Forward Look Community Consultation

Overview

In Spring 2025, NERC will publish its first Forward Look for environmental science.  

Developed in collaboration with our community and stakeholders, our Forward Look will set out our research and innovation priorities and how we will support the underpinning capabilities needed to deliver our science over a ten-year horizon.  

Our Forward Look will provide a longer-term framework for environmental research and innovation (R&I) in the UK, guiding our strategic direction and ambitions. This will help us maximise the value of our funding and respond to the government’s ambition for long-term thinking across the research and innovation (R&I) ecosystem.   

We’re seeking the input of the community to make sure our Forward Look represents and reflects your views and values.  

NERC Executive Chair, Professor Louise Heathwaite, said:  

“Our Forward Look sets the framework for our priorities over the next decade. I am keen that we hear from as many researchers, innovators and users of environmental science as possible to ensure our long-term vision reflects the community we champion. Our framework will enable us together to respond to global challenges and build a more secure and prosperous UK.”  

Supporting future environmental capability and long-term growth  

Environmental research and innovation is critical to long-term economic growth, and in ensuring the UK and international partners can build resilience to the present and future environmental challenges that will impact our day to day lives.  Our priorities and ambitions must respond to the challenges of our time and be alert to the issues of the future.  

In conversation  with our community, stakeholders and colleagues, NERC has identified three R&I priorities:  

• Green Growth  
• Environmental Security  
• Responsible Innovation  

These priorities will be delivered through our key capabilities: National Capability, Frontiers of Knowledge and Partnerships which together underpin our world-leading environmental science.   

We have developed an initial draft Forward Look based on these three priorities.

You can find our initial draft Forward Look below.

NERC Forward Look Summary Download this document (PDF 136KB, opens in new window)

Why your views matter

It is now time to test and align our thinking with our community and stakeholders. This is an opportunity for you to help shape environmental science and the NERC of the future.   

Your responses will help us to refine our ambitions within each of the key priority areas. We will consider all views and inputs, and we may contact you in case further clarifications are needed.  

In your responses, please provide your insights as fully as possible (and feel free to link to other material where relevant).  

You may also like to indicate if you feel strongly something should not be included in the Forward Look, and again please expand on this and explain as fully as you are able.   

Please feel free to answer all or a sub-section of the questions that are relevant to you.  

Following this consultation, we hope to publish a final Forward Look document in Spring 2025.  

GDPR Statement 

All personal data provided to NERC (as part of UK Research and Innovation) in connection to NERC’s Forward Look: Community Consultation and submitted in the survey form will be processed in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and the EU General Data Protection Regulations 2016/679 (GDPR) where appropriate. The personal information that you provide on this form will only be used to build understanding of stakeholder groups responding to the consultation in order to ensure that NERC receives a broad range of views from relevant communities, and to provide context to responses. The information will be viewed by NERC staff, and those who are part of the review process. If you provide contact information, NERC may use this to contact you further about the refresh of its Forward Look. Further information on how we use personal data, and how you can exercise your rights as a data subject, can be found on this page: UKRI Privacy Notice.