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Interpreting UKRI Environmental Sustainability Guidance for the Digital Humanities (v2.1)
Funders set expectations around research practice. This extends to how research impacts wider society and the environment. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) have published a sustainability strategy and is a signatory of a cross-sector environmental sustainability concordat, and in December 2024, the AHRC Research Funding Guide was updated to include for the first time a statement on environmental responsibility. For net zero goals to be achieved, those involved in research need to play their part. However, funder expectations have not yet been matched by resources that help applicants adapt their research practices to support environmental and ecological sustainability. This document offers interpretations of current guidance on research and innovation practice and directs readers to advice on operationalising sustainable approaches. Our interpretations draw on the Digital Humanities Climate Coalition Toolkit, an extensive and evolving resource that provides guidance on making research practices more environmentally responsible. As such, the document is aimed primarily at Digital Humanities practitioners, researchers, technicians, curators, software engineers, and related professionals, though we anticipate it will be useful to those working across the entire UKRI remit. The purpose of the document is to inspire confidence that climate conscious work is aligned with funder priorities, that environmental actions are integral to research excellence, and that pushing back against impediments to action is justified and justifiable.
