Skip to main content

Climate Change: Research

Volume 481: debated on Thursday 23 October 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change (1) how much the Government have spent on research into climate change since 1997; (227851)

(2) how much the Government have provided by way of grants or subsidies to organisations, companies and people involved in climate change research in each financial year since 1998.

The UK’s leading role in delivering climate change policy has been built on its world-leading research and the Government are committed to continuing support in this area. The Government support research into a wide range of climate change issues, including climate change science and innovations for mitigation and adaptation, but no centrally-collated figures are available for total expenditure.

The majority of Government expenditure in climate change research is provided through the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). NERC receives funding from the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). NERC’s funding of climate change research in 2007-08 was about 28 per cent. of its net spend of £389 million, approximately £109 million. In addition, universities also invest funding received from the Higher Education Funding Councils, some of which is invested in this area.

DEFRA’s total expenditure on climate change research (including projects of a cross-cutting nature which are of relevance to climate change) over the last six years was £132.8 million (£13.7 million in 2002-03, £17.7 million in 2003-04, £22.0 million in 2004-05, £23.7 million in 2005-06, £24.7 million in 2006-07, and £31.0 million in 2007-08). Figures for earlier years are not readily available.