Environment and Human Health Programme

Estimates suggest that some 30% of human health problems worldwide have a strong environmental component. In the UK damage to human health from poor air quality costs us all on average six months of life expectancy and the nation some £20bn a year in health care. Environmental change may exacerbate this and key uncertainties in air quality pollutant dynamics need to be resolved. Equally we need to prepare for new and emerging diseases in ways that require close NERC, MRC and DoH collaboration. A further £20M is expected to be allocated to these research areas. For more information see: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/research/programmes/humanhealth/

Living With Environmental Change partners involved:

• Natural Environment Research Council (NERC)
• Environment Agency
• Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
• Department of Health (DoH)
• Medical Research Council (MRC)
• Economic & Social Research Council (ESRC)
• Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)

The Wellcome Trust, The Ministry of Defence and the Health Protection Agency are also working on the programme.