Just Transitions within Sectors and Industries Globally (British Academy)

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 transitions in sectors and industries globally. 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 action required in sectors and industries globally across supply and value chains and we expect the focus to be on key economic emitters or areas of society that will help reduce and/or eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. Projects can and should build on existing or ongoing research, but should ultimately allow us to establish an evidence base that can be used to answer the questions:

• How the notion of just transition is being defined and implemented, in particular by and for whom in these sectors and industries globally, 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 just transitions to take place at different points in supply and value chains within these sectors and industries globally?
• 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 these sectors and industries?

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.