Request for Applications: Research on the intersections of conflict and climate

The Cross-border Conflict Evidence, Policy and Trends (XCEPT) research programme brings together world-leading experts and local researchers to examine conflict-affected borderlands, how conflicts connect across borders, and the drivers of violent and peaceful behaviour. XCEPT offers rigorous, actionable public good research to inform policies and programmes that support peace.

The programme includes the XCEPT Research fund (XRF), managed by Chemonics, to enable responsive research on emerging conflicts and build evidence on what works to stabilise, resolve, and prevent conflict.

Specifically, the XRF aims to:

• Increase understanding of the transnational dimensions of conflict, including how conflict and instability connect across borders and regions.
• Draw lessons from interventions to prevent, stabilise and resolve conflict to inform more effective policy and programme responses.
• Centre local knowledge in research and policy responses, including through support to Global South institutions and researchers.
• Advance gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) through research design and practice.
• Promote the use of innovative technologies in conflict research, including remote sensing and artificial intelligence.

XCEPT is funded by the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, using UK International Development funding.

The total funding for this opportunity is £500,000. We expect to make only one award.

Much research to date on climate change and violent conflict focuses on analysis of the problem, unpacking the complex causal relationships between the two. The XRF seeks proposals that instead focus primarily on analysis of solutions, to help inform policy and programming responses. This may require building on and/or building out research to disentangle interactions between climate change and conflict, but with a clear view to addressing response options. Research may approach solutions from both sides of the climate-conflict nexus: be it the conflict implications of interventions to adapt to or to mitigate the effects of climate change, or the climate implications of interventions to prevent, stabilise and resolve conflict. XCEPT recognises that climate and conflict objectives at times conflict and, conversely, that opportunities exist to leverage climate interventions for peacebuilding purposes, and vice versa. Moreover, both conflict and climate are part of complex borderland and cross-border systems, and so interventions in either area may affect countries and regions far beyond the place where the intervention was focused, through flows of trade, money, people and shared natural resources.

Applicants are invited to develop a research question(s) and proposal that responds to this theme. The research proposed must fit within the following parameters:

• It should demonstrate a clear link to borderlands and/or the cross-border or transnational dimensions of violent conflict and to climate change.
• It should focus primarily on analysis of responses at the intersection of climate and conflict, be it interventions to adapt to or to mitigate the effects of climate change, and/or interventions to prevent, stabilise and resolve conflict.
• It should focus on geographies relevant to XCEPT. These are: Africa, particularly West Africa, the Sahel, North Africa, Central Africa, and the Horn of Africa; the Middle East; Asia, particularly Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The research may focus on one region or on several.
• Drawing on comparative analysis and/or larger datasets, the research should seek to move beyond recommendations for specific programmes, institutions and local contexts to draw bigger picture lessons about generalisability (or not) and on what works and what doesn’t.

In addition, XCEPT would particularly value proposals that:

• Connect various research areas to take an interdisciplinary approach to understanding and responding to the intersection of climate change and conflict.
• Are conducted independently by, or in partnership / collaboration with researchers or research organisations based in the Global South.
• Speak to issue sets that have been addressed to date in XCEPT research. Upon award, XCEPT can facilitate connection to other XCEPT research teams, as relevant.

These parameters for proposals are deliberately broad. We invite researchers to tell us – and to evidence with the proposed literature review – what today’s most consequential questions and knowledge gaps are, with a view to informing responses to the conflict-climate change nexus across borders.

The research should examine interventions in geographies relevant to XCEPT research. Africa, particularly West Africa, the Sahel, North Africa, Central Africa, and the Horn of Africa; the Middle East; Asia, particularly Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. The research may focus on one region or on several.

The organisation/consortium selected for this award will have the opportunity to develop a body of research on responses at the intersection of climate and conflict. The selected proposal will be expected to:

• Undertake a rapid evidence assessment to establish the gaps in the research in the area they have chosen to explore.
• Design and implement one or more research projects that respond to the gap(s) identified.
• Support the design and oversight of complementary research projects, to be commissioned through the XRF.

There are three phases in this award:

Phase 1. Rapid evidence assessment

The first phase is expected to involve the production of a rapid evidence assessment (REA). This will be a rigorous and systematic search and synthesis of evidence. It is similar in nature to a systematic review but acknowledges that methodological concessions are required to ensure the assessment can be produced in a short timeframe.

The outputs for this phase of the award include:

1. Phase 1 inception report, setting out final research questions for the REA, scope, work plan, the proposed framework for quality appraisal of the literature, and suggested report structure. Due one week after award kick-off.
2. First draft of the REA. Due two months after award kick-off.
3. Final version of the REA. Due three months after award kick-off.
4. Briefing note (approx. 2 pages) that outlines the key findings of the REA. Due four months after award kick-off.
5. Presentation of key findings to key stakeholders, accompanied by presentation slides. Due four months after award kick-off.

The final version of the REA will be submitted to a relevant journal or published by XCEPT.

Phase 2. Design of research projects

After the first draft of the REA has been submitted, the organisation/consortium will be invited to design a package of research that responds to the gaps identified in the first-phase REA. The design of this package constitutes the second phase of the award.

There are two different types of research projects anticipated as part of this award:

1. Research that will be designed and implemented by the core team itself. This/these projects would draw down on the total budget for this award. The main research outputs for this package of research would be one or more manuscripts prepared for submission in a peer-reviewed journal or published through XCEPT as a peer-reviewed research report. Each project also should include policy-focused outputs, such as summary briefing notes and presentations to policy audiences, as well as outputs geared for a wider public audience, such as commentaries, blogs, podcasts, or videos.
2. Complementary research projects that will be commissioned through the XRF. These projects would help build out the body of research on the gaps identified in Phase 1, whether contributing, for example, additional expertise and analysis not present in the core team’s research, or providing a more separate, but coherent contribution to addressing the evidence gap. The core team would support the commission and, as relevant, the implementation of these projects. Complementary projects would be funded separately from this award; however, any time spent by the core team contributing to the design and oversight of these projects would draw down on the total budget for this award.

XCEPT has in-house capacity to conduct research and analysis using satellite imagery and open-source investigations. Both the projects led by the core team and the complementary projects commissioned through the XRF may benefit from this capacity. The organisation/consortium selected will be encouraged, though not required, to consider how these technologies could be integrated into the research. This service would be funded separately from this award.

The output for Phase 2 of the award is:

• Phase 2 inception report, setting out:
  • Detailed proposals for research project(s) to be led by the core team, including research questions; geographies; methodology; outputs; team; risk matrix; and a detailed budget.
  • Suggested proposals for complementary research projects to be commissioned through the XRF, including potential research questions and geographies.

The Phase 2 inception report will be due four months after award kick-off.

There will be a break point at the end of Phase 2. If XCEPT is satisfied that the Phase 1 REA is of sufficiently high quality, and that the projects proposed in the Phase 2 inception report appropriately respond to the gaps identified in the REA and are feasible and likely to lead to high quality research, then the organisation/consortium will move to the third phase of the award.

Phase 3. Implementation of research projects

Once the Phase 2 inception report has been approved by XCEPT, the selected core team will implement the research they designed, while the XRF will commission complementary research projects that respond to the gaps identified in the Phase 1 REA. The outputs for each project will be determined alongside XCEPT as part of the Phase 2 design. The Phase 3 research projects are expected to last approximately 18 months and should aim to be completed by 30 September 2026.

This funding opportunity is open to research organisations as well as consortia of researchers from different organisations, provided there is a lead organisation. Chemonics will only make an award to one organisation. If applying as part of a consortia, the lead organisation will be responsible for contracting and managing downstream partners if selected.

Researchers and research organisations based in the Global South are strongly encouraged to apply, independently or in partnership / collaboration with researchers or research organisations based in the Global North. Any proposed partnerships should clearly outline roles and responsibilities, with a focus on ensuring equity within the project. Applications by – or in partnership with – Global South researchers or research organisations will be scored more favourably.

XCEPT encourages collaborative research. Proposals should consider whether the research would be strengthened through the participation of researchers with different disciplinary backgrounds, or through partnerships between academics and policy professionals.

To apply for this opportunity, applicants should refer to the Request for Application document and fill out the following forms:

• Applicant Self-Assessment Form
• Application Form
• Budget template

Applicants should also include relevant CVs.

Applications, including all supporting documentation, should be submitted electronically to [email protected] and should reference RFA No. G026. Applications must be submitted no later than 23:59 BST on 9 September 2024.

Applications will be judged by a panel of experts from the XCEPT consortium and potentially UK Government officials. Applications will be judged based on:

1. Literature review – 30 points.
2. Approach to rapid evidence assessment – 20 points.
3. Ideas for new projects – 20 points.
4. Approach to ethics, safeguarding, risk and duty of care – 10 points.
5. Research team and track record – 20 points.
6. Value for Money – pass/fail

Total – 100 points.

See the Request for Applications Document for more information.

On 22 July 2024, XCEPT hosted a virtual information session for applicants to ask questions about this funding opportunity. Answers to the questions asked during the session and via email can be found by clicking here (last updated 2 August 2024). The deadline for clarification questions has now passed. However, we may still be able to help with certain questions – please email them to [email protected]

The XCEPT Research Fund team is here to help with any questions about the application process. Questions should be directed to the XCEPT Research Fund team at [email protected]. We cannot provide feedback on individual proposal ideas.