The NIHR Carbon Reduction Guidelines

6. ConclusionsThese guidelines demonstrate how researchers in the NIHR can reduce thecarbon footprint of health research. This document provides a framework withillustrative examples, rather than mandatory guidance. Sensible researchdesign can reduce carbon waste and these guidelines are an important andnecessary first step to help shrink the carbon footprint of research funded bythe NIHR. Further research is required to estimate with greater accuracy thecarbon footprint of NIHR funded studies, to understand the carbon impact ofNIHR research infrastructure and to estimate the dividends of strategies forreducing carbon production in research.16