a Multi-Criteria Decision Support System (DSS) to aid vulnerable communities and decision-makers in managing mangrove resources.
The project will develop dynamic maps of mangrove loss, support climate resilience, create sustainable livelihood strategies, and co-design a framework for mangrove restoration based on extensive field research in Tanzania and Ghana.
Consortium:
- Terence Sunderland, University of British Columbia (Canada)
- Belachew Zeleke, Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research (Norway)
Coastal community resilience in Canada, Cuba and Indonesia
Project title: ‘Community and infrastructure resilience to climate-geological long-term effects (CIRCLE)’
Lead institution: School of Civil, Aerospace and Design Engineering, University of Bristol
This project empowers vulnerable coastal communities in Canada, Cuba and Indonesia to enhance disaster resilience through community-participatory approaches. It integrates quantitative risk assessments and qualitative socioeconomic analyses to identify the most vulnerable populations, considering cultural and social differences.
By co-producing tailored disaster risk reduction strategies with community members, the project aims to address disparities and improve resilience using innovative decision-support tools.
Consortium:
- Katsuichiro Goda and Mohammad Reza Najafi, University of Western Ontario (Canada)
- Hilary O’Reilly, District of Tofino (Canada)
- Vivian Elena, Technological University of Havana (Cuba)
- Mohammad Farid, Bandung Institute of Technology (Indonesia)
Creating sea ice information tools with Inuit knowledge
Project title: ‘Inuit-led adaptation to the breakdown of Arctic sea ice for community resilience and travel security’
Lead institution: Earth Sciences, University College London
This project aims to develop tools combining sea ice observations with Inuit knowledge to address urgent climate adaptation needs.
Using a cross-cultural, Inuit-led partnership, it integrates innovative sensing technology and Earth Observation data to create user-specific, practical sea ice information tools. These tools will support safe travel, empower Inuit communities, and promote self-determination in ice monitoring and climate adaptation across Inuit Nunangat.
Consortium:
- Randall Scharien, University of Victoria (Canada)
- Trevor Bell, Katherine Wilson, Leanne Beaulieu and Andrew Arreak, SmartICE Sea-Ice Monitoring & Information Inc (Canada)
- Christian Haas, University of Bremen (Germany)
Improving food production using Indigenous knowledge
Project title: ‘Reimagining food systems for climate change adaptation, mitigation and social justice’
Lead institution: Law School & Human Rights Centre, University of Essex
The Reimagining Food Systems (RFS) project aims to reduce harmful emissions from food production and enhance food security for vulnerable populations using Indigenous knowledge. It tests circular economy approaches for small fish, wild rice, and traditional medicinal foods, integrating principles of distributive justice and closed-loop environmental design.
The project focuses on Indigenous bio-economy strategies and the nutritional potential of small fish to develop innovative, interdisciplinary interventions for climate adaptation and justice.
Consortium:
- David Levin, Ashley Klymiuk, Dylan Mackay, Trust Beta, Derek Johnson, Nathan Derejko and Stephane McLachlan, University of Manitoba (Canada)
- Raymond Ayilu and Achim Schlueter, Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (Germany)
- Ashwell Ndhlala, University of Limpopo (South Africa)
- Ragnhild Overa and Jeppe Kolding, University of Bergen (Norway)
- Jennifer Kimball, University of Minnesota (US)
Climate mitigation strategies for food and water security
Project title: ‘Relational accountability of Mother Earth: revitalizing and restoring the land and water’
Lead institution: Department of Sociology, Social Policy & Criminology, University of Liverpool
This project aims to develop climate mitigation strategies focusing on water and food security risks in diverse settings. It addresses challenges such as changes in cultural water uses of Indigenous Peoples, water quality issues from industrial activities and urbanisation, and the need for wastewater treatment technologies in Indigenous communities.
Specific efforts include promoting sustainable fish traps in South Africa, enhancing management of marine cultural heritage sites, improving public awareness and policymaker literacy on coastal water quality in the Philippines, and examining the impacts of colonial and capitalist influences on Indigenous food sovereignty.
Consortium:
- Paulina Johnson, Isabel Altamirano-Jimenez, Yang Liu, Maricor Arlos and Shirley Tate, University of Alberta (Canada)
- Nathanee Winder, Simon Fraser University (Canada)
- Rubina Setlhare, University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
- Bruce Damons, Nelson Mandela University (South Africa)
- Elisabeth Janssen, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (Switzerland)
- Jonathan Anticamara, University of the Philippines (Philippines)
Integrating Indigenous knowledge into water management and food systems
Project title: ‘Sharing our knowledge: incorporating Indigenous knowledge systems to build governance for climate resiliency’
Lead institution: School of Water, Energy & Environment, Cranfield University
This research brings together Indigenous knowledge from the First Peoples of Canada and Norway to address climate change risks to water sources, fisheries, and food systems. It will investigate Indigenous-led water governance, develop methods to integrate Indigenous knowledge into water management, and co-develop long-term adaptation strategies.
The project aims to challenge existing governance models and create approaches more aligned with traditional knowledge and long-term community perspectives.
Consortium:
- Graham Gagnon, Dalhousie University (Canada)
- Shelley Denny, Unama’ki Institute of Natural Resources (Canada)
- Camilla Brattland, The Arctic University of Norway (Norway)
Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network
Project title: ‘The Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON): the climate-food-health nexus’
Lead institution: School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds
The Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON) aims to transform our understanding of the food-climate-health nexus by integrating Indigenous knowledge and science to bolster community resilience. It will establish Indigenous Observatories globally to document and analyse how climate stressors affect food systems, health and wellbeing.
These observatories will enhance communities’ ability to record their own knowledge and engage with decision-makers, providing scalable insights to inform global advocacy and decision-making.
Consortium:
- Tristan Pearce, University of Northern British Columbia (Canada)
- Eranga Galappaththi, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (US)
- Joana Carlos Bezerra, Rhodes University (South Africa)
- Harald Kaechele, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Review (Germany)
- Anita Varghese, Keystone Foundation (India)
- Didacus Namanya, Uganda National Health Research Organisation (Uganda)
- Adelina Mensah, University of Ghana (Ghana)
- Cecil Togarepi, University of Namibia (Namibia)
- Jaime Miranda, University of Sydney (Australia)
- Carol Zavaleta-Cortijo, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia (Peru)
Climate resilience for informal settlements in Sub-Saharan African cities
Project title: ‘The Urban Futures project’: toward health equity, inclusive governance, and climate adaptation in African informal settlements
Lead institution: Health & Nutrition Cluster, Institute of Development Studies
This project collaborates with residents of informal settlements in Sub-Saharan African cities to understand their experiences with climate change and develop suitable adaptation strategies.
Using participatory methods, it aims to identify community vulnerabilities and co-design interventions to enhance resilience in health, living standards and infrastructure, while addressing water and food security risks. The project will engage stakeholders to pilot these strategies and strengthen connections for integrated adaptation policies and knowledge-sharing.
Consortium:
- Craig Janes, University of Waterloo (Canada)
- Joseph Mustafa Macarthy, Sierra Leone Urban Research Centre (Sierra Leone)
- Paul Isolo Mukwaya, Urban Action Lab (Uganda)
- Shepherd Shamu, Training & Research Support Centre (Zimbabwe)
City preparedness for climate-related migration
Project title: ‘Transforming places for the precariously housed: equitable adaptation pathways for climate mobilities’
Lead institution: Department of Geography, King’s College London
This project supports city and municipal councils in preparing for climate-related migration by prioritising the perspectives of those most affected.
Conducted in four diverse locations, the research investigates different climate mobilities and uses community-led, arts-based methods to value local knowledge. It aims to ensure that city planning and infrastructure investments are inclusive and effective by engaging local and national governments in adaptation planning.
Consortium:
- Elisabeth Gilmore, Carleton University (Canada)
- Shirley Brooks, University of the Western Cape (South Africa)
- Catherine Sutherland, University of KwaZulu Natal (South Africa)
- Amina Maharjan, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (Nepal)