Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) have penned a new agreement to enhance research initiatives that will address global challenges. 

With a partnership already in place regarding energy and space research, the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will cover the areas of climate change, clean energy, water quality and net zero targets.

CSIRO chief executive, Dr Doug Hilton, said the strengthened partnership will drive research growth by leveraging the proprietary facilities, tools and resources available in both countries.

“Science and research are strengthened by broad networks and deep connections, so sharing those between CSIRO and UKRI will lift the benefit to both our nations,” he said.

“CSIRO is proud to contribute to global research efforts to solve problems facing our environment, economy and people, delivering solutions that can lead to greater equality and prosperity for all.

“These challenges are global challenges, and we can’t tackle them alone. Collaboration across the global research ecosystem is crucial to solving these challenges, pioneering future industries and delivering benefit to our communities.”

As part of the new MoU, Australia’s AquaWatch system which provides updates and forecasts for water quality, will have a UK-based counterpart for the first time. It will also expand on the existing test site at Plymouth Sound, which was a collaboration between CSIRO and UKRI Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) RAL Space laboratory.

The partnership will also see £30,000 donated to set up and support the National Energy Analysis Centre (NEAC) Living Lab, “a real-life energy laboratory in thousands of Australian homes” that will also work towards decarbonisation.

There has also been more than AUD$118 million pledged to a new round of the Global Centers Program, set to address the challenges posed by climate change and net zero over the next five years. This round is a collaboration between CSIRO, UKRI, the US National Science Foundation (NSF), Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).

In an effort to strengthen capabilities in battery technology, UKRI’s Faraday Battery Challenge team, with help from Innovate UK’s global team, will collaborate with CSIRO’s Battery Manufacturing team in Melbourne and the Green Critical Minerals team in Perth.

“This partnership with CSIRO aligns perfectly with our strategy to amplify the impact of the research and innovation we support. By collaborating on key areas like earth observation and clean energy, we can deliver transformative solutions that tackle global challenges and enhance prosperity for both the UK and Australia,” UKRI CEO, Professor Dame Ottoline Leyser, said.

“This partnership not only strengthens our national capabilities but also fosters and enables a sustainable and prosperous future for our citizens and the global community.”