Developing the evidence base for waste and resources policy

The purpose of this paper is to provide a progress report on the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (Defra) planned approach to waste and resources research after the first three years of implementation. Defra set up its waste and resources research programme (WRRP) in 2004 to deliver a sound evidence base for better-informed policy development and implementation for sustainable waste and resources management. The first step was to take a ten-year forward look at policy and evidence needs, and from that to prepare a three-year research and development strategy. The strategy was implemented by way of annual action plans and calls for tender: more than 80 research projects have been delivered or are currently active. The WRRP has acted to some extent as a 'pilot' for the development of Defra's wider approach to evidence and innovation. As the programme prepares its new strategy up to 2011, the authors offer a number of conclusions which may be of value to others who are considering the development of an evidence base to support policy, and make a number of recommendations specific to the future of their own programme. Key success factors include close, joint working between the evidence and policy teams and close coordination between the many providers of research outputs in the waste and resources field.