Climate Impacts Awards 2026: Funding Research That Makes Climate-Health Risks Visible

The Climate Impacts Awards 2026 invite transdisciplinary research teams to uncover how climate change is affecting physical and mental health—and turn that evidence into urgent policy action. With climate-related health challenges escalating across regions and populations, this scheme aims to catalyse research that is not only rigorous but also strategically positioned to influence climate policy. The 2026 call supports innovative teams that can combine scientific evidence, economic analysis and inclusive engagement to drive meaningful change.

Deadline to apply: 8 April 2026 (15:00 BST).

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What Climate Impacts Awards Funding Opportunity Supports

The Climate Impacts Awards provide up to £2.5 million per project for research teams working over a period of up to three years. The scheme is designed to fill evidence gaps on health outcomes directly linked to climate change, such as heat-related illnesses, vector-borne diseases, respiratory impacts, and climate-linked mental health effects. In 2026, the scope expands to include an economic dimension, encouraging teams to quantify the financial burden of climate-related health impacts.

Projects should be high-impact and time-sensitive, offering insights that can shape policy discussions within the three-year funding window. This means the research must be grounded in an evidence gap that can be addressed within 12–18 months and must include a strong plan for translating knowledge into action.

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Who Can Apply?

This call welcomes mid-career and established researchers from anywhere in the world, except mainland China. Eligibility hinges on assembling a genuinely transdisciplinary team, including climate scientists, health experts, economists, policy strategists, and community partners. The team must consist of one lead applicant and at least one coapplicant, with a maximum of seven coapplicants.

The lead applicant must hold a permanent or long-term contract and have a demonstrated track record in policy-relevant climate and health research. Teams should also show experience in engaging policymakers, working with affected communities, and conducting research that can influence decision-making at local, national or global levels.

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What Kind of Research Is in Scope?

The 2026 call prioritises research that:

• Examines direct and environmentally mediated health impacts of climate change
• Generates or synthesises context-specific evidence
• Assesses the economic costs of climate-related health outcomes
• Includes a clear and credible theory of change
• Demonstrates an understanding of the policy landscape
• Uses an engaged research approach, involving communities and stakeholders throughout

The scheme emphasises working with populations most affected by climate change, whether in high-income or low- and middle-income countries. The focus is not on advocacy alone but on producing targeted evidence that can influence a specific policy opportunity within the project’s duration.

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What Costs Are Covered?

The award supports a wide range of research costs, including staff salaries, materials, equipment, fieldwork, travel, access charges, and engagement activities. Public engagement and participatory research methods are strongly encouraged, and the costs for these activities may be included. Overheads, open-access charges, and professional development can also be funded.

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How the Application Process Works

Applications open on 20 January 2026, with a required submission through the Wellcome Funding Platform. After internal review by the administering organisation, the final application must be submitted by 15:00 BST on 8 April 2026.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to online interviews scheduled between 21–23 July 2026. Funding decisions are expected in August 2026.

The selection process assesses four equally weighted criteria: research and methods, policy opportunity, engaged research, and team capability. Each proposal must clearly demonstrate its relevance, feasibility, innovation, and potential for policy influence.

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Why This Scheme Matters

Climate change is already reshaping global health outcomes, yet many of these effects remain invisible to policymakers. From heatwaves to infectious disease patterns, these impacts carry substantial economic costs—costs that are poorly understood or underestimated. The Climate Impacts Awards aim to bring clarity, evidence, and urgency to these issues, ensuring that climate-health risks are seen, understood, and acted upon.

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Application can be accessed from here.

To know more about such opportunities, click here.