Big Project Announcement!
We are happy to share that we have been awarded project funding by Innovate UK (UKRI) from now and into 2025!
The project has officially kicked off and we are busy working in partnership with the South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) on the first stages of our big plans for this landscape scale project.
Project aim?
To accelerate Net-Zero through a joined-up approach which tackles systems-level challenges across the South Downs region. This means we are not only focussed on carbon or emissions reduction, but also on nature-based solutions, nature recovery, climate adaptation, people’s health and wellbeing, circular economy (and more!) and vitally, how these all interact.
What?
The funding is set to significantly expand our existing work in the SDNP, which was focussed on the Lower Ouse Valley region. This was a successful multi-stakeholder pilot project we ran last Spring also funded by Innovate UK.
As before, we are working with the SDNPA to take a systems approach to the complex and intertwined challenges facing the region, e.g. across social, environmental and economic spheres. However, the scale of this piece of work will be significantly larger than before as it will span across the whole area of the park, involving stakeholders from East and West Sussex through to Hampshire. Stakeholders involved in the project will be split into three cohorts, the first of which is beginning now (March 2024), the second in August, and the third in January 2025.
How?
This work will use OnePlanet’s innovative graph database technology to take a systems approach to enable transparent collaboration and ultimately, effective project delivery which problem solves to maximise the co-benefits of activity. This process helps stakeholders to achieve their goals and contribute to positive change for people and planet.
Who?
We will be bringing in stakeholders from across the park, primarily focussing on Local Councils and the SDNPA’s land-use sector partners. We also welcome the involvement of local businesses, charities and community groups, to co-deliver goals which would be too large to achieve alone. By taking this type of approach, we will enable stakeholders to collaborate better together, find opportunities to deliver their needs more effectively and deliver co-benefits to society, climate and nature at the same time.
We will soon be announcing on our social media which stakeholders are taking the chance to be ‘first out the blocks’ and participate in Cohort 1. This first cohort is aiming to involve all local authorities in East Sussex, so if you would like to be involved, email us your interest here!
If you are based in West Sussex or Hampshire, please get in touch with us if you would like to register interest for cohort 2 or 3!