Open KE Fellowship: Air Quality Science in Support of Government Strategies

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Although UK air quality has improved in the past 40 years, it is still a major challenge to predict and control. Air pollution has significant impacts on the environment and human health; the cost to the UK from deaths attributable to air pollution are estimated at £20 billion a year, but this hugely underestimates the overall cost. Air pollution also leads to increased levels of poor health, putting pressure on the health service and reducing our productivity. There are also costs associated with delays to infrastructure projects and reductions in crop yields as well as concern over the role of air pollution in reducing the variety of plant and animal life we see in our environment. The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) are the Government Department responsible for air pollution. They are committed to developing and maintaining policies that are informed by the very best scientific evidence. The profile of air pollution has increased massively over recent years. There is continuing media interest and heightened public awareness, as well as ambition in Defra to effectively tackle this challenging issue. There is a strong call for action across Government to reduce the impact of air pollution on society, with the Chief Medical Officer saying that we need to see controlling pollution as disease prevention. This is a real opportunity to make sure that UK air quality policy is informed by the world leading science carried out by the NERC research community. This fellowship aims to improve the coordination across the UK research community. It seeks to link experts across subject areas, as well as with innovators and businesses to encourage the production of research that not only improves our understanding of the air pollution issue, but also considers effective and practical solutions. The objectives aim to help researchers to involve Defra and other research users when developing research ideas to ensure that the output produced is both exciting new science and is as useful as it can be for informing policy decisions.Research councils, who fund UK research, are also keen to play their part in improving air pollution and reducing its impacts on health and the environment. Over the next few years there are a number of opportunities to influence how large strategic research funds are used. This fellowship will also look to shape proposals for strategic air pollution science to ensure that it is seen as a priority.Overall, this fellowship aims to make the most of the UK's research strengths to produce information that can inform action on air pollution, thereby reducing the impacts of poor air quality on the environment, human health and the economy.