Why is it important? 

Action to tackle climate change can provide a wide range of benefits that extend well beyond just reducing greenhouse gas emissions. These benefits include improvements to public health, enhanced energy security, greater economic productivity and job creation and are important as they provide short-term, local benefits from actions that tackle the longer-term, global threat posed by climate change. 

What are we doing?  

Our recent work has focused on understanding the practicalities of how the health benefits of climate action are considered in the decision-making process at different levels of UK government. Our 2025 Report highlighted examples of good practice and areas for improvement. You can find out more about this work in the  and follow-up from this report has included deep dive sessions with Public Health Scotland, the Scottish Government and Wellcome. Previous work has focused on public perceptions of co-benefits in order to help those communicating climate action to tailor their messages to different audiences. Our 2023 Report, drawing on survey and focus group data, provides a detailed breakdown of public perceptions of a range of co-benefits. You can find out more about that work in the . 

Within Imperial, we convene a network of researchers with expertise in the co-benefits of climate action and are engaging with decision-makers to understand how evidence from the scientific community can best inform real-world decisions. If you are an Imperial researcher and would like to join this network, please get in contact.

 

Related content

Report: Delivering for climate and health

This report investigates how the health benefits of climate action are currently considered in the decision-making process to highlight examples of good practice and areas for improvement.

Report: How climate action improves public health & saves money

This briefing paper outlines the opportunities to deliver climate and health benefits across key sectors and highlights relevant transport, housing, diet and green space-related recommendations.

Report: What the UK public think about climate and health policy

This report summarises findings from a survey that asked people to share their level of support for policies that could reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving public health.

Report: How the UK perceives the co-benefits of climate action

This report shows the initial findings of on-going research on public attitudes to climate action and its co-benefits.

Report: Co-benefits of climate change mitigation in the UK

This briefing shows how action on climate change can have multiple benefits across society. It highlights the role that cities and devolved regions can play in capitalising on these co-benefits.

Related events

In this webinar, researchers present their findings from a new nationwide survey that looked at the perceived importance of different co-benefits and how perceptions varied by demographic factors such as age, gender and ethnicity. Play video
In this webinar, researchers present their findings from a new nationwide survey that looked at the perceived importance of different co-benefits and how perceptions varied by demographic factors such as age, gender and ethnicity.

Find out more

Contact:

Partnership Development Manager
neil.jennings@imperial.ac.uk

Further resources

Climate Change FAQs: Causes, Impacts and Action
Background briefings
Publications
Events