Climate action ahead of 2030 requires ambitious research that is fit for purpose: working across scale, creating synergy among cohorts of projects, and enabling capacity to pursue research uptake. Research needs to bridge local and national levels and provide evidence that informs decisions with decadal implications. To become more than the sum of its constituent activities, research programmes and consortia require learning frameworks and equitable partnership among participating organisations. Beyond scholarships and fellowships for training and independent study, exchanges and embedding in real-world settings practical experiences allow people to gain experience beyond academia in diverse host institutions. Greater emphasis needs to be given to the spectrum extending from research to its application, including co-production and knowledge brokering with local people and decision-makers.