New funding to accelerate collaboration across the Net Zero and Health Research Network
The Net Zero and Health Research Network (NZ&HR Network) has secured funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) as part of the UKRI strategic theme Building a Green Future, to deliver a series of initiatives designed to strengthen collaboration across the UK’s seven Net Zero and Health Research Hubs, support the next generation of research leaders, and increase the impact of research on policy and practice.
The funding will support three programmes of activity, enabling researchers across the NZ&HR Network to work together on pressing challenges at the intersection of climate change, health and net zero.
Small Grants Fund
A Small Grants Fund will support collaborative projects bringing together researchers from across the Network. Projects will be led by Early Career Researchers, providing opportunities to work alongside senior academics from other hubs. Projects examples include joint research across hubs leading to academic papers, rapid reviews, workshops to write policy briefs on current research, and community engagement workshops.
Funded projects will be expected to deliver tangible outputs and professional development opportunities, including academic publications, policy briefs, methodological innovations, community engagement activities and other impact-focused outcomes.
The NZ&HR Network will host an in-person sandpit event, bringing together researchers to develop project ideas, build partnerships and foster new cross-hub collaborations.
Supporting regional voices in the net zero transition
Funding will also support the continuation and expansion of the highly successful Regional Clean Air Champions model developed through the UKRI Clean Air Programme.
Representing all UK nations and regions, the Champions have played a vital role in strengthening regional research collaboration, supporting local public health campaigns and helping policymakers address local environmental and health challenges through evidence-based approaches.
The new initiative will enable Champions to work closely with the seven Net Zero and Health Research Hubs to ensure that local perspectives and regional priorities help shape national discussions around net zero and health.
The Champions will support knowledge exchange activities, attend key events, contribute expertise to parliamentary discussions and local advisory groups, and facilitate two-way dialogue between regional stakeholders and the national research community.
Establishing common health metrics
Recognising the need for greater consistency in how health outcomes are measured across different net zero interventions, the NZ&HR Network will bring together researchers, politicians, civil servants, regulatory bodies and advocacy organisations to explore pathways towards greater standardisation.
The discussion will culminate in a published report outlining key recommendations and considerations for the development and implementation of common health indicators across the sector.
Professor Stephen Holgate KBE FRCP FMedSci, Director of the NZHR Network and Clinical Professor of Immunopharmacology, University of Southampton, said:
“This funding will enable us to deliver additional initiatives that will help bring together expertise from across the UK, support the next generation of research leaders, and ensure that evidence informs policy and practice at every level. By strengthening collaboration across our seven hubs, we can maximise both the health and environmental benefits of the UK’s journey to net zero.”