Our approach

The Net Positive Centre is applying a transdisciplinary approach to research on climate change and human health, bringing together a wide range of disciplines – from classics to computer science, as well as the more traditional climate sciences and epidemiology. Working in multi-disciplinary teams, we are bringing different kinds of evidence to support the development of “net positive” solutions to climate change and health problems. “Net positive” solutions are those that not only generate greenhouse gas emissions reductions or adaptation to specific risks, for example sea level rise, but also deliver improvements in the environment, in health outcomes and in health equity. 

We are embedding our research in policy – building on our partnership’s strengths in public health and environmental policy. We are open to new ideas – and have built flexibility and responsiveness into the design of what we do. We have a Policy Reference Panel to advise us on critical research needs, and a researcher in residence programme to give policy actors, businesses and community organisations access to cutting edge insights to inform practice and innovation.  

We are keen to support the development of climate change and health across the UK – aiming to be as transparent as we can be to ensure that methods can be replicated, that research effort is optimised and that the capacity of the UK as a leader in climate change and health research is enhanced. We have mechanisms to support early career researchers and those wanting to conduct seed-corn research. We will hold a series of events to bring researchers together with each other and critical actors in the climate change and health space. 

We will be a centre that practices “net positive” practices as well – so we are taking steps to reduce our environmental footprint, improve the health and wellbeing of our staff and ensuring we take equality, diversity and inclusion seriously in all that we do – from recruitment, to the publics that we engage with, to making our findings accessible.