Tom Anthony explains why our latest Society Awards are aimed at health and the environment, and how you might apply for this funding.
The effects of climate change can seem remote, both geographically and also because they seem so far away in the future. However in some parts of the world its effects are already being felt.
In Bangladesh, for example, people’s lives and health are already being affected by the impact of rapid environmental changes. Saltwater from the sea is quickly encroaching further and further in land. This affects what and where people can farm and the amount of salt in their daily diet. Consuming above the recommended amount of salt causes increased rates of hypertension (high blood pressure) with all its associated health problems, and particularly affects pregnant women causing preeclampsia.
Saltwater encroachment is caused by a combination of factors. The flow of fresh water is drying-up because of receding glaciers in the Himalayas and changing land use upstream. This is compounded as saltwater is forced inland by storm surges, cyclones and rising sea levels. This combination of environmental factors affects nutrition and, in turn, health in a highly populous nation like Bangladesh.
Climate change is not an area normally associated with the Wellcome Trust. This is one of the reasons we have themed calls, to demonstrate and stimulate applications across the full breadth of our funding interests. This year’s Society Awards themed call, Health in a Changing World, also ties into our fifth challenge area, Connecting environment, nutrition and health, allowing us to link up what we are funding scientifically with our public engagement work.
With this theme we are particularly interested in funding projects that encourage the public to engage with questions such as: what will the world look like in future (e.g. how will water resources, weather, biodiversity, patterns on infection and agriculture change?); what should we be doing now to mitigate or adapt to these changes; what drives people to change their behaviour for the sake of the planet and future generation?
If you think you’ve got an exciting and innovative way to engage a UK audience around this topic you’ll find more information on the theme and application information on our website. The deadline for preliminary applications is 5 October 2012.
Reference
- Khan AE, Ireson A, Kovats S, Mojumder SK, Khusru A, Rahman A, & Vineis P (2011). Drinking Water Salinity and Maternal Health in Coastal Bangladesh: Implications of Climate Change. Environmental health perspectives PMID: 21486720
Tom Antony, Public Engagement Adviser, Wellcome Trust
Image credit: Flickr/The Advocacy Project
Filed under: Environment, Nutrition and Health, Health, Public Engagement Tagged: Climate change, Environment, Health, Public Engagement
