Scientists and policy-makers are being invited to the launch of a major research programme that is designed to deliver new integrated understanding of the environment.
The Centre for Ecology & Hydrology has recently secured five years of funding from the Natural Environment Research Council for the new programme UK-SCAPE (UK Status Change and Projections of the Environment). This will underpin future environmental research across the UK and enable a crucial shift towards a more holistic approach looking at the wider landscape.
Our scientists will collect and integrate national-scale datasets, which will enable UK researchers to answer high-level questions relating to the environment such as how different pressures on land use, climate and pollution interact, what causes the loss of biodiversity and what the environmental determinants of water flows and soil moisture are.
Researchers from across the UK science community as well as policy-makers are invited to attend the launch of UK-SCAPE on Wednesday, December 5, to find out more about the objectives and planned outcomes of this exciting new programme, plus share their views on its four main activities.
Anyone interested in attending the event, which will be held at the Kia Oval cricket ground in Kennington, London, is asked to register their interest online as soon as possible.
Professor Richard Shore, chair of the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology’s programme board for UK-SCAPE, said: “Our five-year programme will help tackle significant challenges caused by mounting pressures on land use, air and soil quality, water and food security, and biodiversity. It will improve and integrate data, thereby providing vital support for future environmental research across the UK
“The launch event will provide an insight into the planned science advances, which researchers will be able to use and build upon in their own work. Therefore, we would welcome their views and input to help us refine the various research schemes.”
UK-SCAPE is receiving National Capability funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). National Capability enables UK scientists to deliver world-leading environmental science, meet national strategic needs and respond to emergencies.
To register for the UK-SCAPE launch event on December 5, visit https://ceh-online-surveys.onlinesurveys.ac.uk/uk-scape-launch-event-eoi
Please email uk-scape@ceh.ac.uk with any questions about the event or see https://www.ceh.ac.uk/ukscape for more about the programme.
