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Climate change, natural disasters, pollution...what environmental issues matter to you?

26 September 2005

People will have the chance next week to meet members of the UK's leading environmental research organisation, find out how funding decisions are made and give their views on what issues matter to them.

The Natural Environment Research Council has an approved budget of £350m. Funding comes from the public purse so people have a right to voice their opinions on how this money should be used.

For each of the past four years NERC has opened up one of its Council meetings so that the public can see how decisions about funding priorities are made and have the chance to discuss issues that are important to them. This year the meeting will be held on Thursday, 29 September at the Thistle Hotel, Piccadilly, Manchester.

The agenda includes discussions on the replacement of the Royal Research Ship Discovery, NERC performance management and environmental management issues. The meeting will include a 20 minute presentation of some of the year's science highlights, illustrated with film clips, pictures and animations. Copies of the newly published NERC Annual Report, which provides more information on the science covered during the year, will also be available.

Professor Alan Thorpe, NERC's Chief Executive, said, "The changing environment affects us all. This summer, parts of Europe are suffering a major heat-wave and drought, while other parts are experiencing violent floods. At NERC we carry out research in these and many other environmental issues. We need to find out whether we are we are addressing the issues that concern people in the UK. This meeting provides the opportunity for views to be aired and by doing so this will help us to decide which areas of science we should focus on in the future."

Further information

NERC Press Office
Natural Environment Research Council
Polaris House, North Star Avenue
Swindon, SN2 1EU
Tel: 01793 411561
Mob: 07917 557215

Notes

1. NERC's Open Council Meeting is being held at the Thistle Hotel, Piccadilly, Manchester. The meeting will begin at 09:30 and will run until 12:20. This will be followed by an open forum where the audience can ask questions and raise issues or concerns about the environment. There will be a buffet and refreshments afterwards.

2. NERC is one of the UK's research councils. It uses a budget of about £350m a year to fund and carry out impartial scientific research in the sciences of the environment. NERC trains the next generation of independent environmental scientists. It is addressing some of the key questions facing mankind such as global warming, renewable energy and sustainable economic development.

Press release: 46/05