While UKRI supports innovation for the world through its funding and activities, we require local innovation to address our own environmental targets. The following section contains a range of impact stories from our colleagues around the organisation, highlighting some inspirational approaches.
You will also find further information and impact stories in our most recent annual report, which includes our transparent reporting against:
- the Greening Government Commitments
- our Net Zero target
- the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures
Environmental impacts
Leading collaboration on sustainable research
In 2025 UKRI led a collaboration of international funders and research institutions for a joint solution for addressing the environmental sustainability of research. This included hosting an important workshop with funders from across Europe.
Groundwork for geothermal heat pump
In 2025, through the UKRI Natural Environment Research Council, we completed the first phase of works to install a £1.7 million geothermal heat pump at the British Geological Survey in Keyworth. The project includes 28 boreholes (fitted with sensors to allow the project to be a living lab) and will save 30 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions a year.
Installing over 1,400 solar panels
Over 1,400 solar panels have been installed on the Mary Lyon Centre and Advance Training Centre at MRC Harwell. The arrays will result in a reduction in emissions of around 105 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. Learn more about MRC’s environmental sustainability programme
Reducing carbon footprint for particle accelerators
Through the UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council we have funded a project to further develop the Zero Power Tunable Optics (ZEPTO) magnet, which is a new type of magnet that could cut both the running costs and carbon footprint of particle accelerators. Particle accelerators are essential to the research conducted at Diamond Light Source at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.
Network for sustainable digital research infrastructure
Working in partnership with the University of Oxford and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, we have launched a Network for Sustainable Digital Research Infrastructure Vision and Expertise (NetDRIVE). The project will provide leadership in the UK and globally by creating a forum for managers, software engineers, academics and others to build a common vision for a sustainable future, and to champion sustainable working practices in the digital research infrastructure communities.
Programme increasing heritage sector efficiency
In 2024, through the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council, we launched the Research Infrastructure for Conservation and Heritage Science (RICHeS) programme. It aims to maximise the research, development and innovation potential of UK heritage science by increasing sector effectiveness, efficiency and excellence.
Decarbonising UK’s energy-intensive industries
With funding from Innovate UK and the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Industrial Decarbonisation Challenge has concluded after five years, catalysing the decarbonisation of the UK’s energy-intensive industries through collaborative working and knowledge-sharing.
Exploring the social and economic drivers of climate change
Through ESRC funding, researchers are investigating the social and economic drivers and impacts of climate change, the risks associated with it, and the benefits and opportunities in addressing it. Our funded programmes include: