Worldwide—Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate

The Global Centre on Biodiversity for Climate (GCBC) funds research into natural solutions to climate change and poverty. By working in partnership with a global network of scientists, academics, and research institutions, the GCBC seeks to develop scalable approaches to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity that deliver climate resilience and improve livelihoods.

The program is focused on a systems approach to understanding nature, climate, and people as one system; and a theory of transformative change using evidence (at an individual project level and synthesized at a program level) from funded projects. The ultimate ambition for the project is to uncover locally driven solutions to protecting and utilizing biodiversity that can be publicized throughout the scientific community and by wider adoption by national governments to play a significant part in the world’s efforts to avert catastrophic climate change.

The GCBC is funded by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), working in partnership with DAI as the Fund Management Lead (FML) and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, as the Strategic Science Lead (SSL).

The GCBC has successfully delivered Research Grant Competition (RGC) 1 and manages 14 research projects worldwide. RGC 2 is nearing completion and will likely deliver a similar number of additional research projects starting in late 2024.

Sample Activities

• Working in partnership with GCBC’s SSL to develop and implement GCBC’s program strategy.
• Designing and implementing research grant competitions.
• Maintaining regular communication with grantees and competition applicants, responding to questions, and providing advice.
• Managing funded projects, reporting progress and providing technical support where required.
• Conducting monitoring and evaluation activities and supporting knowledge sharing.

Select Results

• Implemented RGC1 Competition, including the creation of an assessment process (eligibility, technical, commercial), and delivery of five webinars at the application stage. Awarded grants to 14 RGC1 projects.
• Refined the RGC1 design into a two-stage process for the second grants competition (RGC2), including designing capacity-strengthening initiatives to support Grantees. Project awards were made in August 2024.
• Developed processes to support grantees and guidance, including a Grant Management Manual
• Delivered four webinars to RGC1 Grantees on communications, finance, MEL reporting, and forecasting.
• Published an online Evidence Synthesis Report and Research Strategy.
• Ran two symposium events to promote outputs and share ideas.

Research Grant Competition 1 Projects:

1. Bangor University: Enhancing pasture biodiversity and productivity in Kenya’s highlands to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
2. Bioversity International: Realizing the potential of plant bioresources as nature-based solutions in African biodiversity hotspots (TIPAS project).
3. Birdlife International: Strengthening management of Key Biodiversity Areas in Ecuador to improve ecosystem resilience and livelihoods.
4. CIASE: Integrating indigenous knowledge and biodiversity conservation to improve living conditions in the Gran Tescual Indigenous Reservation.
5. The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry: Improving Ethiopian highland systems through multifunctional agroforestry for better biodiversity and livelihoods.
6. The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED): Enhancing agrobiodiversity and climate resilience with smallholder farmers in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Tanzania.
7. International Potato Centre (CIP): Bolstering Andean agriculture resilience through traditional crop diversity and genebank resources.
8. Nature Kenya: Enhancing biodiversity and climate resilience in the Cherangani forest through sustainable resource management.
9. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew: Transforming Madagascar’s grasslands into valuable ecological assets to support biodiversity and carbon sequestration.
10. Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS): Promoting sustainable seaweed cultivation to restore ocean biodiversity and support smallholder farmers.
11. University of Birmingham: Strengthening adaptive governance of inland fisheries in Malawi and Uganda to improve biodiversity and ecosystem resilience.
12. University of Durham: Using advanced technologies to map and monitor mangrove health for coastal protection in Suriname and Guyana.
13. University of Oxford: Promoting agroforestry and reforestation to enhance livelihoods and biodiversity in tropical forests.
14. The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust: Developing community-based solutions to combat wetland degradation and climate change in Madagascar.