As EUniWell Champion for Nantes Université, Prof. Hamza Bennani will promote and develop his research on the economic factors associated with the health impacts of global warming.

Co-director of the Nantes Atlantique Economy and Management Research Laboratory (LEMNA, IAE Nantes Economie & Management), Prof. Hamza Bennani is a specialist in macroeconomics, monetary economics and climate economics. His work aims to gain a better understanding of the links between economic policies, social inequalities and climate change.

Within the EUniWell Champions Scheme, his project concerns a major public health issue: the impact of heat on health. His approach combines economic analysis and hospital data with environmental and social variables in order to identify the places and populations most vulnerable to the effects of extreme heat; particularly the elderly, the chronically ill and residents of disadvantaged neighbourhoods.

This work feeds into the activities of EUniWell's Health and Environment arenas. By collaborating with experts across the EUniWell network, Prof. Hamza Bennani intends to mobilise knowledge and disciplines at international level in order to understand the mechanisms behind heat-related health risks and propose appropriate responses, helping to shape public policies that protect society’s most vulnerable populations.

For Prof. Hamza Bennani, the role of EUniWell Champion represents a unique opportunity that unites research, action and European cooperation: “EUniWell offers a stimulating framework for linking data, researchers and public policies around the same objective: to make a tangible improvement to the well-being of European citizens.”