Photos: Kennedy Barros / CONFAP
On December 13, 2023, during the opening of the CONFAP National Forum, in Brasília, the Amazon+10 Initiative announced partnerships with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the British Council, both from the United Kingdom. The two will make financial contributions to the program, with resources made possible by the International Science Partnerships Fund (ISPF), from the United Kingdom Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), which promotes research and innovation initiatives and supports the collaboration of UK researchers with their peers around the world.
The resources made available by UKRI, worth £4 million (approximately R$24 million), will be specifically directed towards the so-called Scientific Expeditions, launched in November by the Amazon+10 Initiative in partnership with the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), and which is open for registration until April 29, 2024.
"The UK is very excited to be part of the Amazon +10 Initiative. There is a very strong history of cooperation between Brazil and the UK," said Rossa Commane, Director of the Science and Innovation Network for Latin America at the British Embassy. According to him, the Amazon+10 Initiative is aligned with British policies regarding Brazil. "This £4 million is a new opportunity for British researchers to work in partnership with their peers in the country, to research areas that are not well known in the Amazon, and to work in equity with traditional communities and indigenous people. It's fantastic to be able to do part of this important next step in cooperation between the UK and Brazil."
The British Council will also support the Scientific Expeditions call for proposals with a contribution of £1 million (approximately R$6.2 million), focused on research projects lasting up to 2 years between Brazil and the United Kingdom, which document the socio-biodiversity of the Brazilian Amazon.
Bárbara Cagliari, Head of Government and External Relations at the British Council, and Rossa Commane, Director of the Science and Innovation Network for Latin America at the British Embassy
Another initiative that is already underway is the so-called Amazonia BR/UK Workshops Grants, which aims to finance scientific workshops to support the carrying out of new research, projects and collaborations between Brazilian and British researchers on topics related to the Amazon.
Each project can reach up to £53,200, with a total fund of £370,000 available for this call – around R$330,000 and R$2.3 million, respectively. The deadline for submitting proposals is January 7, 2024, on the British Council website.
These investments aim to strengthen scientific collaborations between the United Kingdom and Brazil, boosting research and seeking innovative and sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by the Amazon.
Bárbara Cagliari, Rossa Commane, Marcel Botelho, president of FAPESPA, Odir Dellagostin, president of CONFAP, Dalila Andrade Oliveira, from the Directorate of Institutional, International Cooperation and Innovation (DCOI), of CNPq, and João Arthur Reis, Advisor to the President of FAPESP for the Amazon+10 Initiative
About the Amazon+10 Initiative
The Amazon+10 Initiative is led by the National Council of State Research Support Foundations (Confap) and the National Council of Secretaries for Science, Technology and Innovation Affairs (Consecti), and also has a partnership with the National Council for Scientific Development and Technological (CNPq). The program has already allocated almost R$100 million in resources to scientific projects in the region, coordinating research groups that combine researchers from the Legal Amazon and other Brazilian states.
About UKRI
UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is the largest public funder of research and innovation in the UK, investing £8 billion annually across all disciplines and sectors. As nine councils, we draw on our own experience, as well as that of national and international governments and stakeholders, to increase our understanding of ourselves and the world around us. Our collective knowledge, insights and connections mean we are better equipped to support innovative businesses and public services, create high-quality jobs and, ultimately, enrich lives in the UK and globally.