Research and analysis

Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Programme Inventory

Published 13 July 2026

This is not a statement of government policy.

1. Introduction

The Climate Change Committee’s recent evidence clearly showed how the UK is already experiencing the impacts of climate change – from more frequent and intense heatwaves to flooding, drought, biodiversity loss, and disruption to supply chains. These trends are projected to accelerate, with significant implications for public health, economic stability, national security, and social equity.

While mitigation efforts remain vital to limit future climate impacts, adaptation is essential to protect people, places, and the economy from risks that are already locked in. However, adaptation remains under-researched and under-invested in relative to mitigation. The current pace and scale of action is insufficient to meet the UK’s climate resilience needs.

Research and Innovation (R&I) can make it easier to mend this important shortfall by generating new knowledge, developing practical tools and technologies, identifying cost-effective solutions, and building adaptive capacity across institutions and communities.

The Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Framework (CARIF) provides a non-exhaustive collation of adaptation R&I needs across sectors and ‘systems’, key to strengthening the UK’s climate resilience. These needs overlap with the areas in need of critical investigation identified in the CCC’s recent Well-Adapted UK report, such as: insufficient data on assets, vulnerabilities, and real-world climate impacts; weak evidence on the effectiveness of adaptation interventions over the long-term, and; gaps in economic analysis of damages and adaptation costs.

This inventory provides an overview of the main Government-funded R&I programmes that support climate adaptation, where adaptation is a core or significant component. It may not capture all relevant activity – some Government programmes include adaptation-related research as part of broader portfolios that may not be substantial enough to be included here. The Climate Adaptation Research and Innovation Board (CARIB) will continue to provide strategic oversight, monitoring and evaluation of progress against the CARIF Inventory.

As the programmes in this inventory are implemented, the UK government will be developing its fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA4) and fourth National Adaptation Programme (NAP4), drawing on the recent advice, evidence and recommendations from the Climate Change Committee.

2. Climate adaptation R&I programmes funded by UK government departments

Programmes included within this inventory may span multiple funding periods, with some having commenced prior to 2026 and/or extending beyond 2030.

2.1. Health

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
DHSC’s NIHR / UKRI Net Zero & Health Co-Benefits Hubs	Seven transdisciplinary, place-based hubs examining health co-benefits and resilience implications of the net zero transition. £41.925m overall spend for FY24/25 to FY29/30 which consists of £23.9 m from NIHR and £18.5m from UKRI.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	5	23.9	8.385	8.385	8.385	6.289	-
DHSC’s NIHR Climate-Resilient Health & Social Care Research	Research to adapt health and social care systems and infrastructure to climate-related extreme weather	Early warning systems and tailored climate services	5	10.5	0.35	0.4	3.25	3.25	3.25
Defra’s Air Quality Research Projects	These projects explore i) what impacts the changing climate and weather patterns will have on air pollutant concentrations and related health impacts in the UK ii) the relationship with interacting environmental factors (e.g. heat and pollen) iii) develop improved air pollution forecasts.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	0.875	-	0.275	0.2	0.2	0.2

2.2. Built environment and communities

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
DESNZ’s Built Environment Adaptation Research (BEAR)	Evidence base for climate-resilient UK building stock, including retrofit pathways, metrics and adaptation impacts	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	4	3.13	1.48	0.82	0.53	0.3	-
Met Office’s Local Authority Climate Service (LACS) and Climate Data Portal	Provides a place-based climate service supporting local authority adaptation planning and risk assessment, delivering accessible, locally tailored climate projections and indicators through the Met Office Climate Data Portal. Translates national climate science into decision-ready information for local planning, resilience, and statutory reporting, aligned with UKCP and national adaptation guidance.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	5	0.575	0.175	0.1	0.1	0.1	0.1
Defra’s Floods Research Programme	Programme comprising Defra-commissioned flood research and projects aimed at reducing and mitigating flood risk to properties, businesses and communities in England and Wales.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	2.61	0.45	0.55	0.61	0.50	0.50
Natural England’s proposed urban green infrastructure project	In collaboration with Kew Gardens, this project aims to understand how we can increase nature and climate resilience through changes in management of green space.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	1	FTE 0.1	FTE 0.1	-	-	-	-

2.3. Transport

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
DfT’s Resilience Science Programme	This programme is funding research on nature-based solutions for transport resilience, transport system interdependencies and whole-system resilience to inform transport adaptation	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	Ongoing	0.48 + TBC	0.12	0.36	TBC	TBC	TBC
DfT’s Environment & Adaptation Division	Research on understanding and measuring the impacts of warming on the transport system.	Making the business case	Ongoing	0.36 + TBC	0.18	0.18	TBC	TBC	TBC
DfT’s Delivering Efficiency through Technology Adoption (DETA) Fund	Climate resilience is 1 of 7 programmes of the DETA fund which will accelerate the development and adoption of new technology that can be applied across the transport sector.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	0.65	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13
National Hub for Decarbonised, Adaptable, and Resilient Transport Infrastructures (DARe Hub)	DfT and UKRI co-funded hub which will provide decision-makers – at local, regional and national levels – with transferable, open-source resources to evaluate infrastructure performance and stress-test adaptation options across future scenarios.	Making the business case. Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	3.5	10	2.5	2.5	-	-	-

2.4. Public services

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra’s Strategic Behavioural insights research for emergencies, net zero and climate resilience and preparedness	Behavioural research programme focussing on strategic, cross-cutting areas in relation to emergencies, and climate mitigation and adaptation. Includes exploring behaviours relating to societal resilience including preparedness, response and recovery. Aims to improve preparedness, resilience and recovery outcomes, including climate adaptation and mitigation. Utilises existing and innovative methods and technologies, including AI-assisted research, to understand behavioural barriers and enablers and effectiveness of interventions. Research focus includes at risk groups.	Understanding social, behavioural and governance barriers to adaptation and impacts of adaptation solutions	4	0.55	-	0.14	0.1	0.15	0.15

2.5. Water and wastewater

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra’s Water Research Programme	Water research within the programme supports the outcomes of the Independent Water Commission and Environment Act targets by strengthening evidence, monitoring, and innovation across the water system. It includes research on emerging risks such as antimicrobial resistance in aquatic environments and microbiological hazards in recreational waters; advances in laboratory methods and data automation to improve efficiency and reduce costs; and evaluation of the Water Restoration Fund. The programme also develops the future water regulatory framework, including new monitoring regimes and tools to better target investment and track progress, alongside research to reduce agricultural pollution (notably nitrogen and phosphorus) while maintaining productivity and meeting statutory reduction targets.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	12.22	1.54	2.46	2.76	3.03	2.43
Defra’s funding of the Environment Agency’s Floods and Water (F&W) Programme	The programme of research carried out by the EA in support of the Floods and Water Directorate. Projects  inform regulatory duties including: 1) achieving a sustainable transition to net zero, 2) understanding and managing critical thresholds for Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) in surface waters, 3) water demand management, 4) resilient water resources and management of drought risk, 5) public attitudes to climate adaptation and water scarcity and 6) water requirements for net zero technology and land use change.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	15.16	2.87	3.2 (£0.5m for EA’s Climate Adaptation & Resilience Programme)	3.01	3.02	3.06
Defra / Environment Agency Climate Adaptation and Resilience Programme	This programme aims to deliver targeted adaptation research to strengthen understanding of climate impacts on water systems and ecosystems and inform effective responses. It focuses on evaluating nature-based solutions, assessing risks such as drought, invasive species, changing catchments, and novel ecosystems, and improving evidence on pressures in rivers, estuaries, and lakes, including drying, algal blooms, and temperature change.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	5	0.9 (EA core funding, £1.9m in total including Defra F&W funding)	0.45 (programme total is £0.95m with £0.5m from Defra F&W as above)	0.45 (programme total is £0.95m with £0.5m from Defra F&W as above)	TBC	TBC	TBC

2.6. Energy

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
DESNZ’s Climate Services for a Net Zero Resilient World (CS-N0W2)	Climate risk evidence, resilience metrics and data services to support adaptation of energy and infrastructure systems	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	6	1.4	2.1	1.5	1	-
DESNZ’s Energy Security & Resilience Research	Evidence on climate risks, preparedness and resilience costs for the UK energy system	Making the business case	4	TBC	0.2	TBC	TBC	TBC	-

2.7. Land

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Scottish Government: Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Research Portfolio	The Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture (ENRA) Research Portfolio is a large-scale, multidisciplinary package that delivers research priorities pivotal in shaping the Scottish Government’s evidence-based responses to the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. The Scottish Government invests approx £45 million a year into a portfolio of strategic research to ensure that Scotland maintains its position at the very cutting edge of advances in agriculture, natural resources and the environment. Within the current strategic research programme, the Scottish Government has projects which support climate change adaptation.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	2022-2027 ENRA RP concludes in March 2027. The ENRA RP 2027-2032 five year programme starts in April 2027.	TBC	12.4	12.4	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Future Proofing Plant Health (FPPH)	Active since 2014, FPPH aims to consolidate plant health research and development requirements delivered by Defra network organisations and encourage greater collaboration across the department’s core science providers. Fera Science, FR, Kew, Natural England & JNCC with further subcontracting to other providers. Annual call for research via a 5-year MOU.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	15.4	4.2	2.8	2.8	2.8	2.8
Defra’s Centre for Forest Protection (CFP)	The CFP is a virtual research hub, led by Forest Research and RBG Kew in collaboration with a range of research providers and sector stakeholders. It brings together expertise and facilities to protect and enhance the future health and resilience of our forests, woodlands and trees. Jointly funded with NETL. 3-year programme of work via an MOU.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	3 (with programme likely to be extended)	12 (for phase 2 of programme)	4.0	4.0	4.0	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Euphresco	Euphresco is a network of organisations that fund research projects and coordinate national and transnational research in the phytosanitary area including climate-driven adaption of pest and diseases. The overall goal of Euphresco is to support coordination and collaboration in the area of phytosanitary research, and to maintain itself as a strong, long-term global network of research stakeholders (Defra funds only UK research organisations).	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	1.3	0.25	0.25	0.30	0.30	0.30
Defra’s Climate Change effects on soil	How resilient England’s soils are to future climate is underexplored and therefore how exposed current land use, such as agriculture, is, which is dependant on the provision of soil delivered ecosystems services.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	4	0.8	0	0.2	0.2	0.2	0.2
Defra’s Trees, Woodlands and Forestry	Co-funds forestry resilience and innovation research programmes, including the Centre for Forest Protection, responsive forestry R&D, and EU Horizon forest research, supporting future forest resilience, policy development and regulation.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	34.30	9.16	6.27	6.07	6.36	6.43
Defra’s National Biodiversity Evidence and Analysis Team (NBEAT)	Programme aims to improve the spatial targeting and value for money of intervention delivery, while strengthening the evidence base underpinning statutory biodiversity targets and Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) reporting to reduce legal and reputational risk. It will provide trajectories, monitoring, and evaluation data for key actions, enabling policymakers to track progress and adapt delivery where needed. Collectively, this will increase confidence in achieving biodiversity targets, leading to improved outcomes for species and habitats and delivering wider benefits for ecosystem services, including pollination, recreation, human health, and resilience. The evidence will enhance our understanding of improving connectivity of habitats and reducing pressure from pollution – all of which are important to help species adapt to climate change.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	5	14.01	2.95	2.62	3.11	2.88	2.45
Defra’s Science and Innovation Strategy for Forestry in Britan.	Cross-border forestry research programme supporting forestry authorities in England, Scotland and Wales through the Science and Innovation Strategy for Forestry in Britain, including research on climate adaptation, mitigation and long-term forest resilience. The strategy is being refreshed for 2027-2032 and funding figures include contributions from Scotland and Wales.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	45.35	9.07	9.07	9.07	9.07	9.07
Defra’s Access Landscapes Peats and Soils	Research programme investigating peatland restoration, soil resilience and soil health, including greenhouse gas inventory improvements, enhanced spatial soils data.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	19	9.3	6.1	3.2	0.2	0.2
Defra and UKRI’s Resilient Economy and Security through Ecosystem Transitions	Planned collaboration with UKRI to establish a large collaborative programme exploring the ways in which ecosystems may reorganise as a result of climate change, land use change and other anthropogenic and environmental pressures. This would explore changes in ecosystem function as species become locally extinct or migrate. It would explore cascading risks, e.g. to human security. It would also look at ways of managing ecosystems to enhance resilience, e.g. by retain key functional groups and increasing functional redundancy.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	3	21	-	-	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Advancing biodiversity monitoring for global nature	Programme strengthens biodiversity and environmental monitoring in lower- and middle-income countries through equitable co-design with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, improved data infrastructure, and open-access marine risk systems. It supports national planning, climate resilience, and global nature and climate targets by enhancing locally relevant monitoring, integrating Indigenous knowledge, building capacity, and exploring how novel monitoring approaches can support nature finance.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	2 (with programme likely to be extended)	0.99	0.34	0.65	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Natural Capital and Ecosystem Assessment (NCEA) – Includes Core R&D Funding and funding from ELM & Defra Soils	The NCEA programme is the UK’s largest ever ecological survey over a 5‑year baseline to provide robust, regionally representative data on ecosystem condition, supported by remote sensing, mapping, and soil (including mycorrhizal) research. This evidence base is enabling a natural capital approach to decision-making in government, as well as the wider public and private sectors. NCEA is contributing to adaptation by providing a foundation for understanding future change and informing long-term climate adaptation planning.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	183.31	63.24	56.28	53.09	10	0.7
Natural England’s Environment Improvement Plan (EIP) Action	Research on increasing the natural resilience of habitats to wildfires, such as through re-wetting or restoring hydrological function, including case studies of success, by 2030. An initial scoping review will be reported on in the annual progress report (APR) in 2027.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	1	FTE 0.5	FTE 0.5	-	-	-	-
Natural England’s publication and report updates	Natural England is updating its evidence base on climate impacts and adaptation for habitats and species through three core strands of work: (1) publication of version 3.0 of the Natural England Adaptation Manual, including revised habitat guidance; (2) a review and update of the 2016 Risks and Opportunities to Species report; and (3) updated outputs from the National Habitat Climate Change Vulnerability Model for all Priority Habitats. Alongside these updates, they are strengthening climate-informed species modelling, embedding climatic niche modelling across Natural England’s Data Science Services and applying it to priority species, and developing tools such as spatial prioritisation for the Nature Restoration Fund to incorporate future climate suitability and connectivity. Together, this work provides a more robust and up-to-date synthesis of climate risks, impacts, and adaptation responses for habitats and species, supporting more climate-resilient conservation and restoration decisions.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	2	FTE 3	FTE 1.5	FTE 1.5	-	-	-
Natural England’s exploration of climate driven inevitable change to habitats (PSS-funded R&D with UKCEH)	Research includes calibrated climate vegetation models that will be used to explore potential tipping points in habitat composition and function.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	2	0.08 (TBC) + FTE 0.5	0.08 (TBC) + FTE 0.3	FTE 0.2	-	-	-
Elements of Natural England’s Nature Returns Programme	Investigation of the effects of weather on wetland mosaic greenhouse gas emissions (small contribution)	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	1	0.01 + FTE 0.3	0.01 + FTE 0.3	-	-	-	-
Natural England’s proposed integrated climate and natural capital risk for adaptive landscape management project	This project will test how climate risk evidence and natural capital approaches can be integrated to support adaptive management planning at the landscape scale. It will assess how climate change pressures interact with ecosystem condition and function, with a particular focus on protected sites.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	2	FTE 1.4	FTE 0.7	FTE 0.7	-	-	-
Natural England’s Climate Change Adaptation Monitoring for Environmental Land Management Schemes	This project aims to develop a robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework for assessing how Environmental Land Management (ELM) schemes (Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) and Landscape Recovery (LR)) contribute to climate change adaptation, including responding to hazards such as flooding, drought, wildfire, extreme heat, storms, and coastal erosion.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	2	0.1 + FTE 0.6	0.1 + FTE 0.3	FTE 0.3	-	-	-
Natural England – creating and embedding adaptation indicators	The project will develop a framework to assess and monitor the state and progress of adaptation at the landscape scale. Such a framework will enable an evidence-based consistent assessment of the ambition and effectiveness of delivery mechanisms such as Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), Landscape Recovery (LR) and Protected Sites Strategies (PSS) in delivering adaptation	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	2	FTE 1	FTE 0.5	FTE 0.5	-	-	-
Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA) – EU Partnership on Animal Health and Welfare (EUPAHW)	Aims to provide future wild mammal distribution and abundance changes in UK and across Europe, based on climatic and habitat change to help establish early warning disease surveillance systems and improved contingency planning. This will also include potential changes in invasive species risks. Co-funded with Defra and European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) ENETwild	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	3 (with programme likely to be extended)	0.26	-	0.07 (EU contribution 48%)	TBC	TBC	-
APHA Project: Rift Valley fever virus in temperate mosquitoes: investigating persistence and enhancing outbreak preparedness capabilities.	This Defra funded project underpins APHA’s National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for Rift Vally fever virus (RVFV) as well as investigating the competence of British vector species to harbour the virus. This project sits within the Animal and Zoonotic Viral Disease Portfolio.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	4	1.19	-	0.32	0.31	0.28	0.28
APHA Project: Elucidating cryptic transmission pathways for zoonotic flaviviruses to predict outbreaks of notifiable disease	This Defra-funded project focuses on two objectives. Firstly, using British Trust Ornithology (BTO) ring recovery data to map bird movements and assess how migratory birds may introduce and spread mosquito-borne viruses in the UK. Secondly, sampling Blackbird nests to investigate their role in the epidemiology of Usutu virus (USUV), particularly during the sedentary nestling stage when mosquito transmission may occur. Together, this addresses a key policy gap by identifying high-risk areas and species, while supporting improved disease modelling and risk assessment.	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	3	0.2	-	0.07	0.07	0.06	-
Natural England – Species Risks and Opportunities	The R&D project will conduct a review of the predictions of the NECR0175 on the Risks & Opportunities to Species. This report represents a significant evidence base for understanding the impact of climate change on species. A further 10 years of observations and impacts are now available to determine whether the outputs of the work remain valid. Dependent on the results of the review, further work may be required.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	2	0.8 + FTE 0.6	0.8 + FTE 0.3	FTE 0.3	-	-	-

2.8. Sea

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra’s Aquatic animal health – core R&D	Underpins research to support Defra policy and Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) core research and diagnostic capability in aquatic animal disease, supporting the development of innovative diagnostic technologies, better awareness of disease risks and increased sensitivity of early warning systems.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	3	2.85	-	0.97	0.94	0.94	-
Defra’s Aquatic animal health – evidence R&D	Supports the health of the UK’s aquatic animals and the resilience of the fish farming sector by addressing targeted knowledge and evidence gaps in relevant aquatic animal disease. Closely aligned with national capability and core-funded research programme at Cefas.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	1.12	0.20	0.22	0.22	0.23	0.24
Defra’s Aquatic animal health – official services	Provides inspection, surveillance, diagnostic and scientific capability for the control of serious aquatic animal diseases in England and Wales, including epidemiological risk assessment, veterinary advice, emerging disease investigation, and operation of national and international reference laboratories.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	1	-	6.35	-	-	-	-
Defra’s Managing Pressures in our Marine Environment	This programme aims to deliver evidence to enable strong evidence is available to inform decisions on issues including spatial squeeze, marine protection and how we can manage multiple pressures on our marine environment. This work will enable Defra to identify adaption strategies where climate changes pose a risk.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	17.2	-	4.5	4.5	4.1	4.1
Defra’s Marine & Fisheries Risk and Horizon Scanning	Research aimed to increase understanding of how the environment is changing with risk emerging which may require future policy response including the need for adaptation	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	12.1	-	3.1	3	3	3
NI Executive – PEACEPLUS	PEACEPLUS is a cross-border funding programme supported by the European Union, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Government of Ireland, and the Northern Ireland administration. Multi-disciplinary Ocean Sensing for Adaptive International Conservation (MOSAIC) – NI Executive contribution of £6.9m (€8 m equivalent). Coastal Monitoring and Adaptation Planning (CMAP) – NI Executive contribution of £8.3m (€9.6 m equivalent)	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	4	15.2	-	-	-	-	-
NI Executive – Northern Ireland Coastal Forum. Co-chaired by Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), and Department for Infrastructure Ministers.	NIEA, GSNI, National Trust, AFBI, academia, UK Hydrographic Office, local authorities working to build on the scientifically robust evidence base of coastal data, repeating high resolution surveys to identify coastal change and undertake coastal vulnerability assessments based on the evidence collected.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	Ongoing	-	-	-	-	-	-

2.9. Food security

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra / Met Office Partnership – Food, Farming and Natural Environment Climate Services (FFNE)	Defra funds the Met Office Food, Farming & Natural Environment (FFNE) climate service, which provides essential and world-leading climate modelling services to Defra. The climate service provides a sector-focused climate service supporting agriculture, food systems and the natural environment, delivering targeted analysis and evidence to inform policy development on food security, land use, pests and diseases, and ecosystem resilience. It connects UK climate projections to sector-specific impacts and adaptation needs, supporting statutory processes including the Climate Change Risk Assessment, National Adaptation Programme and UK Food Security Report.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	1.39	0.27	0.36	0.37	0.39	-
Defra’s Crop Genetics and Breeding Research	A programme of breeding research (Genetic Improvement Networks) to improve the productivity, resilience, sustainability and nutritional quality of key UK crops. Adapting UK crops to a changing climate is a key focus of this research. The crop Genetic Improvement Networks (GINs) deliver collaborative lab-based R&D supported by field trials to test out breeding benefits for key UK crops. This research helps today’s crops to grow stronger, be more resilient to pests, diseases and a changing climate with efficient inputs.	Harnessing data for well‑designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	13.70	3.96	2.67	3.45	2.83	0.86

2.10. Economy and finance

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra’s research for Circular Policy-Making	Supports the development of a new, ambitious strategic evidence-gathering programme to understand the citizen and business transition to a circular economy. Through a bespoke citizen survey, collaborating with ONS to adapt and expand business surveys, and testing and trialling behavioural insights interventions, the programme will enhance understanding of the barriers to adopting more circular and therefore adaptive behaviours and practices.	Understanding social, behavioural and governance barriers to adaptation and impacts of adaptation solutions	4	1.9	-	0.3	0.3	0.6	0.6

2.11. National security and international engagement

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
FCDO’s CLARE – Framework on Climate Adaptation & Resilience	Southern-led adaptation research and innovation in Africa and Asia-Pacific, bridging science and policy	Spatial analysis and a place-based approach	2	84.5	18	13.6	TBC	TBC	TBC
FCDO’s UNEP Climate-Resilient Finance Partnership	Provides support to finance ministries in developing countries to embed climate resilience into fiscal and economic planning	Making the business case	1	3.5	3.5	-	-	-	-
Defra’s Nature Security	The Nature Security research programme explores how global ecosystem degradation poses risk to UK national security. Within this R&D area, there is a planned three-year research programme to build the analytical frameworks, tools and early warning capability that enable HMG to understand, anticipate and respond to the national security risks arising from global ecosystem degradation and change. Alongside this sit 2 shorter-term pieces of work: 1 scoping study exploring UK national security risks relating from freshwater supply globally, and another to understand potential UK security risks from UK and EU ecosystem degradation.	Early warning systems and tailored climate services	3	TBC	-	-	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Biodiversity Research and Insights for Delivery under Global Environmental Frameworks (BRIDGE)	This programme explores the UK’s role in shaping global biodiversity goals beyond 2030. It assesses ambition levels, scenario planning, and while evaluating IPBES influence, cross-sector collaboration, and will use biodiversity modelling approaches. This programme will provide decision-ready, independent evidence that connects biodiversity ambition and international commitments with real-world delivery at home and abroad. BRIDGE will strengthen the evidence base on restoring and protecting biodiversity and ecosystems to enhance resilience and identifying gaps and recommending forward-looking actions and pathways, while informing future global target setting, thereby supporting nature-based climate adaptation. It aims to strengthen UK contributions to global frameworks through improved monitoring, integration, and evidence-based international engagement.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	4	TBC	-	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC)	Funds research in ODA-eligible countries on how biodiversity conservation and the sustainable use of nature can address climate change, strengthen resilience and support livelihoods.	Making the business case	3	30	10	10	10	-	-
FCDO’s SCALE – System-level Climate Adaptation LEvers Research programme	Research and innovation to build climate resilience at scale for the most vulnerable in the Global South, focusing on systemic resilience, catalysing action, climate science, adaptation finance, and climate-related mobility.	Understanding social, behavioural and governance barriers to adaptation and impacts of adaptation solutions	6	39.8	-	0.4	8.7	9.3	9

2.12. Multi-sectoral

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Defra’s Programme for Adaptation & Climate Evidence (PACE)	This programme aims to deliver a coherent, system-wide evidence base to inform UK climate adaptation policy and support cross-government decision-making on climate risks. It includes delivering evidence for the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), driving scientific excellence with the Met Office through UK Climate Information (UKCI), supporting evidence-to-policy application via the Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) Hub (co-funded with UKRI as seen in Section 2.12 below), and developing best practice through a new What Works Centre for Adaptation. Collectively, these activities provide a national, evidence-based assessment of cross-government, sectoral, regional and systemic climate risks and enable the development of effective adaptation policy.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	5	34.54	5.92	3.42	4	7.7	13.5
NI Executive – DAERA. DAERA Directed AFBI Research Work Programme (DDARWP)	Annual programme to commission and oversee R&D from the Agri-Food Biosciences Institute, an arm’s-length body of the Department to help deliver evidence and new innovations to assist in the delivery of a pathway to net zero and underpin resilient sectors through resource-efficient and sufficient circular economies which are resilient and adapted to the current and projected effects of climate change, as well as providing good green jobs for globally competitive and resilient industries. There are 3 current adaptation-specific projects. Part of an ongoing DAERA Directed Research Programme across 5 thematic areas, including climate, with an annual expenditure of £10–12m. The figure presented reflects adaptation-specific programmes only.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	Annual durations of adaptation programmes within span 2-3 years	1.155	0.182	0.653	0.320	-	-
NI Executive – DAERA. The Co-Centre Programme. Climate Plus Biodiversity Plus Water Co-Centre	The Co-Centre Programme is a new strategic collaborative partnership between Ireland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, co-funded by industry, which will consolidate research activities across higher education and research institutes in co-hosted centres. The programme will support large-scale, virtual centres with the aim of strengthening the research and innovation base within Ireland, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, building strategic partnerships across these regions to support a competitive economy and addressing societal and environmental challenges. Currently, there are four Climate Plus Biodiversity Plus Water Co-Centre adaption specific projects. Climate Plus Biodiversity Plus Water Co-Centre is co-funded by UKRI and Research Ireland. The figure presented reflects investment by DAERA.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	6	8.4	-	-	-	-	-
NI Executive – DAERA. DAERA Postgraduate Studentship Scheme	DAERA funds full-time postgraduate studentships for a three-year period of research to address policy priorities leading to a PhD qualification at a university in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. There are 5 climate adaptation related projects.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	Annual programme. Individual postgraduate studentships last 3 years	0.434	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC	TBC
Defra’s Advancing wetland science for climate, people and policy	Multi-year programme supporting UK implementation of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands through development of a UK Wetland Inventory and research on climate resilience, wetland carbon, nature-based solutions, governance, policy effectiveness and monitoring technologies to inform UK policy, international collaboration and future research priorities.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	1.34	0.33	0.46	0.35	0.35	0.2
Defra / Met Office’s UK Climate Information (UKCI)	Funded by Defra and delivered by the Met Office, UKCI provides next-generation UK climate information, advancing climate and impacts science to deliver decision-relevant projections, metrics and tools. Develops user-focused platforms and guidance to ensure climate information is accessible, usable and applied in real-world decision-making.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	12	2	4	4	2	-
Met Office’s Hadley Centre Programme (HCCP)	Funded by UK government departments and delivered by the Met Office Hadley Centre, HCCP develops and maintains critical infrastructure such as climate models, observations, and datasets, and directly supports key national products including the UK Climate Projections (UKCP) and the Climate Change Risk Assessments (CCRA). Its primary role is upstream: ensuring the UK has robust, credible, and policy-relevant climate science to inform mitigation, adaptation, and resilience planning across government and beyond.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	5	121.8	22.6	22.9	24.4	25.4	26.4
Natural England’s assessment of Adaptive Delivery Plans (ADP)s/ R(esist)-A(ccept)-D(irect). (RAD) Framework	This work will complete the testing and trialling of ADPs on terrestrial SSSIs to include consideration of appropriate monitoring & evaluation. It will also explore the application of the ADP process into marine protected areas (MPAs).	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	2	FTE 1	FTE 0.5	FTE 0.5	-	-	-

3. UKRI-funded projects and programmes

UKRI expects to continue to fund a broad range of adaptation and resilience activity through ongoing schemes, including for example curiosity-driven research, the work of relevant centres and institutes, international partnerships and investments in talent and skills. UKRI funding is primarily drawn from non-departmental sources.

Programme	Programme Summary	CARIF System Challenge	Duration of Programme (Years)	Total Funding (£m)	FY25/26	F726/27	FY27/28	FY28/29	FY29/30
Building resilience to wildfire in a changing climate	A tri-lateral partnership to improve understanding of wildfire occurrence, intensity, behaviour and spread within the UK, the US, and Canada.	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	4	7	-	1	2	2	2
Future Observatory: Design the Green Transition	Connecting designers, researchers, and communities to support the shift to a sustainable, low‑carbon future	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	3	34.4	2.6	5.95	6.85	-	-
UKRI-NSFC Sustainable Efficiencies in Urban Environments Programme	Part of the UK-China Flagship challenge focused on sustainable cities	Place-based adaptation and spatial decision-making	4	8	-	0.1	1.5	2.5	2.4
Floods and Droughts Research Infrastructure	A ‘digital accelerator’ for research into the drivers, scope and impact of severe weather on the UK and enhance AI-based predictive capability	Harnessing data for well-designed and implemented adaptation strategies	10	40	-	-	-	-	-
Defra and UKRI – Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) Hub	Cross-government hub providing decision support, evidence synthesis, guidance and coordination to support effective adaptation action, co-funded by Defra and UKRI.	Setting coherent adaptation goals and resilience standards, and monitoring progress	3	7.5	3.7	3.7	0.1	-	-