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An introduction from project coordinator, Joacim Rocklöv

The risks of the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases have become the key impending issue of global concern. The inexorable changes in climate conditions worldwide are dramatically affecting the distribution, abundance, and activity of pathogens and vectors.

Joacim Rocklöv
IDAlert project coordinator

Tracking the impacts of climate change on human health
“The risks of the emergence and transmission of infectious diseases have become the key impending issue of global concern. The inexorable changes in climate conditions worldwide are dramatically affecting the distribution, abundance, and activity of pathogens and vectors. By analysing the interdependence between animals, humans, and their socio-ecological contexts, IDAlert seeks to establish key indicators for monitoring the risk of emerging diseases, alongside new ways of surveillance. The project will develop predictive models for early warning and long-term projections based on climate information. In addition, the project will devise adaptation and intervention measures for policy and decision makers. This body of research is crucial to protect public and animal health from rapidly changing environmental conditions.” 

A novel approach
“IDAlert integrates the One Health framework with the hazard, exposure, vulnerability, and risk frameworks of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC). Despite IPCC´s activities in the health domain, the interconnection between One Health and climate change (e.g., climate change risks for zoonotic diseases) is late in being discussed and research activity in this transdisciplinary area is scarce to this day. IDAlert addresses this gap, among others, and will develop new early warning platforms, citizen science approaches, and novel surveillance for better preparedness and responses to disease emergence and outbreak threats. It further provides evidence for improved policy and practice to tackle these intersectoral health challenges”. 

Supporting Health institutions against emerging health threats 

“The IDAlert project is nested within the Lancet Countdown on Climate Change and Health in Europe and collaborates with the European Climate and Health Observatory run by the European Environmental Agency (EEA). The Lancet Countdown and the EEA will directly benefit from this research by the inclusion of new key indicators and tools. They will help, in turn, to disseminate and provide the long-term indicators and tools for users in the Public Health and Veterinary sectors”. 

IDAlert will collaborate with five other projects funded under the same call topic, working as a cluster. The Climate Change and Health Cluster sets up a mechanism for synergising efforts for a larger impact and IDAlert is leading the coordination of the cluster in the first year.  

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