The topic has been brought up at international conferences and has been featured in reports and special journal issues. New professional societies and publications have been introduced to explore the subject.
But despite the heightened interest in exploring the environment-human health connection, funding for these efforts is difficult to come by. In an era of budget cutbacks, such large, interdisciplinary endeavors tend to be relegated to low-priority status, scientists working in this area note.
"The scientific community is excited about working together," says William Sprigg, director of the NAS board on atmospheric sciences and climate. His office is assembling an independent panel and planning two workshops to evaluate links between climate and health and to devise a research plan. "That being said, it takes funding to pull people together, but it's very difficult for the traditional funding agencies to commit to the development of such a thing when they don't ...
