Research at EA
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-03)

Research and evidence underpins the work of the Environment Agency.

This includes improving the quality of the environment and reducing the impact of hazards such as:
- pollution
- floods
- droughts
- climate change
Our research provides the understanding, tools and techniques needed to achieve these outcomes.

This includes:
- providing expert scientific and technical advice, reports and guidance
- determining scientific priorities for the Environment Agency
- making sure we have the right research in place to meet current and future needs
- providing a chemical regulatory service on behalf of the UK government
- identifying future issues and problems and assessing their significance
- developing innovative approaches and tools to solve environmental problems
- supporting incident response
Our research programmes

Joint Defra / Environment Agency Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) Research and Development Programme

Find out about the FCERM Research and Development Programme (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-research-and-development-programme).

Environment Agency Air, Land and Water Research Programme

The programme has 6 themes:
- catchment management – supporting river basin planning including catchment-based science and hydromorphology
- land and water quality – impacts, risks and control of pollution in soil, groundwater and surface water
- fisheries and biodiversity – protecting and managing aquatic species, including monitoring and diagnostic tools
- regulated industry – supporting permitting and guidance with a focus on air quality and nuclear regulation
- climate change – understanding the impacts of climate change and supporting adaptation and resilience in business and the environment
- resource use – the sustainable management of natural resources including water supplies and solid wastes
Defra/Environment Agency Joint Water Evidence Programme (JWEP)

JWEP brings together the water-related research of Defra and the Environment Agency and provides a focus for external collaboration.

JWEP has commissioned a number of evidence reviews and has published a guide to the production of quick scoping reviews and rapid evidence assessments (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-production-of-quick-scoping-reviews-and-rapid-evidence-assessments).

Publications

Recent research reports and summaries can be found in our publications catalogue (https://www.gov.uk/search/research-and-statistics?content_store_document_type=research&order=updated-newest&organisations%5B%5D=environment-agency&page=2&parent=environment-agency)

Older publications are held in The National Archives (http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20140328084622/https://publications.environment-agency.gov.uk/list.html).

Partnerships

We work collaboratively where we can. Sharing research objectives is more cost-effective.

Our partners include:
- others within the Defra group
- UK Research Councils
- UK Water Industry Research (UKWIR)
- Construction Industry Research and Information Association (CIRIA)
- universities
- EU-funded project partners
Contact us

For further information contact:

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), Interim Deputy Director, Research

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), for more information on Research at the Environment Agency

xxx@xxx.xx (mailto:xxx@xxx.xx), FCERM Research and Development Programme