United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) have announced the next phase of the Land Use for Net Zero Nature and People (LUNZ) Programme, which aims to mobilise and support research that works in partnership with government and industry to tackle net zero through action in the UK land sectors.

Funding has been granted for five separate consortia of research organisations, that will carry out cutting-edge research into the interlinking themes of soil health, agricultural systems and land use change.

This is the second phase of the LUNZ Program, following the launch of the LUNZ Hub (in November 2023) which is tasked with convening a transdisciplinary, cross-sectoral community to co-develop pathways, advance research, integrate knowledge, identify routes to impact and fast-track evidence into policy to support the UK in the transformation towards net zero, while meeting other environmental and societal goals.

Reacting to the announcement, LUNZ Hub co-lead Professor Lee-Ann Sutherland (James Hutton Institute) said:

“These are ground-breaking and ambitious projects that address many of the critical research gaps and challenges behind how we transition UK land use for both climate goals and society as a whole. In their design these projects reflect many of the characteristics of the Hub: transdisciplinary, addressing social, economic and scientific challenges simultaneously, and with a strong emphasis on designing and imagining scenarios that explain the transition to Net Zero. Over the course of the program the LUNZ Hub will work closely with the LUNZ Projects to identify synergies and opportunities for collaboration, as well as potential drivers of change and viable policy levers.”

LUNZ Hub co-lead Professor Heiko Balzter (University of Leicester) said:

“We’re looking forward to embedding these projects in the work of the LUNZ Hub, and expanding our truly transdisciplinary community that can work across research, business, policymaking and the third sector. The breadth of organisations involved in these projects, and the combined expertise of the principal investigators is inspiring to see, and it will be exciting to paint a multi-disciplinary picture of the solutions that can be delivered at scale through local and national policy action".

Researchers at the School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Global Food Security and Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) will participate in the LUNZ Grassland (Grassland Resilience for Net Zero) project that aims to optimise grassland use through techniques like upland grazing, low-carbon forages, and agroforestry could help the UK achieve its mitigation goals while saving over £1.6 billion annually. LUNZ Grasslands will offer innovation assessments, co-create adoption pathways, and provide policy solutions through Life Cycle Assessments scenario modelling, and extensive stakeholder engagement.

Commenting on the announcement, Dr Katerina Theodoridou, Associate Professor of Farm Animal Nutrition at Queen's University said; 

"I’m really excited to be the Northern Ireland lead on the LUNZ Grassland Resilience for Net Zero project and play a role in addressing this vital component of the UK’s journey toward Net Zero by 2050. The livestock industry faces tough challenges in cutting emissions, enhancing biodiversity, and ensuring that rural communities continue to thrive. We aim to collaborate with pioneering farmers to showcase effective approaches and, alongside our project partners, help more farmers adapt their practices and land management methods for a sustainable future. The research team in Northern Ireland, representing QUB and AFBI, is working closely together to assess the mitigation potential of innovations in grassland management and diverse pasture composition scenarios for pasture-based livestock production". 

Dr Omar Cristobal-Carballo from AFBI added;

"I am delighted to participate, as part of the research team represented by QUB and AFBI in Northern Ireland in the LUNZ Grassland Resilience for Net Zero project. This initiative will provide innovation assessments, co-create adoption pathways, and offer policy solutions through life cycle assessment scenario modelling and extensive stakeholder engagement. These approaches will guide us toward the Net Zero target by 2050 in the UK".

 

The LUNZ programme is a £20.79 million transdisciplinary venture co-designed and co-funded by:

• UKRI
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
• Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs
• Scottish Government
• Welsh Government

The programme forms part of UKRI's building a green future strategic theme, which aims to accelerate the green economy by supporting research and innovation that delivers on national priorities and unlocks solutions essential to achieving net zero in the UK by 2050.

 

Editors Notes

• The total funding of £14million has been allocated to five separate research projects distributed within the range of £2.5 - £4.5 million each.
• Funding is available for up to 36 months, starting 1 August 2024
• This funding opportunity is co-funded by UKRI, Defra (on behalf of England and Wales), DESNZ, and has been co-designed with Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), Welsh Government and Scottish Government.
• The Land Use for Net Zero (LUNZ) Hub is a consortium of 34 organisations that aims to provide the UK government and devolved administrations with the rapid evidence they need to develop policies that will drive the land use transformation required to achieve Net Zero and other environmental and social targets by 2050.

 

Dr Katerina Theodoridou

School of Biological Sciences & Institute for Global Food Security

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