Advocacy for Climate Change and Environment Social Science
CUSP partnering in major new ESRC investment to advance capacity for climate and environment social science (ACCESS)
February 2022
Researchers at the University of Exeter (lead) and the University of Surrey (co-lead) have successfully secured a £6.25m ESRC grant to establish an interdisciplinary environmental social science leadership team in the UK over the next five years: ACCESS (Advancing Climate Change and Environmental Social Science). The network’s aim is “to coordinate and champion environmental social science research, to build capacity and promote and enhance the value of environmental social science in research and practice.”
The 5-year programme of work will be led by Prof Patrick Devine-Wright (Exeter) as director and Prof Birgitta Gatersleben (Surrey, CUSP) as Deputy Director with COI’s from Bath, Sussex, Leeds and the NESRN (Natural England, Natural Resources Wales, NatureScot, Natural England, Environment Agency and Forest Research) and an extensive partner network including, amongst others, the Universities of Belfast, Cardiff and Manchester, the Tyndall centre, National Trust and local and national governments.
The vision for ACCESS is to improve the organisation and coordination of the research community, and to increase “the accessibility, agility and use of social science” in order to support the green and just transition. Co-investigators from CUSP include Prof Tim Jackson, Ian Christie, and Prof Angela Druckman. CUSP Deputy Director Prof Kate Burningham will lead the ACCESS’s cross-cutting theme on equality, diversity and inclusion and the work package on empowerment and training.
The project will formally beginn in Feburary 2022. For further details, please see the Exeter Green Futures website.
