Lancaster University researchers are set to work as part of an innovative centre funded with £8million over five years by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and UKRI as part of its strategic focus on building a green future.

The Centre for Joined Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) will accelerate the understanding of a just transition by coordinating research into action at all levels of society.

Launching in February 2025, the JUST Centre, which is led by the University of Manchester, will work closely with communities in five regions of the North of England (West Yorkshire, West Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and Tyneside) while also generating comparative research in otherregions of the UK. It will collaborate with partners across local, regional, and national government, business, and civil society to co-produce joined-up solutions to meet climate goals while improving citizens’ quality of life.

It will use an innovative mix of data science and participatory methods to research and map existing low-carbon living initiatives and generate evidence about what works where, why, and for whom. This will enable researchers to support better government decision-making and demonstrate to all people and communities the real improvements in quality of life that are possible if we link decarbonisation with regeneration.

The Centre brings together a team of interdisciplinary social scientists at the Universities of Lancaster, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool and Newcastle. The Institute for Community Studies at the not-for-profit organisation The Young Foundation is the core partner.

Additional partners are Citizens UK, the Local Government Associations for England and Wales, the Scottish Sustainability Network, the British Chambers of Commerce, the NHS Confederation, the Runnymede Trust and the Institute for Government.

Researchers from Lancaster University, which include Dr Jacob Ainscough, Dr Alexandra Gormally-Sutton and Professor Rebecca Willis of the Lancaster Environment Centre, will research and support sustainability transformations in West Cumbria as well as leading cross-Centre work on democratic innovation and public engagement.

Dr Jacob Ainscough said: “We are delighted to be working with colleagues from across the North of England, to support communities in strengthening democratic participation, so that local people benefit from the changes ahead.”

JUST Centre Director and Principal Investigator, Professor Sherilyn MacGregorsaid: “To meet the challenge of the climate crisis and the UK’s net zero targets, we need to decarbonise our economy and do so quickly, but without leaving whole regions or communities behind. ‘Joined-up’ means bridging the gaps between myriad but presently disconnected, evidence-based interventions and policies focused on sustainability and net zero transitions.

“By connecting sustainability with justice and research with action, the JUST Centre will accelerate the capacity for transformative action towards sustainable futures for all places and communities across the UK.”

ESRC Executive Chair Stian Westlake said: “Our centres carry out interdisciplinary, cutting-edge research in the social sciences that seeks to change the world for the better. They allow ESRC to make sustained investments in strategically important areas, giving researchers the freedom to research topics in depth.

“The climate crisis is one of the most serious challenges the world faces. To successfully transition to a zero-carbon economy, we need to make sure no one is left behind. The JUST Centre will show us how to include everyone as we transform our country and economy, finding new opportunities and putting power in the hands of local communities.”

Stephen Aldridge, Director, Analysis and Data at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), adds: “Net zero poses both huge economic, social, and other challenges and offers no less huge opportunities for the UK - nationally and sub-nationally. To tackle the challenges and seize the opportunities, policymakers and others need evidence – especially evidence on what works and what works most cost-effectively.

“The Centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST) is precisely the institutional innovation we need and one I, my team and my department will work closely with across all policy areas. I look forward immensely to engaging with the Centre.”