GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Improve prevention and policy-making, by:

• Improved insights into short- and long-term health effects of climate-related stressors, including planetary health considerations (interactions between global climate change, ecosystem, animal and human health as described in the One Health concept). Taking into consideration differences between infectious and non-communicable diseases, and the particularities of each. With regard to the infectious diseases, emphasis should be given on the surveillance and prevention of zoonotic diseases. These improved insights should made available and be integrated by the regional and local authorities in their planning. The European Climate and Health Observatory can contribute to these efforts and, reversely, learnings from the projects supported under this topic would contribute to the Observatory knowledge basis.
• Strengthening comprehensive and user friendly epidemiological surveillance and modelling and forecasting tools, including socio-economic trajectories and adaptation scenarios of exposure and vulnerability to climate determinants. These tools should be suitable for assessing and predicting impact of moderate, extreme and record-breaking events and disasters associated with climate change, including impacts on mental health. Environmental stressors should also be considered when relevant for the prevention of major non-communicable such as cardiovascular and respiratory diseases e.g. combination of heat waves and air pollution or increase in pollens. Surveillance, modelling and forecasting tools should be piloted in the partner regions and communities. Reflecting the One Health concept, the link between animal health impacts due to climate change and subsequent human health impacts should also be considered, when relevant.
• Development of better forecast, early-warning and early response systems and decision-making models for health impacts of climate change which are able to monitor both the impact and the effectiveness of solutions.
• Development and health impact assessment of adaptation measures and monitoring of effectiveness of solutions to improve resilience of countries, regions and cities, including effective nature-based solutions (NBS).

2. Improve preparedness of health systems by:

• Development of innovative solutions (technological solutions, NBS, etc) to reduce impact of climate change on human health and wellbeing. Heat and cold waves and floods should be among the stressors considered, but proposals should not limit their work to only these two stressors and might consider the association with environmental conditions such as the association of heat waves and air quality or exposure to pollens. Solutions should be designed with a win-win objective so to not have a negative effect on climate mitigation efforts, after sufficient consideration of positive and negative interactions.
• Preparing training curricula on health and climate change for medical and other healthcare professionals across Europe. The proposed curricula should be trailed in the partner regions, local authorities and communities, training pilot group of professionals.
• Development of innovative, fit-for-purpose, end-user driven early warning and response systems or improving existing ones, including a demonstration of their predictive/response capacity, to ensure a rapid response from health services and civil protection authorities and testing/pilot such systems in the partner regions/local authorities/communities.
• Providing feedback and sharing best practice from pilots to the new Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority. Such tests should be accompanied by public awareness campaigns in relation to climate forecasts and health early warning systems, identifying the warning communication chain, role, tasks and responsibilities of science advisors and decision-makers.