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Scientific research is inherently dependent on stable environmental conditions, yet it paradoxically contributes to environmental degradation through high energy consumption, resource-intensive processes, and carbon-emitting practices such as travel. This chapter explores the role of research funders in addressing the environmental sustainability of science, asserting that funders hold substantial leverage to drive cultural and operational change across the sector. It argues that environmental considerations must be embedded within research ethics, paralleling longstanding principles of participant protection and equity. By highlighting issues such as the vulnerability of research infrastructure to climate change, the environmental costs of reproducibility failures, and the inequitable impacts of research operations, the author outlines the necessity for funders to incentivise sustainable practices. It also examines how complexity in the funding landscape and the lack of unified standards hinder progress, proposing alignment around frameworks like the UK’s Concordat for Environmentally Sustainable Research. Practical interventions—such as improved data/sample management, equipment sharing, and reduced travel—are suggested as immediate opportunities. Ultimately, the paper calls for a system-wide cultural shift, underpinned by collaborative policymaking, transparency, and leadership from funders themselves. Without this, the sustainability of the research enterprise—and its credibility in addressing the global climate crisis—remains at risk. Funders must move beyond rhetorical support to proactive engagement, ensuring that scientific excellence and environmental responsibility are not mutually exclusive but mutually reinforcing.