Research and innovation to address the impact of environmental factors on health

Description

This EU publication informs about existing EU-funded research and innovation projects on environment and health. It explains the rationale for clustering of projects to promote synergies and enhance the societal and policy impact of the research.

The quality of the environment we live and work in is a powerful determinant of our health and well-being. In Europe, environmental risk factors, including climate change, are responsible for almost 20% of the annual deaths and its disease burden has significant economic effects. The current state of the natural environment and emerging pressures call for coordinated and timely action to understand, prevent and minimise the impacts of these stressors.

Therefor, an extensive EU framework of thematic initiatives and regulatory actions related to environment and health exists. Evidence to support the implementation of this policy framework is provided by research and innovation, that is increasingly being supported by the EU. The EU Environment and Health portfolio of research projects includes among others the Mission and Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change (contributing to the EU Green deal) and the Climate Neutral & Smart Cities Mission (contributing to the EU policy on Urban Health). 

Under Horizon 2020, the EU’s Research and Innovation programme 2014‒2020, climate change focused projects accounted for 4% of of the funded research in environment and health. Started under Horizon 2020 and strengthened in its successor Horizon Europe, collaboration among projects addressing the same research topic, via so-called clusters, aims to promote synergies and knowledge-sharing and to increase societal and policy impact of EU-funded research in environment and health. Among the 9 currently active clusters (with more than 50 projects), the Horizon Europe cluster on Climate Change & Health covers 6 projects, more than 100 research groups and 28 countries with an overall budget of EUR 59 million (or 44% of the ongoing Horizon Europe research clusters in the Environment and Health portfolio). The different clusters contribute to evidence-based policy-making in the area of Environment and Health by publishing brochures, newsletters and policy briefs, and by organizing meetings and workshops.

Reference information