“The Way Forward for Climate and Health Research in the Shifting EU Policy Landscape”, an expert workshop was held in Brussels in December last year and brought together researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe. The event took place in a context of evolving EU policies and shifting geopolitical dynamics, both of which pose new challenges and opportunities for climate and health research. The main objective of the workshop was to explore how research priorities are changing in line with political shifts, to identify where climate and health research fits within the new competitiveness framework, and to ensure that urgent issues continue to receive the attention they deserve within EU-funded research and innovation programs.
Dr. Joacim Rocklöv was a speaker at the first session, which discussed challenges, priorities, and ways forward for climate and health evidence. The session discussed what to prioritise, which barriers persist, and how to overcome them.
Uliana Kachnova, project coordinator of Tulip at Hei-Planet, was a rapporteur at the event. She coordinated multiple sessions addressing key dimensions of climate change and health. The sessions were titled “Towards a Holistic View of Climate and Health Issues”, “A Vision for Data and Research Infrastructures” and “Building Local, Regional, and Global Capacity.”
Other sessions in the workshop discussed topics such as opportunities for climate and health innovation in the new competitiveness landscape and research for impact, enabling better climate action, and tackling health by enhancing policy learning from research.
The outcomes of the workshop will contribute to the final report, which will summarise key conclusions and recommendations for the European Commission and its partners. The report will also inform future priorities for EU-funded research and innovation on climate and health, as well as the implementation of the climate and health flagships in the Strategy for European Life Sciences.
