The ENBEL project: From research findings to policy

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The Horizon 2020 ENBEL project (Enhancing Belmont Research Action to support EU policy making on climate change and health) brings together climate change and health research projects from Belmont Forum, EU’s Horizon2020 and other international and national funding schemes. The aim is to achieve convergence between climate change and health research and policy making, to optimise research outputs across the projects, standardise epidemiological measures and research approaches, where possible, and contribute to policy advice. ENBEL focuses on three major climate change related health hazards: environmental and occupational heat, air pollution (particularly from wildfires) and climate-sensitive infectious diseases, with specific attention to high-risk groups. METHODS: The overall concept of ENBEL is a bottom-up approach to networking and cooperation across often separate worlds of climate and health research communities. We aim to mainstream climate change into health conferences and vice versa to increase understanding, knowledge exchange and collaboration and enable integrated and evidence-based policy advice for mitigating impacts of climate change on human health. The network is synthesizing research evidence on climate change and health links and engaging with policymakers to translate science into policies. We will undertake evidence gap analysis of adaptation policies, strategies and measures to identify evidence gaps in Europe and Africa and produce tailor-made knowledge products. RESULTS:The network is bringing together researchers and experts on climate change and health and contribute to bridge gaps in approaches and methods that can make collaboration difficult, and thereby laying the ground for establishing actionable knowledge on climate change-related health risks. CONCLUSIONS:ENBEL will formalise a strong network of projects and researchers at the forefront of the climate change and health nexus. The synthesis of knowledge from a broad range of scientific institutions will enable decision-makers to make evidence-based decision to alleviate climate change impacts on health. KEYWORDS: Climate, Wildfires, Infectious diseases, International collaboration, Research translation to affect policy and practice