BA: Just Transitions to Decarbonisation in the Asia-Pacific

Deadline: 6 October 2021

UK and internationally-based researchers at any career stage, and active in the humanities and social sciences, are invited to submit proposals for in-depth studies focused on just decarbonisation transitions in the Asia-Pacific as a whole, and China, India, Japan and Australia specifically. Funded by the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Aims
Climate change is the existential challenge of our time. Ensuring just transitions whilst tackling climate change and biodiversity loss is key to supporting inclusive economies and societies in the future. Evidence from the social sciences and humanities is critical to supporting a just transition and how we can shape a positive future locally, nationally and globally.

This call focuses specifically on the action required in the Asia-Pacific to tackle climate change and biodiversity loss, to identify the potential disruption and opportunity of decarbonising economies and societies, and to recommend options and pathways for communities, workers, businesses, policymakers and the wider public. Applicants should seek to build an evidence base to help answer the questions:

• How the notion of just transition is being defined and implemented, in particular by and for whom, and how this may be being contested?
• What are the challenges and pinch points socially, economically and politically that will need to be met for a just transition to take place in the Asia-Pacific, China, India, Australia and Japan?
• How can this process be managed equitably, sustainably and in a socially just manner?
• What are the options and pathways for communities, workers, businesses, policymakers and the wider public to manage the potential disruption and deliver the opportunities of a just transition in the Asia-Pacific?

Eligibility
The lead applicant must be a researcher from the humanities or social sciences and be based at an eligible UK university or research institute. The lead applicant must be of postdoctoral status or above. Projects can involve up to three Co-Applicants. Collaboration between researchers in different institutions is encouraged. 

Value and duration
Awards of five months in duration and up to £100,000 are available. Funding can be used to support the time of the Principal Investigator and Co-Applicants; research assistance; travel, fieldwork and related expenses; and networking costs. Awards are offered on an 80 per cent full economic costing basis. Projects must begin on 27 October 2021.

Application process 
Applications must be submitted online using the British Academy's Grant Management System (GMS), Flexi-Grant®. The deadline for submissions and UK institutional approval is on 6 October 2021, 17:00, UK time.