How will the climate and nature crises impact people in prison?

This briefing summarises research on the impact of climate change and nature loss on people in UK prisons, and the policy opportunities for mitigating these impacts and maximising positive opportunities (such as green skills and training).

It explores impacts in four areas:

1. Climate change: People in prison face increased risks posed by heatwaves and flooding, including increased risk of death, mental health disorders, violence and changing patterns of disease.
2. Air pollution: Due to the location of some prisons, people in prison face increased health risks from high levels of air pollution.
3. Access to green and blue space: People in UK prisons generally lack access to green and blue spaces (spaces with water features such as lakes or rivers) within prison estates. Increasing access to green and blue spaces may bring physical and mental health benefits to people in prison.
4. Green jobs: There is currently no national strategy to support people in prisons to access green jobs and training. Localised examples suggest such schemes offer positive outcomes.

Download the briefing (pdf).

The Everyone’s Environment programme

This briefing is part of the Everyone’s Environment programme, a collaboration of over 80 social and environmental charities and funders that are working to empower people from different social groups to have their needs reflected in environmental decision making and policy.

We have also published similar briefings for other social groups, the findings of our deliberation groups, and our policy recommendations for government based on those briefings and deliberations. Explore all these publications.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Barrow Cadbury Trust for funding this research briefing as part of the Everyone’s Environment Programme.

Barrow Cadbury Trust is an independent charity using all of its resources for social justice. Charity number: 1115476