To what extent is climate change affecting health and safety of workers and communities and how is this expected to change over time?
Background
HSE Strategic Objective: Enable industry to innovate safely to prevent major incidents, supporting the move to net zero (https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/assets/docs/the-hse-strategy.pdf)
HSE has a significant part to play in the safe delivery of the government’s commitment to achieve net zero greenhouse gas by 2050. Transitioning to a carbon neutral economy will see more innovative technologies and processes, which will present new risk. The scope of our research will underpin work to make sure that health and safety legislation does not prevent safe innovation and progress and will contribute towards enabling a safe transition across all industry sectors. We also understand that this is a phased change, and we continue to prioritise research to support maintaining our role in regulating the major hazards in existing energy industries.
To help manage risk, we will focus our attention on the breadth of activities that net zero encompasses. This will provide evidence to inform any policy, regulatory and operational changes needed to support key stakeholders.
To address the knowledge gaps we will adopt a broad approach including identifying and synthesising existing/developing evidence; influencing, fostering partnerships and collaborating with others; having the assurance frameworks to ensure that commissioned research is aligned to addressing the most prioritised knowledge gaps and is the optimum approach to deriving the evidence.
For some technologies, the level of interest, developments and activity is such that inter-related research activities necessitate coordination via a programme model. This is currently the case for the technological areas of carbon capture utilisation and storage (CCUS) and gaseous hydrogen. There is also significant activity in the battery technology area and alternative liquid fuels, particularly liquid hydrogen.
The questions provide more detail of the evidence needs within the main Areas of Research Interest Question Group.
Next steps
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Source
This question was published as part of the set of ARIs in this document:
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Related UKRI funded projects
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Centre for Net Positive Health and Climate Solutions (The Net+ Centre)
Vision: The Net+ Centre is able to pivot resources to address emerging needs or to respond to climate-related events (e.g. extreme weather). It becomes a self-sustaining, world-leading research centre beyond the funding ...
Funded by: ESRC
Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Why might this be relevant?
Partially addresses the question by focusing on health and environmental impacts of mitigation and adaptation, but does not fully cover the extent of climate change affecting health and safety of workers and communities.
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CATALYSE: Climate Action To Advance HeaLthY Societies in Europe
Despite clear signs that the impacts of climate change are escalating, the global response has been inadequate. Traditional scientific efforts have fallen short of providing knowledge and tools that have been broadly app...
Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee
Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Why might this be relevant?
The project specifically focuses on the health impacts of climate change and provides new knowledge and tools to address these issues.
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Climate Action To Advance HeaLthY Societies in Europe (CATALYSE)
Despite clear signs that the impacts of climate change are escalating, the global response has been inadequate. Traditional scientific efforts have fallen short of providing knowledge and tools that have been broadly app...
Funded by: Horizon Europe Guarantee
Lead research organisation: UNIVERSITY OF BIRMINGHAM
Why might this be relevant?
The project addresses the relationships between environmental hazards, ecosystems, and human health in the context of climate change.