LJMU to launch climate and sustainability research institute
LJMU is to launch a new research institute to bring together and accelerate world-leading research around climate and sustainability.
The Liverpool Research Institute for Climate and Sustainability (LiRICS) will take a pan-university approach to research and knowledge exchange in order to deliver impactful solutions to the challenges faced by society.
The development of the institute is one of the key objectives in LJMU’s Climate Action Plan, which sets out the university’s commitment to work towards a net carbon zero future.
Fostering impactful interdisciplinary research
LiRICS has developed a five-year strategy with four objectives around sustainability and climate action research and knowledge exchange:
- To increase external income
- To increase the volume of internationally excellent and world-leading outputs
- To create educational opportunities for behaviour change
- To enable collaborative engagement and impact initiatives for internal and external stakeholders
The institute brings together staff and research activity from all faculties across LJMU. It will initially be led by Professor Jason Kirby and Professor Tony Wall, reporting to Professor Keith George, with a director and deputy director to be appointed in due course.
I’m delighted that we have received approval to launch the Liverpool Research Institute for Climate and Sustainability. There are so many colleagues across the whole university applying their expertise to the climate and sustainability agenda and bringing them together will help to foster an impactful interdisciplinary approach.
LJMU’s commitment to climate, sustainability and the environment is absolutely clear; we declared a climate emergency in 2020 and developed our Climate Action Plan to set out how we will work together with our partners to tackle this most critical issue and make significant reductions in our carbon emissions.
The launch of LiRICS is another crucial step in helping us to drive this work forward.
Professor Jason Kirby, Director of the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences
New opportunities for collaboration and engagement
LJMU has a proud track record of delivering world class research in climate change and sustainability across all of our faculties. We have had more than 60 staff from eight schools generating over 150 publications relating to climate and sustainability over the last four years, with 80% reaching the top 10% of their respective fields, and 55% reaching the top 5%.
Adopting a pan-university approach through LiRICS will provide new opportunities for greater collaboration and engagement both inside LJMU and externally; it will enable us to join large consortia to build international communities of practices.
Dozens of LJMU staff have worked on the planning for LiRICS to date and we look forward to engaging with many more of them, along with students and other stakeholders, to make the institute a success.
Professor Tony Wall of Liverpool Business School
Get involved
Staff who would like to express an interest in supporting or collaborating with LiRICS should email the team.
