Periodic Reporting for period 2 - HERA (Integrating Environment and Health Research: a Vision for the EU)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-07-01 bis 2022-03-31
The HERA project aimed at setting the priorities for an environment, climate and health research agenda in the EU by adopting a holistic, systemic and inclusive approach.
WP1 aimed at building a management framework and acting as the interface between the consortium and the European Commission to perform strategic decision making.
WP2 objectives focused on a) the continuation and coordination of stakeholder interaction to enable broad and relevant input towards the agenda and its formulation; b) integrating knowledge from all WPs, especially in terms of the policy and research needs in thematic areas and systemic challenges as well as assessing future needs in line with the expected or presumed technological, societal and behavioural changes and c) coordinating and structuring the input to the 2020-2030 European environment, climate and health research agenda by synthesizing the major remaining gaps and future science and policy needs and recommending tools and approaches to address those needs.
WP3 aimed at identifying key areas in policy and practice that require scientific support in the next decade, while recognising regional, national and EU perspectives of stakeholders including those from European countries with less developed environment and health research and policy.
WP4 aimed at listing research gaps as reported by scientists to the overall Health and Environment Research Agenda.
WP5 aimed at establishing knowledge gaps in the field of Health Impact assessment and used case studies to further delineate research needs for this field of research. Once an environmental exposure has been deemed likely to influence human health (hazard identification), it may be relevant to try to translate the measures of association available (a relative risk, a dose response function…) into a more meaningful measure in terms of public health such as the health impact. Estimating the current or future impact at the population level of environmental factors and policies is a key challenge, tackled by health impact (or risk) assessment studies, which we aimed to review and illustrate, and for which we aimed to provide guidelines.
WP6 aimed at performing communication, dissemination and knowledge exchange mobilizing internal resources and channels for effective communication and dissemination of the HERA project results to all stakeholders.
WP1 aimed at building a management framework and acting as the interface between the consortium and the European Commission to perform strategic decision making.
WP2 objectives focused on a) the continuation and coordination of stakeholder interaction to enable broad and relevant input towards the agenda and its formulation; b) integrating knowledge from all WPs, especially in terms of the policy and research needs in thematic areas and systemic challenges as well as assessing future needs in line with the expected or presumed technological, societal and behavioural changes and c) coordinating and structuring the input to the 2020-2030 European environment, climate and health research agenda by synthesizing the major remaining gaps and future science and policy needs and recommending tools and approaches to address those needs.
WP3 aimed at identifying key areas in policy and practice that require scientific support in the next decade, while recognising regional, national and EU perspectives of stakeholders including those from European countries with less developed environment and health research and policy.
WP4 aimed at listing research gaps as reported by scientists to the overall Health and Environment Research Agenda.
WP5 aimed at establishing knowledge gaps in the field of Health Impact assessment and used case studies to further delineate research needs for this field of research. Once an environmental exposure has been deemed likely to influence human health (hazard identification), it may be relevant to try to translate the measures of association available (a relative risk, a dose response function…) into a more meaningful measure in terms of public health such as the health impact. Estimating the current or future impact at the population level of environmental factors and policies is a key challenge, tackled by health impact (or risk) assessment studies, which we aimed to review and illustrate, and for which we aimed to provide guidelines.
WP6 aimed at performing communication, dissemination and knowledge exchange mobilizing internal resources and channels for effective communication and dissemination of the HERA project results to all stakeholders.
During the time of the project the final research agenda was produced integrating the results from the whole HERA consortium. The agenda was made public and disseminated during the HERA final conference. Altogether, the work was successfully completed and disseminated to wider audiences.
In a stakeholder driven process, key topics in policy and practice were collected, reflected upon, interpreted and elaborated. Surveys were distributed in the networks of the HERA partners and regionally led stakeholder workshops were organised across Europe. Involvement of the HERA Consultation Group allowed input from European and international networks. All inputs were integrated and synthesised in an overview of key topics requiring scientific support from environment, climate and health research.
A survey was performed among 300 researchers across Europe. Reported research gaps were summarised and evaluated regarding their relevance. The gaps were then integrated with a) ongoing research efforts as funded by the EU, b) the knowledge needs, and c) prioritised and described for the final HERA research agenda. We summarised, evaluated and prioritised these research gaps, put them into context with ongoing EU-funded research and visualised results. Under-researched areas were identified, discussed and published as a special case of research gaps in peer reviewed journals. We contributed to two peer-reviewed publications regarding short-term and longer-term research needs concerning COVID-19 and its relationship with environmental stressors; HERA also contributed a session dedicated to the HERA Research Agenda at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology conference 2020.
We reviewed the methodology of quantitative impact assessment methodologies and identified major knowledge gaps. We provided guidelines about quantitative health assessment studies and defined guidelines for the evaluation of socio-economic impacts of environmental problems. Two case studies were implemented: i) regarding climate change and ii) regarding chemical exposures.
The communication work package disseminated HERA project outputs. Six online webinars “Research for the EU Green Deal” were held between February and December 2021 (800 participants total, zero pollution, biodiversity, circular economy, climate neutrality and healthy society), to highlight contribution of environment-health-climate research in achieving EU priorities. Six e-newsletters were published and communication network was established in research communities in environment, health, climate change as well as among decision-makers and civil society stakeholders.
WHO Bonn School training had 100 participants from 40 countries developing national environment and health research agenda, risk communication and other EH topics to build capacities for evidence-based decision making and effective risk communication. Two reports on risk communication and communication strategy were published
In a stakeholder driven process, key topics in policy and practice were collected, reflected upon, interpreted and elaborated. Surveys were distributed in the networks of the HERA partners and regionally led stakeholder workshops were organised across Europe. Involvement of the HERA Consultation Group allowed input from European and international networks. All inputs were integrated and synthesised in an overview of key topics requiring scientific support from environment, climate and health research.
A survey was performed among 300 researchers across Europe. Reported research gaps were summarised and evaluated regarding their relevance. The gaps were then integrated with a) ongoing research efforts as funded by the EU, b) the knowledge needs, and c) prioritised and described for the final HERA research agenda. We summarised, evaluated and prioritised these research gaps, put them into context with ongoing EU-funded research and visualised results. Under-researched areas were identified, discussed and published as a special case of research gaps in peer reviewed journals. We contributed to two peer-reviewed publications regarding short-term and longer-term research needs concerning COVID-19 and its relationship with environmental stressors; HERA also contributed a session dedicated to the HERA Research Agenda at the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology conference 2020.
We reviewed the methodology of quantitative impact assessment methodologies and identified major knowledge gaps. We provided guidelines about quantitative health assessment studies and defined guidelines for the evaluation of socio-economic impacts of environmental problems. Two case studies were implemented: i) regarding climate change and ii) regarding chemical exposures.
The communication work package disseminated HERA project outputs. Six online webinars “Research for the EU Green Deal” were held between February and December 2021 (800 participants total, zero pollution, biodiversity, circular economy, climate neutrality and healthy society), to highlight contribution of environment-health-climate research in achieving EU priorities. Six e-newsletters were published and communication network was established in research communities in environment, health, climate change as well as among decision-makers and civil society stakeholders.
WHO Bonn School training had 100 participants from 40 countries developing national environment and health research agenda, risk communication and other EH topics to build capacities for evidence-based decision making and effective risk communication. Two reports on risk communication and communication strategy were published
The complex and cumulative health impacts related to environment and climate change need to be better acknowledged. Synergies can be achieved by integrating human and environmental health issues across all societal sectors. The need for holistic interdisciplinary research approaches and science-policy-society dialogue is widely recognized. Stakeholders support an equitable green transition by mainstreaming integrative approaches in the environmental health research and policies across Europe.
HERA approached research needs from different disciplinary angles and provided opportunities for exchange on future scientific challenges and for shaping future science. The identified research questions foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, support the EU Green Deal and work towards the SDGs. Their implementations are expected to have large societal impacts, protect and promote citizens’ health through changes in environmental, occupational risk factors and lifestyles, while protecting the environment.
Our work can be expected to have impacts in several directions. Regarding quantitative health impact assessment studies, the recommendations done help harmonizing and strengthening those conducted in the EU in relation to environmental factors. The case studies provided illustrate the impact of chemicals and extremes of temperature on human health. Altogether, these results contribute to more efficient protection of human health, in line with the Green Deal and Zero pollution plan.
The communication and dissemination activities of HERA reached all communities acting in the environment-health and climate nexus emphasizing the multidisciplinary nature of the future research, need for dynamic adaptations and frequent and efficient multilevel information exchange. Further, the HERA project and its final research agenda was promoted to an audience beyond the European Union thanks to an HERA specific course in the WHO Bonn School on Environment and Health.
HERA approached research needs from different disciplinary angles and provided opportunities for exchange on future scientific challenges and for shaping future science. The identified research questions foster interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation, support the EU Green Deal and work towards the SDGs. Their implementations are expected to have large societal impacts, protect and promote citizens’ health through changes in environmental, occupational risk factors and lifestyles, while protecting the environment.
Our work can be expected to have impacts in several directions. Regarding quantitative health impact assessment studies, the recommendations done help harmonizing and strengthening those conducted in the EU in relation to environmental factors. The case studies provided illustrate the impact of chemicals and extremes of temperature on human health. Altogether, these results contribute to more efficient protection of human health, in line with the Green Deal and Zero pollution plan.
The communication and dissemination activities of HERA reached all communities acting in the environment-health and climate nexus emphasizing the multidisciplinary nature of the future research, need for dynamic adaptations and frequent and efficient multilevel information exchange. Further, the HERA project and its final research agenda was promoted to an audience beyond the European Union thanks to an HERA specific course in the WHO Bonn School on Environment and Health.