ESRC Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy - Transition Phase

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ESRC
ESRC
ESRC
ESRC
ESRC

£5,563,065

Sept. 30, 2018

Dec. 31, 2023

CCCEP launched in October 2008. The Centre is hosted jointly by the University of Leeds and the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Its mission is to advance public and private action on climate change through rigorous, innovative research.

Our research has always been impact-oriented and sought to respond to policy developments. From where CCCEP stands, the two key developments that shape climate policy today are:
1. the United Nations' Paris Agreement on climate change and the imperative of implementing it successfully around the world;
2. the UK government's pursuit of a low-carbon industrial policy in the context of Brexit.

Our research offers a rich evidence base for these two processes. Achievements to date include:
a. Improving the understanding and use of climate models in decision-making, made possible by forging new alliances between disciplines such as climate science, economics, philosophy and other social sciences.
b. We are a world-leading authority on the design of economic instruments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon taxes and emissions trading schemes. For example, our work has influenced reform of the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme.
c. We are at the forefront of bringing the 'empirical revolution' in economics to the field of climate change and energy, greatly improving the quality of evidence informing questions such as: do climate policies destroy jobs? Are they effective in reducing emissions and stimulating clean innovation?
d. Our research has advanced theory on social transitions and the role of government, individuals and ideas therein, by investigating UK climate policy dynamics during austerity.
e. Our joint research on Climate Change Laws of the World has guided the plans of lawmakers and negotiators at the United Nations and at the national level around the world.
f. Our research has helped to shape the UK's 2nd national Climate Change Risk Assessment, and many aspects of the implementation of the National Adaptation Programme, particularly in relation to flood risk and reinsurance.
g. We have developed new approaches to enable low-carbon cities, helping many cities to integrate low-carbon investments into their development and regeneration plans.

During the Transition Phase, we will prioritise maximising the academic and societal impact of research conducted to date. But we will also undertake new research in areas where knowledge gaps constrain our ability to have impact. Our new research projects for the Transition Phase are:
1. Competitiveness in the low-carbon economy;
2. Low-carbon industrial strategies in challenging contexts;
3. Low-carbon, climate-resilient cities;
4. Incentives for behaviour change;
5. Integrated policies for 'climate compatible development' (CCD);
6. Sustainable infrastructure finance;
7. Planning for climate resilience.

The research projects will be frontloaded to run for the initial 3 years (2018-21). However, we will engage with key stakeholders throughout the research process and continue to exploit a range of pathways to impact. This tiered approach will allow us to maximise the impact of our research. Our plans build on solid institutional foundations established over the last nine years, including CCCEP's position at LSE/Leeds, its management structure and its key staff. However, we also plan to refresh the team.

Capacity building
To build research capacity, we have contributed to the establishment of new university courses at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at LSE and Leeds, and we have a large and vibrant cohort of PhD students and postdocs, supported by a peer-reviewed working-paper series and busy seminar series at both universities. These will continue into the next five years, and we will work closely with university colleagues to explore new avenues to build capacity, for example new or realigned Doctoral Training Programmes.

Potential Impact:
During its first two phases, CCCEP has built up extensive relationships with decision-makers at the local, national and international levels, in the UK, European Union and beyond. These networks will be used over the five years of the Transition Phase to maximise the impact of the work carried out.

At the international level, CCCEP's work will continue to influence the negotiations through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), particularly in relation to the implementation of the Nationally Determined Contributions to Paris Agreement. In particular, CCCEP's ongoing work on finance for sustainable infrastructure, led by Lord Stern, will be showcased and discussed at the annual UNFCCC summits, as well as in other international fora, including G20 meetings and the special summit on climate change being hosted by the United Nations Secretary-General in September 2019. Lord Stern will also be interacting extensively with the multilateral development banks.

The new research on climate-compatible development will target decision-makers in resource-rich countries in sub-Saharan Africa, building on existing networks and developing new ones. This work will also inform delivery of the relevant Sustainable Development Goals. The new research on climate information for adaptation will be based on sustained consultations with local practitioners to inform planning, even in locations where there are currently low levels of knowledge. The results of this work will be communicated to ministries in key countries in Africa and Asia, and will also inform discussions at the UNFCCC.

Each of the seven new research projects will target at least one UK national Government Department. The projects on climate compatible development and climate information for adaptation will engage officials and ministers at the Department for International Development (DFID) to help inform decisions about the distribution of the UK's aid budget. The project on sustainable infrastructure investment will require extensive interactions both with DFID and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), particularly around issues of climate finance. The four remaining projects will also engage BEIS, particularly on the implementation of the Government's Clean Growth Strategy and the Industrial Strategy. The Department for International Trade and Her Majesty's Treasury will also be key stakeholders for the project on competitiveness, particularly in identifying and exploiting opportunities for exports of low-carbon goods and services.

In addition, CCCEP will seek to inform and influence Parliament, and will also continue to work closely with other expert advisory bodies, particularly the Committee on Climate Change.

The projects on low-carbon industrial strategies and cities respectively will also involve deep engagements with local decision-makers, particularly in Cornwall, Leeds and north-east England. The project on cities will involve the creation of a national forum with key stakeholders to broker information, develop new initiatives and support implementation. The project on low-carbon industrial strategies will be carried out in collaboration with regional partners, including the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and the Institute of Public Policy Research North. Most of the projects will also require the development of contacts with key decision-makers in the private sector. The project on incentives for behaviour change will involve the close cooperation of an airline and a renewable energy provider to design and execute two of the studies.

Although the public is not one of the main target audiences for CCCEP, there will be many public engagement activities during the Transition Phase. This will include regular communications through social media and traditional media, website content, and public events in London and Leeds, including contributions to the annual ESRC Festival of Science.