The Transformative Innovation Africa Hub (TIAH) has released a new policy brief examining global trends in public research and development (R&D) funding from 1990 to 2020, with projections to 2026. The study focuses on climate-related R&D, highlighting how uneven funding distribution affects the world’s ability to implement inclusive and effective climate solutions.
As transformative climate innovation increasingly depends on access to strategic funding, the brief underscores the need for geographical, thematic, and transdisciplinary rebalancing of investments to ensure a fair and sustainable global transition.
The research is guided by several key questions, including which countries and technologies receive the most and least public R&D funding, which academic disciplines dominate funding, and which critical areas remain underfunded despite their relevance to climate action. To answer these questions, the authors analysed over 150,000 publicly funded research projects worldwide, complemented by a large-scale survey of principal investigators and insights from earlier work published in Renewable Sustainable Energy Reviews (2022).
The brief analyses R&D funding across key areas of transformative climate innovation, including climate change, energy systems, transport, and industrial decarbonisation. Key findings reveal strong patterns of concentration, gaps, and opportunities in climate R&D:
- The UK (40%), EU (27%), and US (11%) dominate global R&D funding, while Africa, Asia, and other developing regions receive minimal support.
- Climate adaptation (36%) and energy systems (28%) receive the most funding, whereas industrial decarbonisation (11%) and geoengineering (12%) remain underfunded despite their importance.
- Social sciences (27%) and engineering (28%) attract comparable funding, but critical gaps exist in disciplines such as theology and religious studies, neuroscience, and sports studies, which are relevant to behavioural, ethical, cultural and health-related aspects of climate action.
- A significant 74% of projects engage stakeholders beyond academia, including policymakers and businesses, enhancing their real-world impact and applicability in climate solutions and policy design.
The study provides clear recommendations for reorienting global climate R&D funding. It calls for more balanced investments across regions, technologies, and disciplines, greater support for underfunded areas, and stronger promotion of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research.
The focus on change reflects the values of the Transformative Innovation Policy Consortium (TIPC), which places inclusivity, equity, and transformation at the heart of research and innovation policy, guiding sustainable and directionally focused transitions.
The full paper can be accessed here.
Authors: AbdulRafiu A., Daniels. C.
