Who We Are

This platform is supported by the Health-First Climate Action Research Center, with collaboration across:

• Community advisory boards in urban and rural areas
• Environmental health researchers and public health scientists
• Policy experts working to align legislation with community needs
• Data and technology teams who turn insights into action

Our collective goal is to co-create climate solutions that are equitable, evidence-based, and rooted in real-world experience.

A Community-Driven, Health-First Approach to Climate Action

This platform is part of a statewide initiative to center community voices in shaping energy and environmental policies that impact our health and future. As climate change intensifies, so does the urgency for large-scale solutions. Yet too often, these solutions are developed without considering how they affect people's everyday lives, especially in marginalized or overburdened communities.

Our approach flips that script.

We begin and end with communities, using crowdsourcing, storytelling, and digital tools to ensure that your lived experiences, concerns, and insights help guide climate policy decisions. Together, we aim to build a cleaner energy future that improves health, advances equity, and reflects the needs of Wisconsin residents.

Why Your Input Matters

The Health-First Climate Action Research Center, a collaboration between UW-Madison, the Medical College of Wisconsin, UW–UW-Milwaukee, and community partners, works to make climate policies smarter, fairer, and healthier by:

• Estimating health risks and benefits tied to specific energy and climate actions
• Piloting real-world solutions, such as reducing asthma burden in Milwaukee schools
• Using digital engagement tools like this one to amplify community input
• Providing public access to data through a Data Commons and open repositories

Your feedback helps ensure that the transition to clean energy doesn’t leave anyone behind and that the health and well-being of all Wisconsinites are front and center.