Funding

The Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) is scoping a potential research and innovation opportunity aimed at ‘Unlocking the subsurface’. There is currently no funding associated with this activity however, if secured, the programme would aim to deliver the understanding, evidence and tools needed to:

• Sustainably balance the increased demands on the subsurface for storage (e.g. carbon, energy, water), resources (e.g. minerals, water, energy) and infrastructure, without compromising the physical, structural and environmental integrity of the subsurface;  
• Responsibly optimise utilisation of the subsurface to its full potential for UK communities at local, regional and national scales to deliver UK growth and security in the context of climate change and the clean energy transition

We are seeking views from our research and innovation community to identify the critical knowledge gaps that a potential future research and innovation activity should address to deliver these aims.

Please use the following link to contribute your views by 5pm on Thursday 12^th June 2025.

Unlocking the Subsurface.