Cambridge Zero

Cambridge Zero
Name	Cambridge Zero
Founded	2019
Location	University of Cambridge, Cambridge, England
Type	Research initiative
Focus	Climate change mitigation and net-zero pathways

Cambridge Zero is an interdisciplinary research initiative at the University of Cambridge focused on accelerating pathways to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions. Founded to bring together scholars, practitioners, and policy makers, the initiative connects work across the Faculty of Engineering, Department of Physics, Department of Chemistry, Department of Computer Science and Technology, Faculty of Economics, School of Technology, Judge Business School, Sainsbury Laboratory, Scott Polar Research Institute and other units within the university. Its network extends to external partners including national agencies and international organizations to translate research into policy and practice.

History

Cambridge Zero emerged in the wake of heightened global attention following the Paris Agreement, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports, and national net-zero commitments such as the UK Climate Change Act 2008 (amended for net zero). The initiative was announced by the University of Cambridge leadership and built upon pre-existing programmes including the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, the Centre for Climate Repair at Cambridge, and legacy research from the Department of Earth Sciences, British Antarctic Survey collaborations, and the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. Early activity intersected with projects involving the Energy Technologies Institute, the Committee on Climate Change, and advisory work for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the UK Research and Innovation framework.

Mission and Objectives

Cambridge Zero’s mission centers on delivering evidence-based pathways consistent with the Paris Agreement goals, advising institutions like the United Nations Environment Programme and national bodies such as the Cabinet Office (United Kingdom), and informing stakeholders including the World Bank, the International Energy Agency, and multilateral banks. Objectives include developing low-carbon technologies via links to the Faraday Institution, influencing policy through engagement with the Committee on Climate Change, accelerating carbon removal strategies explored by the Royal Society and interfacing with industry partners such as BP, Shell, Siemens, and Unilever to pilot decarbonisation. The initiative also seeks to support training pipelines connecting the Institute for Sustainable Development and postgraduate programmes across the School of the Humanities and Social Sciences and Faculty of Law.

Research Areas

Research spans energy systems and storage with ties to the Cavendish Laboratory and Laboratory for Sustainable Energy Research; carbon capture, utilization and storage linking to the Natural Environment Research Council network; land-use and agriculture studies related to Rothamsted Research and the Food and Agriculture Organization agendas; and atmospheric science drawing on work from the Met Office and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science. Interdisciplinary modelling connects to the Centre for Mathematical Sciences and computational efforts referencing the Alan Turing Institute and the European Climate Research Alliance. Social science research links with the Centre for Science and Policy, ethics studies engage with the Leverhulme Trust fellows, while innovation and entrepreneurship engage with the Ecosystem at the Cambridge Innovation Center and the Cambridge Enterprise spin-out pathway.

Programs and Projects

Programs include investigator-led projects in sectors such as transport involving collaborations with Network Rail, Transport for London, and the European Commission mobility initiatives; building efficiency projects involving BRE Group standards and the Royal Institute of British Architects; and industrial decarbonisation pilots with partners like ArcelorMittal and Rolls-Royce Holdings. Research into negative emissions engages with field trials coordinated with the British Geological Survey and forestry projects linked to Forestry Commission frameworks. Education and training programmes have interfaced with the Institute of Continuing Education, postgraduate fellowships supported by the Wellcome Trust, and internships coordinated with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Partnerships and Collaborations

Cambridge Zero maintains partnerships across academia, government, and industry including collaborations with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Imperial College London, Oxford Martin School, ETH Zurich, University of Tokyo, and regional consortia such as the Cambridge Cluster. International organizational links include the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the World Economic Forum, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the International Renewable Energy Agency. Local and national partners include Cambridge City Council, the Greater Cambridge Partnership, Anglian Water and health sector partners such as NHS England to coordinate resilience and adaptation work.

Funding and Governance

Funding sources draw on competitive awards from bodies including UK Research and Innovation, the European Research Council, the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, industry-sponsored research from companies such as BP and Shell, and philanthropic donations from alumni and trusts like the Wellcome Trust and Leverhulme Trust. Governance arrangements involve oversight by senior academics from the University of Cambridge faculties, advisory input from external experts with former roles at institutions such as the Committee on Climate Change and the Met Office, and engagement with funders such as the National Lottery Community Fund for community-facing projects.

Impact and Outreach

Outputs include policy briefings used by the UK Parliament select committees, technical reports informing National Grid ESO planning, academic publications in journals associated with the Royal Society, and public engagement through events at venues like the Cambridge Corn Exchange and the Scott Polar Research Institute. Outreach activities partner with non-governmental organizations such as Friends of the Earth, The Wildlife Trusts, Greenpeace and community groups coordinated via the Cambridge Sustainable Food network. The initiative has contributed expertise to international dialogues at the UN Climate Change Conference and regional planning with agencies like the Environment Agency and has supported spin-outs that engage with markets regulated by bodies like the Financial Conduct Authority.

Category:University of Cambridge initiatives