TY - JOUR
T1 - Setting the European environment and health research agenda –under-researched areas and solution-oriented research
AU - Huss, Anke
AU - Peters, Annette
AU - Zhao, Tianyu
AU - Barouki, Robert
AU - Kogevinas, Manolis
AU - Vermeulen, Roel
AU - Matthies-Wiesler, Franziska
N1 - Funding Information:
The HERA project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N◦ 825417. MK acknowledges support from the Spanish State Research Agency and Ministry of Science and Innovation through the “Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023” Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program.
Funding Information:
The HERA project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement N? 825417. MK acknowledges support from the Spanish State Research Agency and Ministry of Science and Innovation through the ?Centro de Excelencia Severo Ochoa 2019-2023? Program (CEX2018-000806-S), and the Generalitat de Catalunya through the CERCA Program. We'd like to extend specially thank those experts who have contributed to fill the gaps in the gaps in under-researched areas: Kim Gruetzmacher, Maike Voss, Ariana Zeka, Gerardo Sanchez Martinez, Andrew Farlow, Sabine Gabrysch, Martin Herrmann, Clare Palmer, Nicole de Palmer, James Woodcock, Sonja Kahlmeier, Nick Dale, Alistair Hunt, Desislava Vankova, Ekaterina Valtcheva. We also would like to thank all experts that have contributed to the survey, to summarising the results and adding gaps in the gaps. Finally, we'd also like to thank Vivienne Byers and Alan Gilmer for proofreading of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 The Author(s)
PY - 2022/5
Y1 - 2022/5
N2 - Background: The aim of the EU-funded HERA (health and environment research agenda) project is to set priorities for the future European research agenda in the environment, climate and health nexus. We report results from a European researcher's perspective and identify research areas that have been inadequately investigated to date. Methods: An online survey was completed by European researchers to assess, evaluate and visualise research gaps. These research gaps were identified for 21 predefined areas within 3 main categories: i) classical environment and health paradigm; ii) problem or sector-based research areas and approaches and iii) holistic research areas and concepts. All research gaps were then evaluated by expert groups with the pre-defined criteria and systematically summarized. For areas identified within the survey as under-reported, additional input was sought from a range of key selected experts. The EU project database Cordis was utilized to verify that these areas were under-researched. Results: Between May and July 2019, 318 respondents from 38 countries reported 624 research gaps. The main areas for attention identified were: urban environments; chemicals; and climate change, (combined n = 313 gaps). Biodiversity loss and health; transport, mobility, sustainable solutions and health; energy transition and health; waste and the circular economy and health; ethics and philosophy and health were areas that were acknowledged as under-researched (combined n = 27 gaps). These under-researched areas were identified as having certain commonalities, they: i) mostly fell in the category “problem or sector based approaches“; ii) they are essential for developing and implementing solutions; and iii) require trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration. Conclusions: Currently attention is given to topical and highly researched areas in environmental health. In contrast, this paper identifies key topics and approaches that are under-researched, yet, are critical for the implementation of the EU Green Deal, related strategies and action plans, and require further investigation and investment. The findings reveal the imperative to foster solutions-oriented, trans-disciplinary and participatory research and its implementation through changes in research funding and research structures.
AB - Background: The aim of the EU-funded HERA (health and environment research agenda) project is to set priorities for the future European research agenda in the environment, climate and health nexus. We report results from a European researcher's perspective and identify research areas that have been inadequately investigated to date. Methods: An online survey was completed by European researchers to assess, evaluate and visualise research gaps. These research gaps were identified for 21 predefined areas within 3 main categories: i) classical environment and health paradigm; ii) problem or sector-based research areas and approaches and iii) holistic research areas and concepts. All research gaps were then evaluated by expert groups with the pre-defined criteria and systematically summarized. For areas identified within the survey as under-reported, additional input was sought from a range of key selected experts. The EU project database Cordis was utilized to verify that these areas were under-researched. Results: Between May and July 2019, 318 respondents from 38 countries reported 624 research gaps. The main areas for attention identified were: urban environments; chemicals; and climate change, (combined n = 313 gaps). Biodiversity loss and health; transport, mobility, sustainable solutions and health; energy transition and health; waste and the circular economy and health; ethics and philosophy and health were areas that were acknowledged as under-researched (combined n = 27 gaps). These under-researched areas were identified as having certain commonalities, they: i) mostly fell in the category “problem or sector based approaches“; ii) they are essential for developing and implementing solutions; and iii) require trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration. Conclusions: Currently attention is given to topical and highly researched areas in environmental health. In contrast, this paper identifies key topics and approaches that are under-researched, yet, are critical for the implementation of the EU Green Deal, related strategies and action plans, and require further investigation and investment. The findings reveal the imperative to foster solutions-oriented, trans-disciplinary and participatory research and its implementation through changes in research funding and research structures.
KW - Environment health under-researched green deal
KW - Research agenda
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85127161585&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107202
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107202
M3 - Article
C2 - 35358788
AN - SCOPUS:85127161585
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 163
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
M1 - 107202
ER -