A Community-Driven, Health-First Approach to Climate Action and the Energy Transition

University Of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison WI

Investigators

Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY - OVERALL The threat of climate change and urgency for large-scale preventive mitigation policies are now broadly recognized and supported by calls for a rapid and comprehensive energy transition. Major climate policies, however, are emerging without consideration of the near-term human health or equity implications. Missing is the evidence base required to guide specific policy decisions that would maximize health and equity benefits while also reducing further warming of the planet. The overarching goal of the proposed Health- First Climate Action Research Center is to catalyze rigorous, innovative, community-driven, policy-relevant, transdisciplinary research aimed at understanding the health and equity impacts of specific energy choices as the US strives to reach a low-carbon energy transition. Achieving this goal requires engagement across community, scientific, and policy sectors and defines the theme of our proposal, “A Community-Driven, Health- First Approach to Climate Action and the Energy Transition.” We posit that a “health-first” approach to climate decision-making will increase both distributive and procedural equity associated with specific policy solution pathways proposed for climate mitigation. Our key innovation is in developing and employing a linked pathway that starts and ends with communities as it generates robust estimates of the health impacts of contemplated climate change actions. Innovations in community engagement will include: participatory web-based technologies, including web-based mapping and storytelling, crowd-sourcing and artificial intelligence, and utilization of low-cost air pollution monitors, which are increasingly being used by citizen scientists and communities. Innovations coming from our primary research project will include development of a new, high- resolution Scenario Health Risk for Energy model to support decision-making by policy makers and community partners, balancing representation of complex processes with the speed and ease-of-use required for public utilization. We also will conduct a Pilot Target Trial to assess the likely impacts of climate change action on asthma burden of Milwaukee public school children. The proposed Data Science Core will prioritize authentic, multi-directional, equitable community engagement and data sharing. Innovations will stem from: establishing a Data Repository that will foster team science and provide a single point of access for all stakeholders; creating a Data Commons that provides linkage, integration, mapping, metadata management, and computerized routines for reusable data, metadata, and software artifacts for collaborative research and data sharing; and providing Digital Engagement tools using advanced technologies (e.g., natural language processing) to ensure that community voices are utilized efficiently to inform research and policy development. Our Wisconsin-based community, government, and university environments have the track record, expertise, foundations, and institutional support for high productivity and policy impact of this Health-First Climate Action Research Center.