It is an exciting time to manage the ClimateXChange programme. We have kicked off 20 research projects since the start of our financial year in April, and are in the process of recruiting and appointing a new cohort of post-doctoral researchers to explore complex issues like soil health, just transition and electricity market reform.

Over the last few months the Scottish Government has also reviewed all its Centres of Expertise. This has provided us with some very valuable feedback to continue developing and improving the service we provide.

Our current funded programme runs until the end of March 2025, and our priorities until then include:

• Commissioned projects – delivering evidence to tight policy timelines
• Ignite workshops – engaging with the research community on themes across our research portfolios to identify current and future research needs to inform policy
• Thought leadership – through outputs like our blog and recently launched podcast
• Ongoing support to Scottish Government policy and analytical teams – through our directors, directorate members and staff team taking part in workshops, round tables and working groups

We also want to connect with new networks and organisations, and strengthen the many relationships across the climate change community that have been developed over the years. This is not least important with the change away from annual climate targets, and the increasing impacts of climate change on Scotland’s businesses and communities.

One of the most important tasks in the months ahead is to take stock and look ahead. With extremely busy project portfolios (we have over 45 active projects at time of writing), it can be difficult to find the time or opportunity to look across our projects at the bigger picture.

We hope to use our new ignite workshops to capture questions that we are not asking, but that could change the pace and scale of climate action. Keep an eye on our social media and newsletter for details on how to get involved.

Anne Marte Bergseng started as the new ClimateXChange (CXC) Programme Manager this August. She previously worked as CXC Project Manager for climate resilience and social change, and before that as the CXC Communications and Engagement Manager. She has worked in knowledge exchange on environmental and sustainability issues for over 20 years.

The question of the academic value of delivering scientific evidence and advice to the Scottish Government was a key reason for gathering the CXC Post-Doctoral Research Fellows – our only full-time research staff – to a recent networking day. On the agenda was a visit from our Scottish Government customer, a presentation of the importance of research impact for future funding and a workshop on how to write better for a non-scientific audience. It was a packed day.

Making better use of publicly funded research in policy development, and a frustration with the silos within which policy development and research operated, were key reasons to establish ClimateXChange in 2011.

At the core of everything we do is academically robust and brilliant science – new knowledge co-produced with policy makers at the relevant time, in an accessible format and with expert judgement and recommendations within a practical policy context. Sometimes for maximum impact we need to be able to distil years of academic research to as little as three bullet points. This is a skill in itself.

During the time CXC has been operating we saw the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014 introduced, placing a monetary value on demonstrating impact both in terms of reach and significance. We know that CXC projects do this as a matter of course.

But it is not about laying more data or academic papers in front of policy makers. We have had a relentless focus on delivering a research and analysis service that meets the needs of the end user – the policy teams and public agencies – to demonstrate the value of embedding academic analysis in their work, and on building a network of researchers willing and interested in engaging with policy.

Read more about how we do it in our recent report The ClimateXChange Centre of Expertise – A knowledge exchange model for research, policy and practice