Future Earth is an international research platform providing knowledge and support to accelerate our transformation to a sustainable world.
This global initiative is supported by UK Future Earth, the national branch of the programme which provides a discussion platform for relevant UK communities to engage with Future Earth. The Academy of Medical Sciences is represented on the UK Future Earth Committee by Sir Andy Haines FMedSci, Fellow of the Academy and expert on the impact of environmental factors on health.
For further information on the objectives and activities of UK Future Earth, please visit the Committee’s website or explore the tabs on this page.
Future Earth is an international hub designed to coordinate new, interdisciplinary approaches to global sustainability research, and ensure that knowledge is generated in partnership with society and users of science. It is open to scientists of all disciplines, natural and social, as well as engineering, the humanities and law.
The research strategy is delivered, in part, through ‘Knowledge Action Networks’ (KANs), which are collaborative frameworks that facilitate integrative research. There are currently eight of these KANs, with the Health KAN being particularly relevant to the Academy of Medical Sciences.
The UK Future Earth committee consists of:
- Representatives from the four National Academies, as well as the Royal Irish Academy and the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- Chief Scientific advisors at three government departments (DECC, DEFRA and DFID).
- Chief Executives of two Research Councils (ESRC and NERC).
- A number of other esteemed members.
The Academy of Medical Sciences is represented on the committee by Sir Andy Haines FMedSci, who is also the chair of the Health KAN development group.
The Health 'Knowledge Action Network' (KAN) addresses the threat to human health caused by changes in the Earth’s natural systems, and how this threat can be mitigated. It aims to promote integrated research into interactions between the global environment (e.g. pollution, disease pathogens and vectors) and the health of human beings.
To do this, it will bring health researchers together with experts from a wide range of disciplines, including environmental sciences, other natural, social and engineering sciences, business, politics and civil society.