Accelerating Action for Extreme Heat and Health

Project

Project background

The Global Heat Health Information Network is a UN-recognized, independent, voluntary, and member-driven forum co-sponsored by WHO, WMO, and NOAA, dedicated to improving global capacity to protect populations from extreme heat risks. Established in 2018, the Network fosters collaboration among scientists, practitioners, and policymakers through open access resources, public events, and inclusive learning.  

The Network’s workplan prioritizes five key themes: urban heat, occupational heat stress, maternal and child health, cascading heat-related events, and indoor heat, as well as cross-cutting activities such as heat-health warning systems, heat health action planning and impact measurement. Organized around five strategic pillars, the Network enhances partnerships and capacity, advances science, and drives action to mitigate heat-related health risks, with a strong focus on low- and middle-income countries.  

Objective(s)

As part of the Wellcome Trust-WHO strategic partnership on climate change and health, this project aims to strengthen multidisciplinary capacity and partnerships to address extreme heat risks, particularly for vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).  

In collaboration with WHO and the Global Heat Health Information Network (GHHIN), this project will expand global and regional-level partnerships and capacity; engage new stakeholder groups; develop evidence-based tools and guidance, synthesize learning and case studies, ; and enhance awareness and access to technical information through virtual events, online platforms (e.g. GHHIN.org and ClimaHealth.info), and other targeted strategies to support decision-making, particularly in LMICs. 

Outputs

  1. Global Community and Capacity Building
    A virtual dialogue series and annual masterclass will expand the Network and accelerate sharing knowledge, with a focus on LMIC participation. 
     
  2. Strengthening Regional Heat Health Capacity  
    Establish regional heat health networks (i.e., “Hubs”) and provide coordination and technical support to regional partners. 
     
  3. Synthesis and Translation of Evidence to Action
    Publish high-profile reports, good-practice toolkits, and create a global scale inventory of Heat Action Plans to translate evidence into policy and practice.
     
  4. Heat Health Advocacy, Uptake, and Outreach  
    Raise awareness through expert-informed outreach, UNFCCC COP side events, local storytelling and knowledge management via ghhin.org and climahealth.info.

Expected outcomes

  1. Strengthened interdisciplinary partnerships, capacity, and access to expertise
  2. Enhanced regional capacity to address extreme heat risks to health
  3. Accelerated synthesis, translation and uptake of evidence to action on health risks of extreme heat and effective solutions to protect vulnerable populations in LMICs
  4. Increased awareness of climate change and extreme heat risks to health as a result of effective advocacy, community building, and access to technical resources. 

Achievements

  • Expert leadership: Global and regional teams of experts from leading international organizations, governments, and academic institutions
  • Strategic Direction: Revised strategic plan helps prioritize activities and directives of the network
  • Regional Expansion: Launch of the Southeast Asia GHHIN Hub in January 2025 and Launch of South-Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean Hubs in 2025 (planned)
  • Open-access resources: Living inventory of 134 Heat Action Plans at ghhin.org, monthly heat health digests
  • Reports and guidance: 2023 State of Climate Services for Health Report, Indoor Heat Risks Toolkit, Global Heat and Health Synthesis Report (under development).
  • Governance and Policy Contributions: WMO/UNDRR/ GHHIN Heat Governance Project, UN Secretary-General Call to Action on Extreme Heat
  • Expanded partnerships: New collaborations with USAID, ClimateWorks, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) 
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Ongoing
Total Funding:
US$ 3,770,982.00
WMO Funding:
US$ 2,240,846.00
WMO Long-Term Goal(s):
  • Climate Resilience and Adaptation
  • Disaster Risk Reduction
  • Global Framework for Climate Services
  • Capacity Development
Focus Area(s):
  • Service Delivery
  • Early Warnings

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