IT and Science: The first global knowledge platform for climate and health launched

26 November 2022
Source: Library of Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

The first global knowledge platform dedicated to climate and health – climahealth.info – was launched by the Joint Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with support from the Wellcome Trust. It is in response to growing calls for actionable information to protect people from the health risks of climate change and other environmental hazards.

Climate and health are inextricably linked. Climate change, extreme weather events and environmental degradation have fundamental impact on human health and well-being.

The use of tailored climate and environmental science and tools for public health, such as disease forecasting and heat health early warning systems, have enormous life-saving potential. These tools and resources can enhance our understanding of the connections between climate and health, help us reach at-risk populations, and anticipate and reduce impacts.

WHO and WMO have designed this new global open-access platform to become the go-to technical reference point for users of interdisciplinary health, environmental, and climate science.

ClimaHealth will help connect the health and climate communities, and support the acceleration of multidisciplinary research, national capacity and the use of evidence and decision tools by a wide range of audiences – from policymakers to community groups – to inform and advocate for action and investment.

Site users will be able to connect with global experts; find upcoming events, news, opportunities, technical resources and data, applied decision and learning tools, case studies, and curated guidance and research documents; explore country, hazard- and theme-focused entry points and a growing number of climate service provider profiles and resources.

This living platform will be enhanced with new content and dynamic features in the coming months and years, with a view towards expanding its offerings to meet the needs of users on all sides of the climate – environment – health interface.