About us

The Centre for Sustainable Transitions: Energy, Environment and Resilience (STEER) is a leading research centre committed to accelerating the transition to inclusive, sustainable and resilient energy systems through innovative research, analysis and capacity building.

STEER aims to be a trusted and influential voice in the global effort to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), conducting impactful research that supports their delivery. This includes a critical focus on SDG 7, which calls for “affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all” by 2030.

Experts in building successful partnerships, STEER’s extensive networks include policymakers, NGOs, business leaders, regulators, innovators and those leading and influencing progress and agenda setting actions towards SDG achievements, including the World Bank and the United Nations.

By delivering strategic research and forging global partnerships, STEER works to enable transformative change and influence policy shifts that positively impact communities across the Global South.

The centre aims to ensure transitions are shaped by and benefit communities living with climate change and energy poverty, leaving no-one behind. They encourage communities to make their own decisions by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and tools to tackle current challenges and develop solutions for sustainable energy transitions. 

Our research

Based in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities, STEER brings together two major Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) funded projects – Modern Energy Cooking Services (MECS) and Climate Compatible Growth (CCG) – as well as innovative projects on inclusive and integrated energy planning and the creation of more resilient energy systems.

We host international communities of practice like the Low Carbon Energy for Development Network, and participate in international expert processes, including the Technical Working Groups for SDG 7 and the UN Framework for Resource Classification to solar energy.

STEER's areas of research specialism and focus include:

  • research to enable the transition to clean and just energy
  • research to improve access to renewable energy and builds energy resilience
  • research which delivers tools and data that inform and accelerate decarbonisation actions

Find out more about our programmes: