Scottish researcH partnership for Air Pollution health Effects (SHAPE)

Air pollution is a public health emergency, with 99% of people globally breathing air exceeding World Health Organisation limits. Annually in Scotland, air pollution is responsible for up to 2,700 premature deaths, costing the economy over £1billion in NHS costs and lost workdays, owing to illnesses including asthma, heart disease and cancer. Some groups are at increased health risk from air pollution, including children. Given Scotland’s pronounced health inequalities_, and that air pollution, deprivation and poor health are intrinsically linked, air pollution is both an environmental and social injustice. Tackling this requires a coordinated, evidence-based approach, integrating efforts across disciplines and stakeholders.

We are at a crucial moment as the air quality landscape evolves, with stricter World Health Organisation guidelines and the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 (CAFS 2) strategy concluding as CAFS 3 develops. These developments present a unique opportunity to advance Scottish air quality research and better integrate scientific evidence on air pollution and health into decision-making to improve public health.

Therefore, the aim of the Scottish researcH partnership for Air Pollution health Effects (SHAPE) is to bring together the interdisciplinary Scottish air quality community to explore challenges to, and opportunities for, improving air quality in Scotland.

Our objectives are to:

Develop a vibrant network of multi-disciplinary academics and non-academic stakeholders that are poised to tackle emerging air quality issues in Scotland through collaborative working and future grant applications.
Undertake co-designed (stakeholders with academics) evidence synthesis on emerging air quality problems in Scotland.
Write a SHAPE position paper outlining key challenges to, and opportunities for, improving air quality in Scotland.
Disseminate findings from SHAPE to the wider research community, stakeholders and the public, to impact future research, policy and practice.

SHAPE will provide established researchers and early career researchers (ECRs) with a unique opportunity to be part of an interdisciplinary Scottish air quality and health research network. Researchers will benefit from closer links with air quality stakeholders, a growing ECR network and a deeper understanding of stakeholder priorities to guide future research. This network will enhance the communication of research findings to influence future air quality, climate and health policies. SHAPE will also train the next generation of ECRs to engage in interdisciplinary, policy-driven research.