The University of Manchester is set to lead a new £8 million research initiative called the Centre for Joined-Up Sustainability Transformations (JUST).
Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the centre will focus on creating fair approaches to low carbon living across the UK.
Launching in February 2025, the JUST Centre will work with communities in five Northern regions—West Yorkshire, West Cumbria, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, and Tyneside—while conducting comparative research in other areas.
In partnership with local governments, businesses, and civil society, the centre will produce solutions that advance climate goals while improving the quality of life.
Using data science and participatory research, the centre will study existing low carbon initiatives, identifying effective approaches across different regions.
The research will inform government decisions and aim to show communities how decarbonisation can improve day-to-day life.
The JUST Centre includes social scientists from Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Lancaster, and Newcastle universities, with core support from The Young Foundation’s Institute for Community Studies.
Additional partners include Citizens UK, the Local Government Associations for England and Wales, the British Chambers of Commerce, the NHS Confederation, the Runnymede Trust and the Institute for Government.
