Exploring the frontiers of environmental research 2026
UK Research and Innovation's Exploring the frontiers of environmental research 2026 grant funds bold, early-stage environmental science projects with transformative potential and high-risk, unconventional approaches.
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Funder: UK Research and Innovation
Due Dates: November 12, 2026: Application closing date | January 13, 2027: DPR conflict of interest declaration deadline | January 27, 2027: DPR completion deadline
Funding Amounts: £100,000–£200,000 (80% FEC funded by NERC); up to 2 years; total fund £8M
Summary: Supports early-stage, high-risk environmental research with transformative potential, encouraging novel and exploratory approaches within NERC’s remit.
Key Information: All applicants must participate in distributed peer review (DPR) as a condition of applying.
Description
This opportunity from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) via the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) funds early-stage, curiosity-driven environmental research projects that are innovative, high-risk, and have the potential to be transformative. The scheme is designed for projects that challenge existing paradigms or open entirely new lines of inquiry and are not yet suitable for standard funding routes. Proposals may lack preliminary data, involve unconventional approaches, and must address clearly defined environmental science questions within NERC’s remit. The aim is to foster breakthrough discoveries and a high-risk/high-reward research culture.
