Deadline: 13-Jul-23
The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is seeking applications for the Place-Based Approaches to Sustainable Living: Outline Stage to research place-based approaches for an environmentally sustainable future and support evidence-based decision making.
Areas of Interest
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Proposals should consider place-based approaches for an environmentally sustainable future. Areas of interest, could include, but are not limited to:
- the circular economy, resource efficiency, and material, energy and environmental conservation linked to specific locales
- place-based solutions to mitigate and adapt places to climate change
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the role and interaction of diverse factors that combine in a place and their influence on sustainability, for example:
- behaviour
- education
- employment
- housing
- transport
- lifestyles
- local environments
- finance
- trade-offs
- access to, and role of, digital technology or locally produced essentials
- the impact, effect and longevity of common, multilevel and experimental governance on a place (for example, levelling up initiatives) and how local and place-based bottom-up approaches interact with national and policy-driven top-down approaches
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Proposals should:
- shape policy and practice at a local level
- outline their approach to spatial and temporal transferability and scalability
- address the ‘just transition’ and consider how place-based approaches can address multiple and systemic inequalities
- enhance the governance relationships between civil society bodies, local authorities, central and devolved administrations
- Proposal requirements
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Proposals submitted to this funding opportunity must:
- have an interdisciplinary, innovative approach to addressing place-based challenges, which promises to deliver impactful systems-based solutions
- utilise a co-produced approach to place-based issues, identifying mechanisms for wider impact through community engagement, including provision for building capacity and capability in communities, nature agencies, and decision makers at different scales
- aim for transformative change demonstrated through theoretical or practical solutions to address issues at a local level, and potential to scale up
- be able to provide actionable knowledge throughout and beyond the lifetime of the grant
- include interventions that consider the wider impact. For example, intersectionality, spill-over effects, co-benefits, trade-offs and potential impacts for people, nature and environments
- specify how the proposal will add value to current (UK Research and Innovation (UKRI)) investments where this is applicable
- have a UK focus, to align with the desired outcomes of the research. Projects are welcome to consider international comparative examples
Funding Information
- ESRC will fund research grants, running for five years from a start date of 1 April 2024. The FEC of each project can be up to £2 million. ESRC will fund 80% FEC.
Aim and desired outcomes
- ESRC are looking for proposals that deliver interdisciplinary research on place-based approaches for an environmentally sustainable future. The overarching objective for this opportunity is to increase the understanding of place-based approaches for a sustainable future, which will enable enhanced evidence-based decision making.
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Desired outcomes of the research include:
- enhanced understanding of environmental challenges and solutions from a place-based perspective to develop findings, tools and theories, which can be applied by local and national policymakers, communities and practitioners
- co-produced solutions or enhanced understanding of place-based approaches for a sustainable living
- contribute towards the evidence base informing the UK net zero by 2050 target and broader environmental, biodiversity and sustainability goals
Eligibility Criteria
- Standard ESRC eligibility rules apply.
- The principal investigator for this funding opportunity must be based at an organisation eligible for ESRC funding for the duration of the grant.
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Eligible organisations are:
- UK higher education institutions
- research council institutes
- UK Research and Innovation approved independent research organisations
- public sector research establishments
- NHS bodies with research capacity
- Co-investigators from business, third sector or government can be included in research applications. They encourage active collaboration between UK researchers and those in other countries, and co-investigators based in overseas research organisations can be included through their international co-investigators policy.
- Applicants may be involved in no more than two proposals submitted to this funding opportunity. Only one of these may be as the lead principal investigator. Only those applicants successful at outline stage will be invited to submit full proposals.
For more information, visit ESRC.