The Marmot Review – Marmot, M. (2010) Fair Society, Healthy Lives. Strategic Review of health Inequalities in England post-2010. The Marmot Review.

This influential report centres on assessing the extent of health inequalities in England and discusses why reducing inequalities needs to be a policy goal. The report recognises that there is a close relationship between the challenges posed by climate change and those related to health inequalities. This is largely because both sets of issues impact most on the poor and disadvantaged. It also connects social inequalities with health inequalities and calls for action across the spectrum of social causes of poor health.

The report specifically identified objectives for action:

A. Give every child the best start in life

B. Enable all children, young people and adults to maximise their capabilities and have control over their lives

C. Create fair employment and good work for all

D. Ensure healthy standard of living for all

E. Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities

F. Strengthen the role and impact of ill-health prevention.

The report recommends that there is a need to prioritise policies and interventions that would reduce both health inequalities and mitigate climate change in order to meet policy objective E. This includes measures like improving active travel, increasing the availability of good quality green and open spaces, making more fresh food available and improving the energy efficiency of housing. The report also calls for an integration of the planning, transport, housing, environmental and health systems to address the social determinants of health in different locations.  

A summary of the main messages from the report can be found here and the main report can be accessed here.