Climate and Health
The Climate and Health Research Growth Network brings together researchers from across the 糖心原创 to explore the complex relationships between climate and health.
We take a broad and inclusive view of both terms. For us, climate encompasses climate change, extreme environments, the built environment, and influences that operate at scales ranging from individuals and communities to global climate systems, across the past, present and future. Health includes physical and mental health, wellbeing and thriving, as well as One Health approaches that recognise the interconnected health of people, animals, ecosystems and the wider environment.
Our work focuses particularly on understanding and responding to health challenges that are expected to increase in frequency or severity as the climate changes.
Bringing together expertise across the university
The network connects researchers from all three university colleges and a wide range of disciplines.
Researchers in the humanities, psychology, education and health sciences explore the cultural, social and behavioural impacts of climate instability and environmental change. Within engineering, particularly the Sustainable Cities and Environment theme, research focuses on the design, adaptation and retrofit of buildings and infrastructure to improve resilience to a changing climate and support healthier communities.
Members are also examining the implications of climate change for healthcare systems, including the NHS estate, working conditions for staff and patients during extreme weather events, and opportunities to deliver healthcare more sustainably. This work spans disciplines including pharmacy and the Nottingham University Business School.
In the Faculty of Social Sciences, the Climate, Environment and Health Network brings together expertise in climate measurement, adaptation, policy and water systems, alongside legal perspectives on climate governance and regulation. Researchers in geography and the Business School are also investigating climate and sustainable finance.
Across medicine, life sciences, veterinary medicine, biosciences and geography, researchers are studying a range of health conditions that may be directly or indirectly affected by climate change, alongside One Health approaches that consider the health of entire ecosystems.
Emerging research communities
Alongside our core network, we support the development of a number of more focused research communities and thematic groups, including:
- Business and Biodiversity
- Commercial Determinants of Health
- Nottingham Vaccine Network
These groups are at different stages of development, from initial scoping and community building to active collaboration and research activity.