The PERCC initiative generates ideas and conducts research on sustainable and equitable solutions to pursue justice in the face of climate and environmental change.
Climate and environmental change impacts human health, society, and the planet, and the most severe harms fall disproportionately upon underserved people and communities who have contributed the least to the crisis.
There’s no time to lose. Upstream, countries and industries must reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and achieve Paris Climate goals. Downstream, people and communities need better tools, resources, and strategies to anticipate and respond to extreme weather events and changing landscapes.
Scientists must work across disciplines and sectors to build a comprehensive evidence base to tackle urgent needs and to develop programs and policies to ensure equity, justice, and health. How do climate stressors, such as droughts and sea-level rise, impact human health and well-being? How do natural and social systems interact to shape the world? Research to answer these questions, together with subnational data, can solve complex challenges and inform practical and localized strategies for communities most at-risk. We must work with policymakers and local governments to invest in data and evidence for the most innovative solutions.
The PERCC initiative builds a global body of evidence on population and climate issues and fosters innovation and collaboration among often compartmentalized research disciplines—across the climate sciences, demography, economics, and public health. Our world-class scientists generate knowledge on how the climate crisis intersects with ingrained economic and social inequalities and collaborate with decision-makers to develop more inclusive and scalable solutions.
Our global network of social, public health, and climate scientists works directly with impacted communities, advocates, and decision-makers in government and industry to define research questions, conduct research, test and evaluate programs, and translate evidence for policymakers to invest in effective solutions.