The Climate Evidence Unit: Transforming evidence into action

The scale and urgency of the climate crisis demands decisive leadership informed by timely, actionable insights. For policymakers and decision makers alike, accessing clear, relevant, and trusted climate insights at the pace required has remained a persistent challenge. The Climate Evidence Unit (CEU) was created in 2024 to provide independent evidence for decision makers, strengthening the bridge between world-leading research and the decisions that shape our collective future. 

The CEU is relied upon by policymakers, businesses, think tanks and the legal community to deliver practical, policy-relevant assessments of a wide range of climate challenges. Its work spans critical areas such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), co-benefits, and climate adaptation and resilience, bringing clarity to complex issues and supporting more informed decision-making. 

Understanding the landscape of global climate action is integral to the CEU. Community-led climate action, such as projects funded by the National Lottery Climate Action Fund (CAF), often have a have a wealth of non-climate related benefits. The CEU have worked to recognise and evaluate these co-benefits, from quality of life to biodiversity, by synthesising robust evidence for individual actions. In “Low Carbon Chinatown: 100 climate actions”, the CEU applied expertise in carbon footprinting to arts-based climate interventions, finding that leading with art can catalyse climate engagement across diverse communities.  

Across its portfolio of recent work, the CEU has highlighted practical pathways for scaling technologies such as carbon capture and storage, demonstrated how co-benefits can strengthen the case for climate action across sectors, and identified priority actions to enhance the UK’s resilience to climate risks.  

Key recommendations to the UK government from the CEU so far: 

• Targets must be set on atmospheric fossil fuel reduction, greenhouse gas emission reduction, carbon removal, and energy demand reduction, with safeguarding against creative carbon accounting. 

• Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, which remove carbon directly from the atmosphere, must not become an excuse to delay emissions cuts today. CCS may only help the UK meet its climate targets if existing challenges of slow, expensive and complex infrastructure requirements are solved. 

• We encourage policy makers to collaborate with and draw expertise from climate adaptation researchers, practitioners and advisors, such as the UK Climate Change Committee, National Infrastructure Commission, Institute for Government, and UK Parliament. 

Alongside its growing body of work, the CEU has rapidly evolved into a dedicated and multidisciplinary team, bringing together expertise in climate science, policy engagement, and evidence synthesis. This blend of skills has enabled the CEU to respond effectively to the needs of policymakers, while maintaining the rigour and credibility expected of academic research. Glaciologist Sally Wilson joined the CEU in January this year: “Working in the CEU allows us to apply our academic skills in creative ways to make a real difference in the world of climate policy. Having such tangible impacts motivate the wide range of work we do, both with academics across departments at the University of Leeds, and with external partners. We all want to change the world for the better.”  

In a relatively short time, the CEU has established itself as a trusted and responsive partner to government, industry, and the wider policy community. Its ability to convene expertise, translate complex evidence, and deliver at pace has been central to its emergence as a reliable resource, equipping decision makers to act in complex and evolving policy climates.  

To find out more about our work- see here. 

Mind the gap:  The Climate Evidence Unit in Parliament  

As part of our efforts to bridge the gap between academia and policymakers, the CEU convened a parliamentary forum to showcase its outputs and create space for meaningful dialogue and collaboration in shaping national climate decisions. Bringing together a cross-section of stakeholders, the forum highlighted the relevance of the CEU’s work to current policy challenges while demonstrating the value of accessible, policy-ready evidence. In bringing these groups together, the forum also provided an opportunity to better understand government priorities, helping to identify where targeted evidence could have the greatest impact.  

Looking Ahead: Scaling Impact and Ambition 

As the demand for high-quality climate evidence continues to grow, so too does the ambition of the CEU. Looking ahead, the CEU aims to engage in new policy areas, strengthening collaborations across government and industry, and continuing to innovate in how evidence is communicated and applied. 

At a time when climate decisions carry profound and lasting consequences, the role of trusted evidence has never been more important. The CEU offers a hopeful and practical model for how research can be mobilised to support meaningful action, ensuring that the right information reaches the right people at the right time. 

Get Involved 

To learn more about the Climate Evidence Unit, explore recent outputs, or discuss potential collaborations, visit our webpage or contact [email protected] Together, we can ensure that evidence continues to drive the decisions that shape a sustainable future.